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Week
of...
January
1 - January
5 -January 12 - January
19 - January 26
February 2 - February
9 - February 16 - February
23
March 2 - March
9 - March 16 - March
23 - March 30
April 6- April
13 - April 20 -
April 27
May 4 - May 11
- May 18 - May 25
June 1 - June 8
- June 15 - June
22 - June 29
July 6 - July 13
- July 20 - July
27
August 3 - August
10 - August 17 - August
24 - August 31
September 7 - September
14 - September 21 - September
28
October 5 - October
12 - October 19 - October
26
November 2 - November
9 - November 16 - November
23 - November 30
December 7 - December
14 - December 21 - December
28
"The
Little Rascals" and Little Rascals characters © and TM King
World Productions, Inc. This website based in part upon a television
series distributed by King World Productions and Turner Entertainment
Company / MGM.
Week
of January 1
January
1
• Happy New Year!
• Matthew "Stymie" Beard
born 1926 Los Angeles, CA.
January
2
National Cream Puff Day! Recipe tip: Don't use soap as your filling.
January
3
"Helping Grandma" released, 1931.
January
4
"The Pinch Singer" released, 1936.
Back
to top
Week
of January 5
January
6
Ruth Hiatt, Marianne's mother in "Beginner's Luck", born
1906, Cripple Creek, Colorado.
January 7
"Alfalfa's Aunt" (Froggy Years) released, 1939.
January
8
• Matthew "Stymie" beard
dies of pneumonia in Los Angeles, 1981.
•"Dig That Uranium"
released, 1956.
January
9
•"Reunion in Rhythm"
released, 1937.
• Leroy Shield, musical genius
who composed Little Rascals background music, dies in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, 1961.
January
10
Emerson Treacy dies following surgery, Hollywood, 1967. Played Spanky's
father in "Bedtime Worries" and "Wild Poses".
Back
to top
Week
of January 12
January
11
Janniee Hoskins dies, San Francisco, 1996. Farina's sister appeared
in a handful of Little Rascals films.
January 14
•Mary Ann Jackson born in Los
Angeles, California, 1923.
•Hal Roach born in Elmira, New
York, 1882.
January
18
Norman "Chubby" Chaney born in Baltimore, Maryland, 1918.
Back
to top
Week
of January 19
January
19
"Anniversary Trouble" released, 1935.
January
20
•"Alfalfa's Double"
(Froggy Years) released, 1940.
•"A Letter to Three Wives"
released, 1949.
January
21
• Alfalfa dies in Los Angeles,
1958.
• Otis Harlan dies of stroke,
Martinsville, Indiana, 1940. Played Hiram Jenks in "Roamin'
Holiday".
January
23
Franklin Pangborn born 1893, Newark, New Jersey. Played photographer
Otto Phocus in the classic "Wild Poses".
January
25
•"Shivering Shakespeare"
released 1930.
• Olive Brasno dies in Lakeland,
Florida, 1998. Portrayed little person in "Shrimps for a Day"
and "Arbor Day".
Back
to top
Week
of January 26
January
27
• Robert McGowan dies in Santa
Monica, CA, 1955. Directed 108 Little Rascals episodes (nearly half
the series' grand total of 222) and supervised several others.
•"Belle Le Grande" released,
1951.
January 28
"Fish Hooky" released 1933.
Back
to top
Week
of February 2
February
2
"Readin' and Writin'" released 1932.
February
3
"On Our Merry Way" released, 1948.
February 4
• Margaret Mann dies of cancer,
1941. Played beloved "Grandma" in "Helping Grandma"
and "Fly My Kite".
• Rosa Gore dies in Los Angeles,
1941. Played nasty headmistress of orphanage in "Shrimps For
a Day".
February
8
"Divot Diggers" released, 1936.
Back
to top
Week
of February 9
February 11
"Free Eats" released, 1932. Spanky's debut episode.
