Our Gang was a series of American comdey short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together.
In the mid 1950s, the shorts were syndicated for television under the name Little Rascals.
A total of 220 shorts and one feature film, General Spanky, were produced, featuring over forty one child actors. There were 93 silent shorts and 127 talkie shorts.
The very first Our Gang short premiered in September 10, 1922, entitled One Terrible Day.
One Terrible Day starred Peggy Cartwright, Jackie Condon, Mickey Daniels, Jack Davis, Weston Doty, Winston Doty, Allen Hoskins (Farina), Ernie Morrison (Sunshine Sammy), and Lincoln Stedman (Secretary).
The last Our Gang short was Dancing Romeo and premiered April 29, 1944.
Dancing Romeo starred Billy Laughlin (Froggy), Robert Blake (Mickey), Billie Thomas (Buckwheat), Janet Burston (Janet), Valerie Lee (Marylin), and Bobby Browning (Gerald).
Small Talk (1929) was the first Our Gang talkie.
Small Talk starred Wheezer (Bobby Hutchins), Mary Ann Jckson, Allen Hoskins (Farina), Joe Cobb, Jean Darling, Pete the Pup, and Harry Spear.
The most popular Our Gang stars were Wheezer (Robert Hutchins), Waldo (Darwood Kaye), Stymie (Matthew Beard), Spanky (George McFarland), Scotty Beckett, Darla Hood, Porky (Gordon Lee), Pete the Pup, Mickey (Robert Blake), Mickey Daniels, Jackie Cooper, Froggy (William Robert Laughlin), Farina (Allen Hoskins), Dorothy DeBorba, Dickie Moore, Chubby (Norman Chaney), Butch (Tommy Bond), Buckwheat (William Thomas), Brisbane (Kendal McComas), Bouncy (Harold Wertz), and Alfalfa (Carl Switzer).
Several Our Gang alumni, including Alfalfa (Carl Switzer), Scotty Beckett, Chubby (Norman Chaney), Froggy (Billy Laughlin) and Wheezer (Bobby Hutchins) met with untimely deaths before the age of 40. This led to rumors of an Our Gang curse. However, the majority of Our Gang members lived long healthy lives.
George (Spanky) McFarland starred in 95 Our Gang shorts, more than any Little Rascal. Buckwheat (William Thomas) starred in 83 Our Gang shorts, the second most featured member.
Most of the Our Gang stars have passed away. However, a few are still alive.
Jean Darling was born August 23, 1922 and is now 87 years old and is the only surviving member from the Silent period of the Our Gang shorts.
Jackie Cooper was born September 15, 1922 and is now 87 years old.
Dickie Moore was born September 12, 1925 and is now 85 years old.
Robert Blake (Mickey) was born September 18, 1933 and is now 74 years old.
Dorothy DeBorba was born March 28, 1925 and is now 84 years old.
I am trying to find out what films and if I can get a copy of the silent films for little rascals that my mother-in-law was in. Her name was Virginia Myrtle Pierson (married to a Meneghelli). I would love to give her great grandchildren copies of the movies she was in.
ReplyDelete