He was 56. McFarland was a passionate golfer who, in his later years, could be seen on the pro-am circuit. Porky reminds most viewers of a young Spanky, Hes best friends with Buckwheat and joined the same time as Darla in 1935. You'll Barely Recognize Darla From Little Rascals Now The 1990s were a great decade of movies that now pack so much nostalgia, it's sometimes too much . Fellow Our Gang member Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas said "I hate to hear it. Ewing's character was determined to win Darla from Alfalfa, but, of course, he was unsuccessful. At the time, Norman was 311 and weighed 113 pounds. Brittany Ashton Holmes Darla Despite participating in a cast photo shoot with her old co-stars a few years ago, Brittany has actively avoided the spotlight, with no apparent social media presence. Brittany later wrote on MySpace that she had no plans to rekindle her acting career. The adaptation of the beloved Our Gang TV shorts was a major moment for its diminutive cast, too, most of whom were making their on-screen debut. RELATED: 10 Movies To Watch If You Love The Little Rascals (1994). And he realized after a while that hed been looking at them for a long, long time and that they had captured his attention. For anyone who grew up in the '90s, or has a love of '90s-era films, 'Little Rascals' was iconic. She went on to reprise her role as Raven Baxter in the Disney series Raven's Home while appearing in a plethora of other TV shows. On Oct. 16, 2005, at the age of 71, he lost his battle with lung and brain cancer. Roachs films followed a group of neighborhood childrens adventures. Her parents influence on her career, Where is Mary Roach from American Idol now? The magazine is quite renowned in the UK being in publication since 1888. Twenty years ago, Alfalfa (Bug Hall) sang a really squeaky rendition of "You are So Beautiful" to the love of his life Darla ( Brittany Ashton Holmes) in The Little Rascals movie and won the. The series chronicled a group of ragtag neighborhood kiddos and their adventures. Here's what the cast, including Raven-Symon, the Olsen twins, and Blake McIver Ewing, are up to now. Ill see how this turns out. He did this up until his passing in January 1981 at the age of 56. hronicled a group of ragtag neighborhood kiddos and their adventures. He was in all your favorites: "Coach," "Sliders," "Baywatch," "7th Heaven," and most frequently, "Hey Arnold" and "Rocket Power.". According to Instagram, Mabry hosts the "Roman Circus Podcast," which focuses on "death-defying discussions of Catholic culture, tradition and history and comment." AOL offers that Brittany Ashton Holmes loves traveling, too, although it's unclear where that info came from while, as per Daily Edge, she's working as a dog groomer these days. Its, like, really embarrassing to watch and I dont want to act anymore.. The Black Little Rascal was known as Stymie. TheLittle Rascals, which debuted on television in 1955, introduced a band of ragtag children to the world. They would watch us shoot and we would watch them shoot. All of us at DYR sincerely hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane to check out the original cast of The Little Rascals! But in 2014, the film's 20-year anniversary, the cast reunited for a photoshoot, and Brittany showed up. In later years, she gave up acting and spent her time working in department stores and going out to parties with her sister. There's little Brittany now. Courtland Mead's character is quite an interesting one given how he only replies in "uh-huhs." She was in the series from 1935 to 1941. He died on January 28, 1946. Of course, Bagley is most famous for playing Nicky on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," which he was in for 48 episodes from 1994 to 1996. There are plenty of reports floating around about her pursuing a political science degree but, considering how long they have been circulating, it seems likely Holmes has completed her studies and is maybe even working in her chosen field by now. A self-proclaimed president of a 'women haters club,' he grows increasingly concerned and annoyed when his best friend Alfalfa falls for a girl in their neighborhood. He's also a contributing editor at the Catholic Herald. He was 16 as old as Billy Froggy Laughlin when he died. Beard was cast as a baby in many films before signing a five-year contract to play Stymie in Our Gang. She did singing and voice-over on TV commercials, which included Campbell's Soup and Chicken of the Sea tuna. Mabry has had several different experiences in life since then after acting, as can be seen from his work experience on LinkedIn. She reportedly retired formally at age 7 though that 2014 role suggests something lured