February
12
"Canned Fishin'g" released, 1938. National day of mourning.
February
14
•"Love Business" released,
1931.
•"The Human Comedy"
released, 1944.
February
15
Henry Brandon dies in Los Angeles, 1990. Played "Barnaby"
in "March of the Wooden Soldiers". Portrayed opera impresario
in "Our Gang Follies of 1938", also reprised his "Barnaby"
character in this episode as part of Alfalfa's dream sequence.
Back
to top
Week
of February 16
February 18
"Tiny Troubles" (Froggy Era) released 1939.
February
20
"Glove Taps" released 1937. Debut episode for Darwood
Kaye (a.k.a. "Waldo"). Also first appearance of Tommy
Bond as "Butch" and Sid Kibrick as "Woim".
Back
to top
Week
of February 23
February
23
"Beginners' Luck" released, 1935. Alfalfa's debut!!!!
February 25
Joe Cobb's debut, "The Big Show", 1923.
March
1
"The First Seven Years" released, 1930.
Back
to top
Week
of March 2
March
3
"Hi, Neighbor" released 1934. Debut episode of Scotty
Beckett.
March
5
"Bear Facts" released 1938.
March
6
• Louise Emmons dies in 1935 at
83. Played the frightening old headmistress in "Mush and Milk".
• Gus Meins (Gustave Peter Ludwig
Luley) born in Los Angeles, 1893. Directed eight Alfalfa Little
Rascals episodes. Also directed "March of the Wooden Soldiers".
Back
to top
Week
of March 9
March
9
"The Big Premiere" (Froggy Era) released, 1940.
March
10
• Edward Norris born in 1910,
Philadelphia. Played Miss Jones's fiancee Ralph Wilson in "Teacher's
Beau".
• June Marlowe dies of Parkinson's
Disease in Burbank, California, 1984. Played the beloved Miss Crabtree
in six Little Rascals episodes in the early thirties.
•"Ice Follies of 1939"
released, 1939.
March
11
•"Forgotten Babies"
released 1933.
•"Duel Personalities"
(Froggy Era) released, 1939.
• William Wagner dies in Hollywood
in 1964. Played Leonard's father in "The Lucky Corner"
and "For Pete's Sake".
March
12
William "Buckwheat" Thomas born Los Angeles, 1931.
March
14
"The Lucky Corner" released, 1934.
Back
to top
Week
of March 16
March
17
Robert "Wheezer" Hutchins dies during military test flight,
Merced, California, 1945.
March 18
"My Favorite Blonde" released, 1942.
March
19
Jannie Hoskins born Los Angeles, 1923. Farina's sister starred in
a handful of Little Rascals episodes in the late 20's and early
30's.
March
21
Thomas Pogue (main golfer in "Divot Diggers") dies in
Hollywood, 1941.
Back
to top
Week
of March 23
March 25
• Jackie Condon born, Los Angeles,
1918.
•"House By the River"
released, 1950.
March
26
•"Spanky" released 1932.
Tommy Bond's debut episode!
•"Three Men in a Tub"
released, 1938. Jerry Tucker's final episode.
March
27
Gus Leonard dies at age 83 in Los Angeles, 1939. Played "Gus"
in "Mush and Milk" and "The Lucky Corner", also
made a cameo appearance in "Teacher's Beau". Note: Leonard
was born in 1856, Marseilles, France. Date unknown.
March
28
• Dorothy "Echo" DeBorba
born Los Angeles, 1925.
•"Little Daddy" released,
1931.
March
29
• Robert "Wheezer" Hutchins
born Tacoma, Washington, 1925.
•"All About Hash" (Froggy
Era) released, 1940.
Back
to top
Week
of March 30
March
30
"Cause For Alarm!" released, 1951.
April
1
Jack Pepper dies in Los Angeles, 1979. Played Darla's circus impresario
father in "Bear Facts".
