Remember 'Our Gang?' - Whatever happened to these people? (interesting . . . and "sad")

Email | MAY 20, 2005 | Unknown

[CHARLITE]

"OUR GANG"

Whatever happened to these people?

Well, here is is.....the "rest of the story" of Our Gang/center>

ALFALFA

Carl Switzer was shot to death at age 31.

CHUBBY

300-pound Norman Chaney died at age 22 following an operation.

BUCKWHEAT

William Thomas died at age 49 of a heart attack.

DARLA HOOD

The Our Gang leading lady contracted hepatitis and died at age 47.

BRISBANE

Kendall McCormas, known as Breezy Brisbane, committed suicide at age 64.

MICKEY DANIELS

He died of liver disease at 55.

STYMIE

Mathew Bear led a life of crime and drugs. He died of a stroke at age 56.

SCOTTY BECKETT

He died at age 38 following a brutal beating.

WHEEZER

Robert Hutchins was killed in an airplane accident at age 19.

PETE THE PUP

He was poisoned by an unknown assailant.

BUTCH

Currently lives in California......
............and SPANKY?....

a used car salesman, recently died in Texas.

and........................

Robert Blake was just acquitted of murdering his wife.

You didn't know that was Robert Blake (in the middle, being hauled away by the policeman!). Did you? Robert Blake, Born Mickey Gubitosi was indeed on Our Gang.

Now you know a bit of the History of the OUR GANG group.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Nicely done, thanks.

[Calpernia]

Bump for later.

[janetgreen]

Interesting! Thanks, Charlite.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

And now, you know the rest of the story. Fame is not the sum total of life. Getting to heaven is the only suitable goal.

[Old Sarge]

Yeesh, what rough times these people had, and are still having.

I grew up with these people. They're living on, snapshots of a time gone by.

[tahotdog]

My understanding was that Buckwheat had become a muslim and was calling himself Kareem of Wheat...

[Bassfire]

Thanks for the memories! I grew up watching "Our Gang", one of my favorites!

[ARCADIA]

They certainly left a vivid impression. It's a shame so many of them went so young.

[RIGHT IN LAS VEGAS]

Memories!

[patton]

Bump for later? My, how busy your life must be. ;)

[My Favorite Headache]

Fascinating...bump

[RIGHT IN LAS VEGAS]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

[Calpernia]

LOL, updating my database :)

[patton]

As you wish. heheheheh.

[Young Werther]

My family bought our first TV in 1948. there were only three channels, including The Dumont Channel. I Lived in the NY metro area and watched Our Gang, Howdy Doody, Andy Devine, Jungle Jim, Superman, Cisco Kid and Zorro.

My hair, to this day, has a cowlick and my teenager teases me all the time when she's not patting it down with a judicious amount of saliva!

[Lancey Howard]

I was a huge fan of Our Gang and I have probably seen them all ten times, mostly back in the '60s. Anyways, here's a few more of my favorites that were not included above:

Farina (Allen Hoskins) - (8/9/20 - 7/26/80) Director Bob McGowan's personal favorite, and said to be one of the nicest people to know. Died of cancer.

Dickie Moore - (9/12/25 - ) Currently lives in New York.

Miss Crabtree - (Gisela Goetten/June Marlowe) (11/6/03 - 3/10/84) Actress in silent films, she wore a blonde wig for her her role as Miss Crabtree. Died of Parkinson's Disease.

Porky (Gordon Lee) - (10/25/33) - Currently lives in Minnesota.

Waldo (Darwood Kaye) - (9/8/29 - 5/15/2002) - Became a pastor. Was killed by a hit and run driver, who came up on the sidewalk as Darwood was taking a walk.

[Lancey Howard]

Great thread - - thanks for posting!

Here's a few added details:

Wheezer (Robert Hutchins) - (3/29/25 - 3/17/45) - Died in a military airplane accident at the age of 19.

Alfalfa (Carl Switzer) - (8/7/27 - 1/21/59) Always the clown on the set, Switzer continued to act up after he left the Gang. He had run-ins with the law and in 1959 was shot to death over money allegedly owed to him by his business partner. He was 31.

He did have a few small roles in some memorable films. Among them: "It's a Wonderful Life" and John Wayne's "The High and Mighty." Switzer also had a recurring part in Roy Rogers' TV show.

Brisbane (Kendal McComas) - (10/29/16 - 10/15/81) - Known as Breezy Brisbane. He became an electrical engineer at the U.S. Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, California. Like many child actors he was small for his age and never grew taller that five feet. In 1981, two weeks before his 65th birthday and apparent forced retirement he committed suicide.

Darla Hood - (11/8/31 - 6/13/79) - The Rascals' leading lady was a valuable behind-the-scenes entertainer after her screen success as a child. She sang background music for many 1940s films and was a regular on Merv Griffin's radio show. She even lent her vocal talents to such well-known ad campaigns as the Campbell Soup Kids and the Chicken-of-the-Sea mermaid jingle. Quote from an interview with Tommy Bond:

Bond: "Actually, in 1979 she convinced the Sons of the Desert to take in the Little Rascals. She was gonna be at our big convention in 1980. And poor thing, she got sick, had some kind of a minor operation they were gonna do on her in the hospital, and in the hospital she contracted hepatitis and died. So she never realized her dream, but we did. She set it all up for us to be hooked up with the Sons of the Desert."

[CO Gal]

Most people that are gang-related live a short life...sad really....

[CHARLITE]

Thanks, Lancey! What a great extension of my post! Fine additional information. I really appreciate the time that you put into the reply!
Sincerely,

Char :)