her back, if only momentarily and completed high school like a normal kid. Lane is a writer who loves entertainment and media and watches as many movies as she reads books. The 1994 film portrayed the children in a modern setting. The 1994 film portrayed the children in a modern setting. In the late '70s, Darlawas busy organizing a Little Rascalsreunion when she underwent an appendectomy. There's a Twitter account tied to her name, which makes specific reference in the Twitter bio to the fact that Holmes is most well known for 1994's The Little Rascals. then-and-now look at the original Little Rascals. The film turned out to be a moderate success, but what about the actors? A year before that, he also performed as a go-go dancer for some time. Symon has over 2 million followers on Instagram. In January 1959, Switzer met an untimely end as he was fatally shot during a fight over $50 and a hunting dog. The original Little Rascals dog was a pit bull, named Pal the Wonder Dog, who had a discolored circle around his eye. With Travis Tedford, Kevin Jamal Woods, Jordan Warkol, Zachary Mabry. Maksymilian Faktorowicz, who foundedMax Factor & Company in Los Angeles, drew the circle. To escape his acting career, he changed his name to Gordon Lee after his favoriteOur Gangdirector, Gordon Douglas. It was and probably will forever be unmatched. In the series, Spanky was known as the president of the He-Man Women Haters Club. At 24, McFarland left showbiz and joined the United States Air Force. It's been over 20 years since The Little Rascals premiered and the cast grew up SO cute! Carl Dean Switzer was born on Aug. 7, 1927, in Paris, Illinois. Dorothy DeBorba joined the cast of Our Gang in 1930 in Pups is Pups. She is best remembered for her elaborate hairstyles and bows on the series. Producer/creator Hal Roach re-bundled 79 of the shorts to make The Little RascalsTV series, which is still broadcast today. Once she was old enough, she pursued a degree in political science, and there's isn't much more known than that. For more of these throwback videos, check out our YouTube Channel! I dont think Ill ever forget him as General Spanky. Doesnt get any cuter than that! And Spankys famous double and triple-takes were taught to him by Stan Laurel, while many of his mannerisms and exasperated expressions, were inspired by Oliver Hardy. After the tour, 8-year-old Harold and 6-year-old Carl went for a meal at the Our Gang cafe and began an impromptu performance. What a gang! He left show business and became a dog breeder and hunting guide. And watching these kids be kids on-screen was revolutionary. He went on to appear in episodes of "The Nanny," "Home Improvement," "Clueless," "Recess," and "Hey Arnold.". Which got fans wondering, whatever happened to all those child stars once the movie was done filming? She's the focus of the entire story when you consider Alfalfa just wants to prove his love to her but can't manage it with his devious friends around. William Thomas Jr. was born on March 12, 1931, in Los Angeles. He had a habit of grabbing things and, in doing so, his mother warned, Spanky, mustnt touch! In later years, he was affectionately called Spank.. Since being introduced nearly 100 years ago, The Little Rascals have earned a special place in the hearts of people all over the world. Before joining McFarland modeled childrens clothing for a Dallas department store and was visible on several highway billboards and also print advertisements for Wonder Bread. I would have stayed in Hollywood if I could have gotten picture jobs.. Apparently, one time when angry with a director, He urinated on the studio lights and the stink drove everyone out. Like a lot of child actors, she was guarded, but after we spoke for a while, she trusted me,Brian toldHuffPost. Their legend continued on the big screen in the 1994 Universal release, The Little Rascals, which was a feature film loosely based on interpretations of those classic Our Gang shorts. As of now, Bug Hall and Raven-Symon are probably the most popular alumni from The Little Rascals. Mead had a considerable on-screen presence in the '90s, even playing Danny Torrance in a TV adaptation of the Stephen King novel The Shining. His final television performance was in 1993, playing himself in the opening of the Cheers episode Woody Gets An Election. He died shortly thereafter, in June of that year, of a heart attack. He went on to maintain his sobriety and often gave lectures on drug abuse awareness. He is one of the most memorable and recognizable Little Rascals. Spanky's best friend and Darla's boyfriend Alfalfa is an adorably bumbling youngster who tries his best to save the day but often fails in his efforts. Her last public appearance, as far as