Spanky and "Our Gang"

[82Rigger]

We baby-boomers knew 'em as "The Little Rascals".

For over 20 years the "Our Gang" kids entertained children and adults alike at the movies, and they're still re-running on TV.

The "Our Gang" series started in 1923 with a series of silent short films, and continued into 1944 with sound films by Hal Roach and the MGM label.

There were numerous changes in the cast of kids over the years.

Here are some of the better-known "Our Gang" kids and what became of them:






"Alfalfa"
(Carl Switzer) was shot to death during an argument over a debt in 1959. He was 31 years old.









"Darla"
(Darla Jean Hood) contracted acute hepatitis following minor surgery and died in 1979. She was 47 years old.










"Buckwheat"
(William Thomas Jr.) died of a sudden heart attack in 1980. He was 49 years of age.










"Froggy"
(Billy Laughlin) was killed when his motorscooter was hit by a truck in 1948. He was 16 years old.










Jackie Cooper became a movie star and is living in California. He is 86.











"Miss Crabtree"
(June Marlow) died of complications from Parkinson's disease in 1984 at age 80.











"Wheezer"
(Robert Hutchins) was killed in a plane crash in 1945 while trying to land a B-26 Marauder in the Merced Army Air Corps Field at Merced, California, during a training exercise. He was 20 years old.








"Stymie"
(Matthew Beard) died of pneumonia in 1981 at age 56.











"Spanky"
(George McFarland) died of a heart attack in 1993 at age 64.











"Scotty"
(Scott Beckett) died of a severe beating at the age of 38 in 1968.











"Petey"
(Pete the Pup) was poisoned by persons unknown.











"Mickey"
(Robert Blake) went on to star in the TV series "Baretta". In 2002 he was accused of murdering his wife.