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The Little Rascals

"Our Gang"

In the 50's we all had our favorite of the rascals.

We thought they were unique to our generation but

in fact, we were watching re-runs which originally

aired 1922 to 1944. We had our own "gang."

Many a dog had shoe polish around one eye

painted by a Little Rascal fan. So ... What

Happened to the child stars of the Little Rascals?

"Alfalfa"

Carl Switzer was shot to death at age 31
According to OUR GANG - LIFE AND TIMES OF

THE LITTLE RASCALS by MALTIN AND BANN,

Switzer was wounded in Jan 1958 when someone

shot him as he was getting into a car. Then the

next year, a fatal shot was delivered in a struggle over

$50 with an ex-partner in a big game hunting business.

"Chubby"

300-pound Norman Chaney died at age 18. His

death followed surgery for a glandular condition.

"Buckwheat"

William Thomas died at age 49 of a heart attack.

He died in Los Angeles in 1980 after a successful

life as a film lab technician in Hollywood.

"Cookie"

Darla Hood -- The Our Gang leading lady

contracted hepatitis and died at age 47.

She died on June 13, 1979.

"Breezy Brisbane"

Kendall McComas, committed suicide atage 64.

According to published reports, he gave up show

business to be an electrical engineer at the

U.S. Naval Weapons Center in China Lake,

California. He committed suicide two weeks

before his retirement in 1981.

"Froggy"

William Robert Laughline was killed in a motor

scooter accident atage 16.
Laughline was killed in a motor scooter accident near

Huntington Beach, CA in the early 1950’s

"Mickey"

Richard Daniels, Jr., died of liver disease at 55.

He died alone in a hotel of cirrhosis of the liver

on August 20, 1970.

"Stymie"

Mathew Bear led a life of crime and drugs.

He died of pneumonia at age 56.

After leaving the Our Gang series as a child,

Stymie reportedly acted through high school.
He became addicted to drugs, especially heroin

and spent much of his young adult years in and

out of jail.In the 1980's got clean of drugs and both

went back into acting and traveling doing drug

abuse lectures. He died of Pneumonia

"Scotty"

Scotty Beckett died at age 38

following a brutal beating-
According to Maltin and Bann's book,

"The last 10 years of his life were filled with

unpleasant stories of divorce, violence, drugs and

arrests."He checked into a Hollywood nursing home

on May 8, 1968, needing medical attention after

suffering a serious beating. He died two days later.

Although pills and a note were found, no conclusion

was made by the coroner as to the exact cause

of death. According to the Internet Movie

Database, he died of an overdose of barbiturates

"Wheezer"

Robert Hutchins was killed in an airplane accident at

age 19. According to findagrave.com, he was

killed during the last thirty minutes of his basic

training at the Merced Army Air Corps

field in California when his plane crashed

on landing.

"Pete the Pup"

Rumor says he was poisoned by an unknown assailant.
There were actually several different dogs used

through the years as Pete the Pup, the canine star

of films. There are several reports that the original

Pete the Pup was poisoned by someone who gave

him meat laced with glass. There is also an urban

legend that Pete the Pup was buried with Alfalfa

but we've found no evidence of that and Pete the

Pup died long before Alfalfa.
Alfalfa loved hunting and apparently there is a dog

on his tombstone that reflects that so that may

have been a part of what prompted the urban

legend about Pete the Pup.

"Spanky"

Internet rumor has Robert Blake playing Spanky

in the Our Gang series. This is not true.
Spanky was played by George McFarland who

went on to become a Forth Worth, Texas businessman

before his death of a heart attack in 1993.

Robert Blake did appear in some of the later

Little Rascals episodes and played Mickey

"Butch"

Thomas Bond played "Butch"
is not mentioned in the eRumor, but just for

the record, he died on 9/24/05 in Los Angeles of

complications from heart disease, according

to an Associated Press article on 9/25/05.

He was 79.

"Bonedust"

Robert H. Young "Bonedust" (9/15/17 - 9/10/51)

Died in a hotel fire, which started when

he fell asleep smoking in bed,

According to crime writer David Lohr.