April
2
Elaine Shepard born, 1913. Played Darla's mother and Mr. Hood's
wife (poor girl!) in "Night 'N' Gales".
April
3
•"Hearts are Thumps"
released, 1937.
• Tom Herbert born, played Master
of Ceremonies in "Beginner's Luck". Recipient of Alfalfa's
very first line of dialogue in acting career.
April
4
• Margaret Mann born 1868, Aberdeen,
Scotland. Played "Grandma" in "Helping Grandma"
and "Fly My Kite".
• Leonard Kibrick dies, 1993.
Brother of Sid "Woim" Kibrick, Leonard also distinguished
himself with several memorable Rascals performances in the mid-thirties,
most notably "For Pete's Sake", "The Lucky Corner",
and "Mike Fright".
April
5
"When the Wind Blows" released, 1930.
Back
to top
Week
of April 6
April
6
"Southern Exposure" released, 1935.
April
9
"Rosie the Riveter" released, 1944.
April
11
"Second Childhood" released, 1936.
Back
to top
Week
of April 13
April
14
"For Pete's Sake" released 1934. Buckwheat's debut episode.
April
15
•"The Kid From Borneo"
released, 1933.
•"Clown Princes" (Froggy
Era) released, 1939.
•"Tale of a Dog" released,
1944. Last Little Rascals episode ever produced.
Back
to top
Week
of April 20
April
20
"Shantytown" released, 1943.
April
21
Ruth Hiatt dies in Montrose, California, 1994. Played Marianne's
mother in "Beginner's Luck".
April
24
•"Rushin' Ballet" released,
1937.
• Fred Newmeyer dies, Woodland
Hills, California, 1967. Directed three Alfalfa episodes.
April
26
Edgar Kennedy born in Monterey, California, 1890. Played Kennedy
the Cop in a handful of episodes in the late 20's and early 30's.
Back
to top
Week
of April 27
April
27
•"Teacher's Beau" released,
1935. Stymie's final episode.
•"The New Pupil" (Froggy
Era) released, 1940.
• Kitty Kelly born in New York City, 1902. Played Spanky's
mother in "Beginner's Luck".
April
29
"Cousin Wilbur" (Froggy Era) released, 1939.
April
30
• Dick Elliott born, 1886. Played
Mr. Jones in "Sprucin' Up".
•"State of the Union"
released, 1948.
May
2
•"Bargain Day" released,
1931. Jackie Cooper's final episode.
•"Arbor Day" released,
1936.
May
3
"Going My Way" released, 1944.
Back
to top
Week
of May 4
May
5
"The First Round-up" released, 1934.
May
7
"Choo-Choo" released, 1932. Wally Albright's debut episode.
May
10
Scotty Beckett dies in Los Angeles, 1968.
Back
to top
Week
of May 11
May 13
"Three Smart Boys" released, 1937.
May
15
•Darwood
"Waldo" Kaye killed by a hit-and-run driver, Riverside,
California, 2002.
May
17
"Bear Shooters" released, 1930.
Back
to top
Week
of May 18
May
18
"Small Talk" released, 1929. First Little Rascals sound
film. Trivia: The first line of dialogue spoken in a Little Rascals
film was "Dinner's ready, have you all washed your hands?"
May
20
Johnny Arthur born, 1883, Scottsdale, Pennsylvania. Played Spanky's
father in "Anniversary Trouble" and Mr. Hood (Darla's
father) in "Night 'N' Gales" and "Feed 'Em and Weep".
May
21
• Tommy McFarland dies, 1982.
Spanky's brother appeared in 15 Little Rascals episodes.
•"Pick a Star" released,
1937.
• Joe Cobb dies of natural causes,
Santa Ana, California, 2002.
Back
to top
Week
of May 25
May
25
"Bubbling Troubles" (Froggy Era) released, 1940. Tommy
Bond's final episode.
May 27
•"Mush and Milk" released,
1933. Final episode for Dickie Moore and Robert "Wheezer"
Hutchins.