we can tell, was at the 20th reunion celebration for The Little Rascals, during which she revealed that she. But after the photos were done, Brittany effectively disappeared again. She even snagged a few awards for her breakout performance, such as the Young Artist Award, alongside her co-stars. For her third birthday they went to New York to seek fame and fortune in the arts. Mead's last credit on IMDb is "Mean Parents Suck" from 2014. Sadly and in theme with most of the rascals fate, Darla contracted hepatitis from the surgery and died of heart failure in June 1979 at the age of 47. There he attended public school and attempted a life of normalcy. She was 'Darla' in 1994's 'The Little Rascal,' but Brittany Ashton Holmes is staying away from Hollywood today. "The Little Rascals" was released in August 1994. As a result, Lee nicknamed Porky by the studio joined the cast as Spankys little brother. She didn't have much to say other than, "The whole movie was a dream.". After the procedure, she died suddenly of heart failure on June 13, 1979, at age 47. When she outgrew her role in Our Gang, Hood appeared in several other movies and attended school in Los Angeles. Britney herself commented on the way 'Darla' always looked into the camera while filming (which is a total no-no), the same way Brit did on 'Mickey Mouse Club.'. So what did the rascals get into after this legendary show? Unfortunately, Daniels career never took off after the shorts. He also reprised his role of Derek in the series finale of "Fuller House" in 2020. Additionally, theres her mischievous nature and her ability to mimic other characters lines in a humorous way, which gave her the nickname Echo.. Despite playing a minor role inWe Hate Paul Revere,Brittany proved that shes still got it. It's been a long time since those little rascals were actually little, though. He does have a private Instagram with over 2,400 followers with a bio emphasizing "Faith & Family.". His offspring inherited the role of Petey, though his eye circle mysteriously moved to the left side of his face. Buckwheat was originally a background member of the gang. Brittany is 31 now, and though she had a handful of projects post-'Little Rascals,' she never really cracked Hollywood. Tedford, along with the rest of the main cast, reunited in 2014 for a 20th anniversary photo shoot organized by production company 22 Vision. In many of his other roles as an adult, he was cast as a Native American or Latino character, despite being an Italian from New Jersey. He also appeared as a child actor in theRed Ryderfilm franchise. Actor Travis Tedford made his screen debut with The Little Rascals, and he has only appeared in a handful of films since then including A Bug's Life, one of Pixar's first movies. Apparently, Holmes currently resides . She made her debut at age four in the 1935 film Our Gang Follies of 1936 and was soon given a role in The Bohemian Girl with Laurel and Hardy. After leaving the show, McFarland enlisted in the US Air Force. In 1930, Pal was tragically poisoned and killed. The two reunited for the 20th anniversary of the iconic children's film in 2014. Symon released four albums from 1993 to 2008. Alfalfa is wooing Darla and his "He-Man-Woman-Hating" friends attempt to sabotage the relationship. Eugene retired from show business after Our Gang and became an alternative school educator at Broomfield High School in Colorado. He was out delivering newspapers when a speeding truck struck the boy and his friend who was driving the scooter. Tommy "Butch" Bond mentioned that her marriage to Granson was difficult because he used a wheelchair following a stroke. While Holmes did go on to play in a handful of TV movies and even had an appearance in a McDonald's commercial in 1995 (above), she wasn't seen in anything after 1996 until 2014. She was also featured in The Little Rascals Christmas Special (1979) as the voice of Spanky and Porky's mother. Im always a teenager and there havent been many jobs until recently. After that, however, Brittany disappeared from the entertainment scene. There isn't a lot known about her final role in a movie, and there's not a clear reason why she seemingly retired from acting, but we can guess that it just wasn't her passion to be in the spotlight. In 1995, she played Julie on an episode ofEllen,and later that year, she appeared as Dana inRed Shoe Diaries. Once again Laurel & Hardy helped round out the character, as the trademark hat was given to him by comedian Stan Laurel. He and his brother, Harold, became famous in their hometown for their musical talents. Beards very first appearance was as Hercules in Teachers Pet in 1930, and many recall this short as one of the series best. She notoriously dated