“Bouncy”, "Deadpan" or "Slim"

Harold Switzer - (1/16/25 - 4/14/67)

As was the case with his brother,

Harold was also killed following a dispute

with another man.

"Waldo"

Darwood Kaye - (9/08/29 - 5/15/2002)
Killed by a hit and run driver while

walking on the sidewalk.

"Jay R"

Jay R. Smith - (8/29/15 - 10/05/2002)
Stabbed to death and left in the desert by

a homeless man he had befriended.

More "Our Gang" Pictures

OUR GANG ~ Hal Roach’s PATHE Silents

November 5, 1922

ERNIE “SUNSHINE SAMMY” MORRISON JACKIE “ROSIE” CONDON PEGGY CARTWRIGHT JACK ”TUFFY” DAVIS

1922-ALLEN “FARINA” HOSKINS MARY KORNMAN MICKEY DANIELS 1923- JOE “SQUEAKY” COBB

JOHNNY DOWNS JANNIE “MANGO” HOSKINS “PAL” THE DOG 1924- JAY R. “SPECKS” SMITH

EUGENE “PINEAPPLE” JACKSON MILDRED KORNMAN 1926- SCOOTER LOWRY 1927- JEAN DARLING

HARRY SPEAR BOBBY “WHEEZER” HUTCHINS 1928- MARY ANN JACKSON

1929- “PETE” THE PUP NORMAN “CHUBBY” CHANEY JACKIE COOPER

HAROLD “BOUNCY” WERTZ 1930- JUNE“MISS CRABTREE”MARLOW MATTHEW “STYMIE” BEARD DOROTHY “ECHO” DE BORBA

EDITH FELLOWS 1931- SHIRLEY JEAN RICKERT SHERWOOD “SPUD” BAILEY JERRY “PERCY” TUCKER

1932- KENDALL “BREEZY” McCOMAS GEORGE “SPANKY” McFARLAND TOMMY “BUTCH” BOND WALLY ALBRIGHT

DICKIE MOORE BOBBY “COTTON” BEARD JACQUIE LYN 1933- JOHN “UH-HUH” COLLUM

1934- SCOTTY BECKETT JACKIE LYNN TAYLOR BILLY “BUCKWHEAT” THOMAS MARIANNE EDWARDS

WILLIE MAE TAYLOR BILLY LEE GEORGE BRASNO OLIVE BRASNO

SID “WOIM” KIBRICK JOY WURGAFT 1935- CARL “ALFALFA” SWITZER HAROLD “SLIM” SWITZER

GORDON EUGENE “PORKY” LEE 1936- DARLA “COOKIE” HOOD BABY PATSY MAY ROSINA “MISS JONES” LAWRENCE

1937- DARWOOD “WALDO” KAYE ERNIE “STINKY” WECKBAUGH 1939- MICKEY GUBITOSI

SHIRLEY “MUGGSY” COATES 1940- JUANITA “SALLY” QIIGLEY BILLY “FROGGY” LAUGHLIN JANET BURSTON

The Last “LITTLE RASCALS”

Short #221 ~ April 15, 1944

The Characters Are In The Order Of Their Appearance In The

OUR GANG / LITTLE RASCALS Series

More ...

Allen Clayton Hoskins as Farina

(appeared from 1922-1933) – b. 08/09/1920; d. 07/26/1980

Alvin Buckelew as Spike

(appeared from 1934-1937) - b. 01/01/1900;

Andy Samuel as Andy

(appeared from 1923-1925) – b. 04/10/1909; d. 03/5/1992

Baby Patsy May (appeared in 1936)