• "Big Town Scandal"
released, 1948.
May
30
"Fly My Kite" released, 1931. Final episode for Mary Ann
Jackson and Norman "Chubby" Chaney. Final regular episode
for Allan "Farina" Hoskins (who would make one additional
cameo appearance in "Fish Hooky").
Back
to top
Week
of June 1
June
1
•"Sprucin' Up" released,
1935.
• Mary Kornman dies, 1973, Glendale,
California.
June
3
•"Honky Donkey" released,
1934.
• Mary Ann Jackson's debut episode,
"Crazy House", released in 1928.
June
5
"Henry and Dizzy" released, 1942.
Back
to top
Week
of June 8
June
8
•Maurice Cass dies, 1954. Played
master of ceremonies in "Arbor Day".
•Henry Brandon born, 1912, in
Berlin. Played "Barnaby" in "March of the Wooden
Soldiers". Played the opera impresario in "Our Gang Follies
of 1938", also reprised Barnaby character in this film during
Alfalfa's dream sequence.
June
9
Leonard Kibrick born, 1924.
June
11
"The Pooch" released, 1932.
June
12
•"Roamin' Holiday" released,
1937.
•"Gas House Kids Go West"
released, 1947.
June
13
•Darla Hood dies of hepatitis,
1979.
•"Pat and Mike" released,
1952.
June
14
Jack Pepper born, 1902, Palestine, Texas. Played Darla's circus
impresario father in "Bear Facts".
Back
to top
Week
of June 15
June
15
•"Railroadin' " released,
1929. Norman "Chubby" Chaney's debut.
•"I Dream of Jeannie"
released, 1952.
June
18
"Hide and Shriek" released, 1938. Final Little Rascals
film produced by Hal Roach before series continued under the auspices
of MGM.
June
21
"A Tough Winter" released 1930. This episode banned from
most local television packages.
Back
to top
Week
of June 22
June
23
• Rosina Lawrence dies in New
York City, 1997.
•"Dixie" released, 1943.
June
24
"Joy Scouts" (Froggy Era) released, 1939.
June
26
"There's One Born Every Minute" released, 1942.
June
27
George Guhl dies in Los Angeles, 1973. Played truant officer Mr.
Smithers in "Arbor Day".
Back
to top
Week
of June 29
June
29
Kitty Kelly dies of cancer, Hollywood, 1968, Played Spanky's mother
in "Beginner's Luck".
June
30
George "Spanky" McFarland dies of heart attack in Grapevine,
Texas, 1993.
July
1
"Dog Daze" (Froggy Era) released, 1939.
July
3
"The High and the Mighty" released, 1954.
July
5
• William Robert "Froggy"
Laughlin born, San Gabriel, California, 1932.
• Del Henderson born Ontario,
Canada, 1883. Appeared in "Free Eats" and as harried child
welfare agent in "Choo-Choo".
Back
to top
Week
of July 6
July 11
Robert McGowan born, 1882, Colorado. The dean of Little Rascals
directors.
Back
to top
Week
of July 13
July 18
Thomas Pogue born 1873, Gate City, Virginia. Played main golfer
in "Divot Diggers".
Back
to top
Week
of July 20
July
20
Franklin Pangborn dies following surgery, Santa Monica, 1958. Played
photographer Otto Phocus in classic "Wild Poses".
July 22
"Auto Antics" (Froggy Era) released, 1939. Final episode
for Gordon Eugene "Porky" Lee.
July
24
•"Night 'N' Gales" released,
1937.
• Zeffie Tilbury dies in Los Angeles,
1950. Played Grandma in "Second Childhood".
July
26
Allen "Farina" Hoskins dies of cancer in Oakland, California,
1980.
Back
to top
Week
of July 27
July
27
"Kelly the Second" released, 1936.
August 1
Gus Meins (Gustave Peter Ludwig Luley) dies in Los Angeles, 1940.
