The Little Rascals/Our Gang

Cafe Society
1

‘Oh, Chubsy-Ubsy, there’s going to be something lying heavy on your nose!’

That’s one of my favourite lines from the series.

For whatever reason, I’ve been looking up information on Little Rascals actors on IMDb. Kind of interesting. I’d heard the rumour that Carl ‘Alfalfa’ Switzer was killed in a bar fight. Turns out he really was shot to death at the age of 31, over an argument over $50.

Darla Hood died when she was only 47. When I was a kid in San Diego I watched The Little Rascals every weekend. I’m pretty sure Darla Hood hosted the show.

I had the hots for June ‘Miss Crabtree’ Marlowe.

Speaking of Darla Hood and Miss Crabtree, I used to work with a girl named Darla Crabtree.

But back to the quote that started this thread. Jackie Cooper (Jackie) is eavesdropping on Norman ‘Chubby’ Chaney as the latter woos Miss Crabtree. 'Oh Miss Crabtree, there’s something heavy on my heart, ’ says Chubby, eliciting Jackie’s sotoo voce reply. Love Business is one of my favourite episodes. It has Miss Crabtree. It has those funny lines. But the part I like best is when Jackie has a quick insert shot where he’s sone up like some sort of gnome or something. IIRC, he had his shoes on his hands and some face make-up, and he ‘stomped’ with his shoed hands.

Norman Chaney died in 1936, at tha age of 22.

2

Some more trivia bits about people who passed thru “Our Gang:”

John Lester Johnson played “Uncle George,” actually “Bumbo, the Wild Man from Borneo.” In real life, Johnson was a former boxer who gave Jack Dempsey one of the worst whuppin’s of his career. Technically, I think the fight was ruled “no contest,” since that was common back in those days when there wasn’t a KO. A fight would just be called after a certain number of rounds with no decision rendered.

Also, a young Ava Gardner can be seen in the short “Mighty Lak a Goat.”

Alfalfa’s brother Harold, who also appeared in some shorts, murdered his girlfriend, then committed suicide.

Stymie has one of the earliest on-screen cites referring to people named after diseases. In “Shiver My Timbers,” he asks pirate Billy Gilbert about that lady he had mentioned—“Malaria.”

In the short “Ye Olde Minstrels,” there’s a scene where everyone suddenly turns black-face—except Buckwheat. The camera does a close-up on Buckwheat who is reacting in horror at having turned completely white!

The first “Buckwheat” was played by one of Stymie’s siblings, Carlena.

When Stymie first appeared, as Farina’s little brother, his name was “Hercules.”

The grumbles of the pirate in “Mama’s Little Pirate” were supplied by 5’2” Billy Bletcher (an “Our Gang” frequent flyer). The pirate was played by circus giant Tex Madsen, who was billed at 7’6” (so he was probably under 7’ IRL).

Froggy’s brother Mickey appeared in some of the later shorts. Mickey (called “Happy” in the shorts) actually looked more like Porky, who had since left.

3

My favorite line (paraphrased):

Spanky: “Let’s get momma a gun for her birthday.”
Spanky’s older brother: “What will momma do with a gun?”
Spanky: “Shoot papa.”

I definitely prefer the earlier films. As a kid, I liked Alfalfa, but, later on, I realized he wasn’t even remotely funny. Spanky was good in the beginning, especially when teamed with Scotty Beckett, but the Spanky-Darla-Alfalfa-Porky-Buckwheat films were uniformly mediocre.

4

Didn’t Porky just die? I am glad he was able to live to a greater age.
Otay
We watched The Little Rascals over and over and over.
I preferred the earlier ones as well, but that didn’t stop me from watching whatever turned up on the TV.
Miss Crabtree was indeed beautiful, as was Darla in her cute little pleated skirt.
I loved Algebra the mule.
Spanky was my favorite character. He was such an operator, but he was so cute about it. “Pop’s gone coo-coo!”
And wasn’t there one Little Rascals that was a bit more dramatic, when some sleazy guy tried to trick Grandma out of her house or land or something?

5

Really streching my memory here:

It was some bonds. she’d been holding since hubby died. Completely gone to junk status. She gave them to the kids to use for the tail of thier kite…Then slimeball notes article in paper stating company has recovered, and thus bonds are now worth a lot. However, they are now hanging from kite’s tail, thus they were unavailable when the slimeball (nephew, son in law…some such) came to collect them from granny. The kids were able to keep them from slimeball and return them to granny.

6

Yup. And Tommy Bond died in September.

7

Neat current as of Summer of 05 (Porky and Bond still listed as alive) 1 page of bios of many of the guys. Great links.

The page also reminds us: After the films ended *Buckwheat * lived a good civilian life and died young. Stymie lived the life of a villain before cleaning up and died in his late 50’s. You hear many people saying Buckwheat was in jail etc. etc. and it really is unfair to a solid guy.

Many, many of them died youngish – but you know who didn’t? Hal Roach – he lived until 19 freaking 92 – to over 100 years old, outliving the bulk of these “kids”.

So many of them were the sole support of their families during the depression.

Enough depressing stuff tho:

I guess my favorite is the Rich boy, ostensibly in precarious health, whose Mom is smothering him and the gang takes him out, high jinks ensue and his Mom realizes she needs to let go a bit.

Yearbook style:
The He Man Womin Haters Club…Woim is still alive…Petey…Petey no.1 was poisoned…Porky and Buckwheat Detectives…Alfalfa the Boxer…Porky and Buckwheat with firecrackers…Hellooooo Crabby…Chubby & Joe Cobb were really obese …Happy Birthday Mr. Hood, Happy Birthday to you, to make your birthday turn out good I give this present to you!"