Posted on 09/06/2015 6:33:45 PM PDT by lowbridge
Jean Darling, one of the last surviving members of the silent movie Our Gang comedies, has died. Her death was reported on Sunday September 6 on social media sites by her friends. She had turned 93 years old only two weeks earlier. Our Gang were also called Hal Roach's Rascals. The series was known as The Little Rascals on television. In its long history, from the 1920s into the 1940s, the Our Gang roster changed a lot, with some notable members including Jackie Cooper, Farina Hoskins, Stymie Beard, Spanky McFarland, Darla Hood, and Alfalfa Switzer.
Jean Darling joined Our Gang in 1927 when she was only 5 years old. Jean was the pretty girl, often getting the attention of the boys, and causing rivalries among them. Along with appearing in seveal silent Our Gang comedies, Jean also acted a handful of the early talkies.
One of Jean's most noted silent Our Gang comedies was "Crazy House" where she played a lonesome rich girl who was stuck in her mansion and not allowed to play with the "common" children in the neighborhood. When the parents and servants are away, Jean invites several of the kids into her house, which her father has rigged with April Fool gags for a party later that evening. Great visual gags and a heartfelt performance by Jean Darling make "Crazy House" one of the best Gang comedies of the silent era. Another of Jean's best films was the early talkie "Boxing Gloves" (1929) when she played the object of affection for rival boys Fat Joe Cobb and Norman "Chubby" Chaney, who end up fighting in a boxing ring over her. Since this is such an early talkie, it is part sound and part silent, giving the movie some historical significance as well.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
Oops, my mistake! I remember the circus ep now. Good one.
I also really liked one where this rich kid in a neck brace goes for a ride in one of the kid’s homemade taxi cab or something. They spend about half the ep going down a steep hill in it. At the end, Stymie or one of the other kids “fixes” the rich by twisting his neck “normal” or something. Funny stuff.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.