Directed 8 Little Rascals episodes, including Alfalfa's debut "Beginner's
Luck".
Back
to top
Week
of August 3
August 5
Sidney Bracey dies, 1942, Hollywood. Played Hobson the butler in
"Second Childhood" and veterinarian O.T. Hertz in "Three
Smart Boys".
August
6
"The Little Ranger" (Froggy Era) released, 1938.
August
7
• Wally Albright dies, 1999.
•
CARL DEAN "ALFALFA"
SWITZER BORN, PARIS ILLINOIS, 1927!!!!!
August
9
• Allen "Farina" Hoskins
born, Boston, 1920.
• Fred Newmeyer born, Central
City, Oklahoma, 1888. Directed 3 Little Rascals episodes, including
"Arbor Day".
Back
to top
Week
of August 10
August 15
•"Lazy Days" released,
1929. This episode usually banned from local TV programming packages.
• George Brasno dies, 1982. Starred
with his wife Olive Brasno as little people in "Shrimps for
a Day" and "Arbor Day".
•"I Love You Again"
released, 1940.
Back
to top
Week
of August 17
August 20
"Bored of Education" released, 1936. Won subsequent Academy
Award for best one-reel short subject, only Little Rascals film
to win an Academy Award. Also the first Little Rascals one-reeler.
August
23
May Wallace born, Russiaville, Indiana, 1877. Played Spanky's grandmother
in "Beginner's Luck", Ma Jenks in "Roamin' Holiday",
and many other roles.
Back
to top
Week
of August 24
August
25
•"Mike Fright" released,
1934.
• James Morton born 1884, Helena,
Montana. Played MC in "Mike Fright" (released on his birthday!),
police officer in "The Lucky Corner", and piano player
in "Beginner's Luck".
August 27
•"Hook and Ladder" released,
1932. Dickie Moore debut episode.
•"Party Fever" released,
1938 (Froggy Era).
August
28
"Fishy Tales" released 1937.
August
29
"Big Ears" released, 1931. This episode usually banned
from local TV programming packages for, among other things, Wheezer's
father referring to Stymie as "the little pickaninny".
August
30
"Pups is Pups" released, 1930.
Back
to top
Week
of August 31
September 2
Jack Norton born in Brooklyn, 1882. Played the dentist in "The
Awful Tooth".
September
3
Wally Albright born, Burbank, 1925.
September
5
•"Island in the Sky"
released, 1953.
•"Reg'lar Fellers" released,
1941.
September
6
Elaine Shepard dies in New York City, 1998. Played Darla's mother
and Mr. Hood's wife in "Night 'N' Gales".
Back
to top
Week
of September 7
September
7
•"Good Bad Boys" released,
1940 (Froggy Era).
• Emerson Treacy born Philadelphia,
1900. Played Spanky's father in "Bedtime Worries" and
"Wild Poses".
September
8
Darwood "Waldo" Kaye (Darwood Kenneth Smith) is born,
Fort Collins, Colorado, 1929.
September 9
•"Boxing Gloves" released.
Jackie Cooper debut episode.
•"Bedtime Worries" released,
1933.
•"Captain Spanky's Boat Show"
released, 1939 (Froggy Era).
September
11
"Framing Youth" released, 1937.
September
12
• Dickie Moore born, Los Angeles,
1925.
• Billy Gilbert born, Louisville
Kentucky, 1894. Usually played villain in early Little Rascals talkies,
most notably "Free Eats" and "Spanky". Also
played "good guy" (of sorts) in "Shiver My Timbers".
Back
to top
Week
of September 14
September
15
• Jackie Cooper born, Los Angeles,
1922.
• Rosa Gore born, New York City,
1866. Played crotchety headmistress of orphanage in "Shrimps
for a Day", a role which would be the last of her career.
September 16
Tommy Bond born, Dallas, 1926!!