Christian Brando, Marlons son, while she was with Blake. The films were originally called "Our Gang," but later sold to MGM. His character was the typographer of the club. Their last film, "New York Minute," was released in 2004 to a disappointing box office, which led to them retiring as a team. It was great.. Dressed up in a fashionably prim outfit of which Darla herself would be proud, and rocking some funky streaks in her hair, the then-25-year-old actress remained glassy-eyed about her experience on The Little Rascals. Of course, by 1994, the Olsens were already at the center of their own little empire the twins had founded production company Dualstar in 1993. While she was busy organizing the 1980 Little Rascals reunion for the Los Angeles chapter of the Sons of the Desert, she underwent an appendectomy. She even snagged a few awards for her breakout performance, such as the Young Artist Award, alongside her co-stars. From 1955 to 1960, he created and hosted his own daily childrens show, Beard was cast as a baby in many films before signing a five-year contract to, Thankfully, with the help of rehab, he was able to turn his life around and appeared as a guest star like his 3 episodes of, in the early 70s and also had a recurring role on, as Monty. Then, in 1978, he appeared in. Distractifty reported Collins was working as an assistant cameraman on "Sons of Anarchy," but it's not on his IMDb. She is well remembered for her coquettish character, typically the love interest of Alfalfa, Butch, or (occasionally) Waldo. Before he joined Our Gang, McFarland modeled childrens clothing for a Dallas department store. Brittany Ashton Holmes effectively steered clear of the Hollywood scene, but in 2014, she made an appearance for the 20th anniversary of The Little Rascals movie (screenshot above). Even as an adult, I told none of my friends. For much more on Norman, please check out our profile of him. The story centered on Alfalfa (Bug Hall), Spanky (Travis Tedford), and the rest of the He-Man-Woman-Haters Club, but there was one little girl Alfalfa had a soft spot for; Darla, played by Brittany Ashton Holmes. After leaving the series in 1940, he was the victim of typecasting and struggled to find roles. They were born from the 1922-1938 Our Gang shorts from MGM. Im a guy who likes to eat and I found I couldnt do it without working. , its Spankys Adventures with pal Alfalfa that most often comes to mind. According to IMDB, Daniels was living pretty large during his time on the show, making $37 per week when he started and up to $175 per week when he left (or more than $2,500 in todays dollars). Roach just happened to be there and was so impressed that he signed them both on the spot. Since then, he has kept a low profile although Newsweek suggests that he currently works at Texas in the market research department. IMDb lists seven acting credits, including an appearance on 'Ellen' in 1995, a few TV movies, and an appearance on one episode of 'Red Shoe Diaries.'. He died of a heart attack in his Los Angeles apartment on Oct. 10, 1980, 46 years to the day after his mother brought him to audition at Hal Roach Studios. According to Brittany Ashton Holmes' old MySpace page (remember MySpace? Although Thomas was somewhat in demand for film and stage roles, he opted for a behind-the-scenes job as a film lab technician with Technicolor. The film is based on the "Our Gang" series of short films from the '20s, '30s, and '40s. Darla is the love interest of Alfalfa, a kind-hearted girl who eventually joins the 'Rascals' despite Spanky's initial hatred towards her. Her mother introduced her to singing and dancing at an early age. Saletta had a successful voice-acting career in the '90s and early 2000s, voicing characters in "Beavis and Butt-Head," "Recess," "As Told by Ginger," "Rocket Power," "Rugrats," "Lloyd in Space," "King of the Hill," "The Proud Family," and "American Dragon: Jake Long" in 2005, which is his last credit. She also appeared on season two of "The Masked Singer" in 2019. And after seeing how adorable the child who played Darla was back then, fans of the '90s film were curious to see whether she's still recognizable today. Billy was often bullied in his neighborhood so his mother enrolled him in a drama class, this is where an MGM talent scout spotted his popeye impersonation and led to his Froggy. Zachary Mabry played Porky, a younger member of Spanky's club. If youve ever wondered what happened personally and professionally to the actors fromThe Little Rascals,the wait is over. The former actress got her wish in 2014, when the cast came back together for the aforementioned anniversary photo shoot, during which they recreated iconic moments from The Little Rascals. Hood was