Billy Lee

(appeared in 1934) – b. 03/12/1929; d. 11/17/1989

Bobby Beard as Cotton

(appeared from 1932-1934) – b. 08/2/1930; d. 10/16/1999

Carlena Beard as Cotton, Buckwheat & Marmalade

(appeared from 1931 to 1934) – b. 03/19/1930; d. 02/23/72

Carl Switzer as Alfalfa

(appeared from 1935-1940) – b. 08/07/1927; d. 01/21/1959

Clifton Young as Bonedust

(appeared from 1925-1931) – 09/15/1917; d. 09/10/1951;

aka Bobby Young & Robert H. Clifton Young

Darla Jean Hood as Cookie then Darla

(appeared from 1935 to 1941) – b. 11/08/1931; d. 06/13/1979

Darwood K. Smith as Waldo

(appeared from 1937-1940) – b. 09/08/1929; d. 05/15/2002

Dickie Moore as Dickie

(appeared from 1932-1933) – b. 09/12/1925

Donald Haines as Toughie also as Specks

(appeared from 1930-1933) – b. 1918; d. 1941 (MIA)

Donald Proffitt as Donald

(appeared from 1934 to 1937)

Donny Smith as Beezer

(appeared in 1929)

Dorothy DeBorba as Echo & Dorothy

(appeared from 1930-1933) – b. 03/28/1925

Ernie Morrison as Ernie or Sunshine Sammy

among many others (appeared from 1922-1924)

– b. 12/20/1912; d. 07/24/1989

Ernie Weckbaugh as Stinky

(appeared in 1937) - b. 07/ ? /1931

(http://www.casagraphics.com/ rascals.html)

Eugene Jackson as Gene or Pineapple

(appeared in 1924-25) - b. 12/25/1916; d. 10/26/2001

Gordon Eugene Lee as Porky

(appeared from 1935-1939)

– famous words: “O-Tay” – b. 10/25/1933

Gary Jasgar as Junior (appeared 1937-1939)

George Brasno – the midget

(appeared from 1934-1936) – b. 12/23/1911; d. 08/15/1982

George Emmett McFarland as Spanky

(appeared from 1932-1942) – b. 10/02/1928; d. 06/30/1993

Harold Wertz as Bouncy

(appeared in 1932) - b. 08/3/1927; d. 11/21/1999

Harold Switzer as Slim

(appeared from 1935-1940) – b. 01/16/1025; d. 04/14/1967

Harry Spear as Harry

(appeared from 1927-1929) – b. 12/16/1921; d. 02/11/1969

Jack Davis as Jack or Tuffy

(appeared from 1922-1924) – b. 04/5/1914; d. 11/3/1992

Jackie Condon as Jackie or Rosie

(appeared from 1922-1928) – b. 03/25/1918; d. 10/13/1977

Jackie Cooper as Jack or Jackie

(appeared from 1929-1937) – b. 09/15/1922

Jacqueline Hope Taylor as Jane or Jackie –

(appeared in 1934) aka Jackie Lynn Taylor -

(Amer. actor – b. 09/3/1928(?); d. 03/21/2002

aka Rev. Dr. Hope Taylor Fries, D.D. ; – b. 1926)

Jacquie Lyn as Jacquie

(appeared in 1932) - b. 1936 in England as Jacquelyn Dufton

Janet Burston as Janet

(appeared from 1940-1944) – b. 01/11/1935; d. 03/3/1998

Jannie Hoskins as Mango (Buckwheat’s little sister) –

(appeared from 1923-1935) – b. 03/19/1923; d. 01/11/1996

Jay R. Smith as Jay. R. or Specks

(appeared from 1925-1929) – b. 08/29/1915; d. 10/05/2002

Jean Darling as Jean

(appeared from 1927 to 1929) – b. 08/23/1922;

Jerry Tucker as Percy

(appeared from 1931-1938) – b. 11/01/1925;

Joe Cobb as Joe or Squeaky

(appeared from 1923-1929 & 1937*) – b. 11/07/1916; d. 05/21/2002

John Collum as Uh-Huh

(appeared from 1932-1938) – b. 06/29/1926; d. 08/28/1962

Johnny Downs as Johnny

(appeared from 1923-1927) – b. 10/10/1913; d. 06/06/1994

Joy Wurgaft

(appeared from 1934 & 1935) – b. 09/19/1927 (aka Joy Lane, see http://members.aol.com/Joanrobertson23/joylane.html)