September
17
"Aladdin's Lantern" released 1938 (Froggy Era).
September
18
• Mickey Gubitosi (Robert Blake)
born 1933, Nutley NJ.
•"Redwood Forest Trail"
released, 1950.
September
20
"Here Comes the Groom" released, 1951.
Back
to top
Week
of September 21
September
21
"Little Papa" released, 1935.
September
22
Kathryn Sheldon born, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1879. Played matronly music
teacher in "Arbor Day" and nervous dance recital teacher
in "Rushin' Ballet".
September 23
• Billy Gilbert dies from stroke,
1971, Hollywood. Usually played the villain in early Little Rascals
talkies such as "Free Eats" and "Spanky". Also
played a lighter role in "Shiver My Timbers".
• Dudley Dickerson dies of cancer,
Hollywood, 1968. Played the custodian in "Spooky Hooky"
who refused to open the school once it "am official locked".
•"Gas House Kids in Hollywood"
released, 1947.
September
26
"Two Too Young" released, 1936. Forward, the Light Brigade
!!!
September
27
George Guhl born 1875, St. Louis. Played the truant officer in "Arbor
Day".
Back
to top
Week
of September 28
September
29
•"Washee Ironee" released,
1934. Final episode for Wally Albright.
• Gordon Douglas dies of cancer,
1993, Los Angeles. Directed 20 Little Rascals episodes, all of them
featuring Alfalfa.
October 1
"Free Wheeling" released, 1932.
October
2
• George "Spanky" McFarland
born, 1928, Dallas, TX.
• Leroy Shield born 1893, Waseca,
Minnesota. Musical genius who composed most of Little Rascals background
music.
October
4
Scotty Beckett born, 1929, Oakland, California.
Back
to top
Week
of October 5
October
5
•"Waldo's Last Stand"
(Froggy Years) released 1940. Waldo's final Little Rascals appearance
(appropriately).
• Clarence Wilson dies in Los
Angeles, 1941. Best known for playing Mr. Crutch in "Shrimps
for a Day". Also appeared in "Little Sinner" and
"Come Back Mrs. Pipps" (a Froggy era MGM episode).
•"The Ten Commandments"
released, 1956. Alfalfa has a small part as a slave.
October
7
Olive Brasno born, 1917. Appeared in "Shrimps for a Day"
and "Arbor Day" as a little person, along with real-life
husband George Brasno.
October
8
Allen "Farina" Hoskins makes his Little Rascals debut
in 1922 with the film "Fire Fighters".
October
9
"Gas House Kids" released, 1946.
October
10
•"Shiver My Timbers"
released, 1931. Debut episode for Jerry Tucker.
• William "Buckwheat"
Thomas dies of heart attack, Los Angeles, 1980.
•"The WAC From Walla-Walla"
released, 1952.
October
11
"Teacher's Pet" released, 1930. Debut of Matthew "Stymie"
Beard.
Back
to top
Week
of October 12
October
12
•"Bouncing Babies" released,
1929. Joe Cobb's final regular Little Rascals appearance. He would
make three return cameos over next seven years, most notably as
the impatient spectator in the classic "Pay As You Exit".
• Maurice Cass born, Vilaius,
Russia, 1884. Played Master of Ceremonies of Arbor Day program in
"Arbor Day".
October
14
Mickey Daniels born, Rock Springs, Wyoming, 1914.
October
15
•"Men in Fright" (Froggy
Era) released, 1938. Contained Alfalfa's most memorable MGM-era
performance as a hospital patient who inhales too much laughing
gas.
• Kendall McComas "Breezy
Brisbane" takes his own life, 1981. Made a handful of memorable
Little Rascals appearances in early thirties. Was "straight
man" for Spanky in Spanky's very first Little Rascals appearance
"Free Eats".
October
16
Don Van Tassel Barclay dies, 1975, Palm Springs. Played the prissy
chauffeur in "Honky Donkey".
