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To: CHARLITE

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."






18 posted on 05/20/2005 8:19:12 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard
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 :)

20 posted on 05/20/2005 8:29:02 PM PDT by CHARLITE (Not gonna be happy until the Hillster is sent packing, with Billery in tow. on a leash.........)
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