Juanita Quigley as Sally

(appeared from 1940 to 1942) – b. 06/24/1931; aka Baby Jane

June Marlow as Miss Crabtree (real name was Gisela Goetten) –

(appeared in 6 episodes from 1930-1932) –

b. 11/06/1903; d. 03/10/1984

Kendall McComas as Breezy Brisbane

(appeared in 1932) – b. 10/29/1916; d. 10/15/1981

Kitty Kelly as Spanky’s Mom

(appeared in Beginner’s Luck – 1935) –

b. 04/27/1902; d. 06/29/1968

Leonard Kibrick

(appeared from 1934-1936) – b. 09/06/1924; d. 01/04/1993

Leonard Landy as Leonard & Percy

(appeared from 1938 to 1941)

Marianne Edwards

appeared from 1934-1936) – b. 1930

Marvin Trin as Bubbles

(appeared from 1934 to 1937) – b. 12/28/1929; d. 10/19/86

Mary Ann Jackson as Mary Ann

(appeared from 1928-1931) – b. 01/14/1923; d. 12/17/2003

Mary Kornman as Mary

(appeared from 1922-1926, also 1933+) & 1937*) –

b. 12/27/1915; d. 06/01/1973

Matthew Beard as Stymie

(appeared from 1930 to 1935 & 1937*) –

b. 01/01/1925; d. 01/08/1981

Michael Gubitosi as Mickey

(appeared from 1939-1944) – b. 09/18/1933

(aka Robert Blake, Baretta, Little Beaver in TV “Red Ryder”

Mickey Daniels as Mickey

(appeared from 1922-1926, 1933+ & 1937*) –

b. 10/11/1914; d. 08/20/1970

Mildred Kornman as Mildred

(appeared from 1926-1935) – b. 07/10/1925

Norman Chaney as Chubby

(appeared from 1929-1931) – b. 01/18/1914; d. 05/30/1936

Olive Brasno – the midget

(appeared from 1934-1936) – b. 10/07/1917; d. 01/25/1998

Peggy Cartwright as Peggy

(appeared in 1922) – b. 11/14/12; d. 06/13/2001

Pal the wonder dog & Pete the Pup as Pete

(appeared from 1922-1930) –

see http://www.angelfire.com/stars3/petey/meet.html for the story

Von the dog

(appeared from 1936-1937)

Robert F. “Bobby” Hutchins as Wheezer

(appeared from 1927-1933) – b. 03/29/1925; d. 03/17/1945

Robert Winkler (born Winckler)

(appeared from 1936 to 1938) – b. 02/12/1927; d. 12/28/1989

Rosina Lawrence as Miss Jones, Miss Lawrence

(appeared from 1936-1937) – b. 12/30/1912; d. 06/23/1997

Scooter Lowry as Scooter

(appeared from 1926-1927)

Scotty Beckett as Scotty

(appeared from 1934-1936 & 1939) –

b. 10/04/1929; d. 05/10/1968

Sherwood Bailey as Sherwood or Spud

(appeared from 1931-1932) b. 08/06/1923; d. 08/06/1987

Shirley Jean Rickert as Shirley

(appeared in 1931) – b. 03/25/1926 (aka Gilda)

Shirley Coates as Henrietta or Muggsy

(appeared from 1937-1940)

Sidney Kibrick as Woim

(appeared from 1935-1939) – b. 07/02/1928

Tommy Bond as Tommy

(appeared from 1932-1934 & as Butch from 1937-1940) –

b. 09/16/1926 (aka Jimmy Olsen –TV “Superman”)

Wally Albright as Wally

(appeared in 1934) – b. 09/03/1925; d. 08/07/1999

William “Billie” Thomas as Buckwheat

(appeared from 1934-1944) – b. 03/12/1931; d. 10/10/1980

William R. “Billy” Laughlin as Froggy

(appeared from 1940-1944) – b. 07/05/1932; d. 08/31/1948

Willie Mae Taylor as Buckwheat

(appeared in 1934) – b. 1915; d. 04/26/2002

(+) 1933 Fish Hooky (*) 1937 Reunion In Rhythm

Sources: http://www.imbd.com

(They have Jacquie Lyn & Jackie Lynn Taylor wrong)