Back
to top
Week
of October 19
October 21
"Dad For a Day" (Froggy Era) released, 1939.
October
22
"Motorcycle Gang" released, 1957.
October
23
"The Pigskin Palooka" released, 1937.
October
24
•"Pay As You Exit" released,
1936. One of Alfalfa's all-time best episodes.
• James Morton dies, Reseda, California,
1942. Played MC in "Mike Fright", police officer in "The
Lucky Corner", and the piano player in "Beginner's Luck".
October
25
Eugene Gordon "Porky" Lee born, 1933, Fort Worth.
Back
to top
Week
of October 26
October
26
•"Little Sinner" released,
1935. Porky's debut. This episode usually banned from local TV programming
packages. Also first episode in which Alfalfa wears his soon-to-be-famous
light gray suit and dark bow tie.
•"Goin' Fishin'" released,
1940 (Froggy Years). One of the better MGM episodes.
October 28
•"Wild Poses", released
1933. Look at the birdie...look at the birdie!
October
29
Kendall McComas, a.k.a. "Breezy Brisbane", born 1916 in
Holton, Kansas.
November
1
Jerry Tucker (Jerome H. Schatz) born in Chicago, 1925.
Back
to top
Week
of November 2
November
2
Hal Roach dies in 1992 in Los Angeles (at the ripe old age of 100
!!)
November
3
"Mama's Little Pirate" released, 1934.
November
4
Darla Jean Hood born 1931 in Leedey, Oklahoma.
November
5
• June Marlowe (Gisella Goetten),
the beloved "Miss Crabtree", born in St. Cloud, Minnesota,
1903.
• First-ever Little Rascals episode,
"Our Gang", released 1922.
November
6
Harry Spear's first episode, "Chicken Feed", released
in 1927.
November
7
• Joe Cobb born 1917, Shawnee,
Oklahoma.
• William Wagner born, 1883. Played
Leonard's father in "For Pete's Sake" and "The Lucky
Corner".
November
8
"Courage of Lassie" released, 1946.
Back
to top
Week
of November 9
November
9
• Final silent Little Rascals
film, "Saturday's Lessons", released, 1929.
• Edgar Kennedy dies of throat
cancer in Woodlands Hills, California, 1948. Played the bumbling
but well-meaning Kennedy the Cop in several early Little Rascals
talkies.
November 11
"This Is My Love" released, 1954.
November
12
•"Birthday Blues" released,
1932.
•"Football Romeo" (Froggy
Era) released, 1938.
• Tommy McFarland born in Dallas,
1930. Brother of George "Spanky" McFarland, appeared in
15 Little Rascals episodes, primarily in background shots.
November
13
"Mail and Female" released, 1937.
November
15
"The Great Mike" released, 1944.
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Week
of November 16
November
17
Clarence Wilson born, Cincinnati, 1876. Best-known for his portrayal
as "Mr. Crutch", the odious proprietor of the orphanage
in "Shrimps For a Day". Also had a small part in the seldom-seen
"Little Sinner".
November
18
"Life Hesitates at 40" released, 1935.
November
20
Zeffie Tilbury
born in London, 1863. Played "Grandma" in "Second
Childhood" and appeared in many other films throughout her
career, including the grandmother in the immortal "Grapes of
Wrath".
November
22
"School's Out" released, 1930.
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Week
of November 23
November
23
"Kiddie Cure" released 1940 (Froggy Era). Alfalfa's final
Little Rascals appearance.
November
25
•"The War Against Mrs. Hadley"
released, 1942.
• Tom Herbert born, 1888 in New
York City. Played MC in "Beginner's Luck", was the recipient
of Alfalfa's first lines of dialogue in the Little Rascals: "Here
we are, all ready!"
November
27
•"Track of the Cat"
released, 1954. Alfalfa in his most unusual "grownup"
role as a mysterious 100-year-old Indian.
• Dudley Dickerson born, 1906.
Played the custodian in "Spooky Hooky".
November
28
George "Spanky" McFarland's final appearance in the Little
Rascals, "Unexpected Riches", 1942.
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Week
of November 30
November
30
"Our Gang Follies of 1936" released, 1935. Darla Hood's
Little Rascals debut. Scotty Beckett's Little Rascals finale.
December
2
•"Time Out For Lessons"
(Froggy Era) released, 1939.
• Del Henderson dies in Hollywood,
1956. Appeared in "Free Eats" and more notably as the
harried child welfare agent in "Choo Choo".
December
5
"Spooky Hooky" released, 1936.
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Week
of December 7
December
7
"Moan and Groan, Inc." released, 1929. Episode not included
in local TV programming packages.
December
8
"Shrimps for a Day" released, 1934.
December
11
•"General Spanky" released,
1936. Only feature-length film starring Little Rascals cast.
• May Wallace dies of heart disease,
1938. Played Spanky's grandmother in "Beginner's Luck"
and Ma Jenks in "Roamin' Holiday", along with other roles
in Little Rascals and other films.
December
13
Darla's final Little Rascals episode, 1941, "Wedding Worries"
(Froggy Era).
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Week
of December 14
December
15
Gordon Douglas born in New York City, 1907. Directed twenty of Alfalfa's
Little Rascals episodes.
December
16
Harry Spear born in Los Angeles, 1921.
December
17
•"A Lad an' a Lamp"
released, 1932. Episode rarely seen on local TV programming packages.
•"Practical Jokers"
(Froggy Era) released, 1938.
December
18
•"Our Gang Follies of 1938"
released, 1937.
• Sydney Bracey born in 1877,
Melbourne, Australia. Played Hobson the butler in "Second Childhood"
and veterinarian O.T. Hertz in "Three Smart Boys".
December
20
•"It's a Wonderful Life"
released, 1946. Alfalfa's most well-known "grownup" film
appearance.
•"Sunshine" Sammy Morrison
born, New Orleans, 1912.
• Philip Hurlic born, 1928. Co-starred
with Alfalfa and Porky as Mr. Hood's birthday concelebrants in "Feed
'Em & Weep", as well as minor roles in a handful of other
Rascals films.
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Week
of December 21
December
22
Dick Elliott dies in Burbank, 1961. Played Mr. Jones in "Sprucin'
Up". Also appeared as a scoutmaster in a scene with Alfalfa
in "I Love You Again".
December
23
George Brasno born, 1911. Appeared as a little person along with
real-life wife Olive, in "Shrimps For a Day" and "Arbor
Day".
December
25
•Merry
Christmas
!!!
Kathryn
Sheldon dies in Los Angeles, 1975. Played matronly teacher-type
roles in "Arbor Day" and "Rushin' Ballet".
December
26
Donn Van Tassel Barclay born, 1892, in Ashland, Oregon. Played Barclay,
the fastidious chauffeur in "Honky Donkey".
December
27
Mary Kornman born, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 1917.
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Week
of December 28
December
29
Otis Harlan born in Zanesville, Ohio, 1865. Played Hiram Jenks in
"Roamin' Holiday".
December 30
Rosina Lawrence born in Ontario, Canada, 1912. Played Miss Lawrence
in several school-based Little Rascals episodes between 1936 and
1937.
December
31
•"Johnny Doughboy" released,
1942. Final time Alfalfa and Spanky appeared together on screen.
• Johnny Arthur dies of heart
disease, 1951, in Woodland Hills, California. Played Spanky's father
in "Anniversary Trouble" and Mr. Hood (Darla's father)
in "Night 'N' Gales" and "Feed 'Em & Weep".
• Arletta Duncan born in New Orleans,
1914. Played Miss Jones in "Teacher's Beau", later committed
suicide by jumping off the "Hollywoodland" sign, upset
because of her stalled career.
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