busy organizing the 1980 Little Rascals reunion for the Los Angeles chapter of The Sons of the Desert when she underwent an appendectomy at Canoga Park Hospital, Canoga Park, California. RELATED: 5 Times Raven's Vision Ruined Everything In That's So Raven (& 5 Times It Saved The Day). It was during this time that he acquired the circled eye. After the procedure, she died suddenly of heart failure on June 13, 1979, at age 47. Mary-Kate continued to act sporadically, most recently in 2011's "Beastly." Waldo Aloysius Johnston III is the rich snobbish Little Rascal rival to Alfalfa. He was played by child actor Matthew Beard. We went to school together, played together, laughed together. See what the cast of The Little Rascals looks like now. Sadly, at age 16, just two weeks after his parents gifted him a scooter. She was an awfully nice person, a fine woman. Unfortunately, Beard eventually became addicted to heroin. One of her most memorable moments was singing "I'm in the Mood for Love" in The Pinch Singer. This story may contain some links from which we may earn a small affiliate commission. what is the cast of The Little Rascals up to today, Holmes did go on to play in a handful of TV movies, Brittany Ashton Holmes effectively steered clear of the Hollywood scene. When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Hall was 9 years old when he played Alfalfa you might remember his iconic hairstyle or his serenade to Darla. To learn much more about George Spanky McFarland as told by a close friend, please click here. An autopsy disclosed that Hood had contracted acute hepatitis from a blood transfusion given during the operation which led to her death. She had five more credits in the '90s, but that was it for her acting career. he continued acting for a bit, including a small role in Its a Wonderful Life as Donna Reeds date at the high school dance. The film's writers adapted the movie from a series of short films by Hal Roach that aired from the 1920s to the 1940s. I wouldnt take a million dollars for the experience, and I wouldnt take a penny to do it again.. Sadly and in theme with most of the rascals' fate, Darla contracted hepatitis from the surgery and died of heart failure in June 1979 at the age of 47. Roach's films followed a group of neighborhood children's adventures. Darla Hood was born on November 8, 1931, in Leedey, Oklahoma. Directed by Penelope Spheeris, the celebrity cameos led by the Olsen Twins,Whoopi Goldberg,Mel Brooks,Reba McEntire,Daryl Hannah,Raven-Symon, and Donald Trump really stole the show. And who could blame her? Even though it looked like Brittany Ashton Holmes (front row, second from right) had a budding acting career in the 1990s, she decided to take a different direction that had to do with her education. My wife knew of my background, otherwise I was happy to conceal the Porky tag until the last few years.. He now has a YouTube channel, a farm, and a "family monastery.". Other notable roles from the 1990s include Cynthia Coates in Death Benefit, Amy Carver in Circuit Breaker, and "Girl on Boat" in Humanoids from the Deep. She returned to the character of Raven Baxter for the 2017 spin-off "Raven's Home," which earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination. What a gang! After that, the former child star seemed to disappear. Brittany Ashton Holmes, then a 5-year-old, played Darla Alfalfas sweetheart and forbidden love interest. Dorothy graduated high school and became a clerk. Interestingly, he also made an appearance in the 2014 Little Rascals film called The Little Rascals Save The Day. As for employment, he worked various jobs, at one time an executive with Philco Ford. Unfortunately, one night he got a bit too ambitious going after money he thought . The MGM limousine stops coming to your house, he recounted, and you wonder why the world has ceased loving you so suddenly at age seven. In school he was teased by other students, causing him to note, Kids can be mean. Holmes was 5 years old when she starred as Darla, an icon for all '90s kids. He became an avid speaker about his days as a part of The Little Rascals. But he says he was looking out his office window one day and watched some kids fighting over a stick they were going to use for a game they were going to play. She played Darla in Our Gang except for her Our Gang debut in which her character's name was "Cookie". According to LinkedIn, Warkol has left behind the entertainment industry to work for OTTera, a computer software company. Its no wonder so many spinoffs and revivals happened through the years, including the 1994 feature film. Whatever Happened To Alfalfa From The Little Rascals? Who doesnt remember the shock of freckles on Alfalfas nose and the lock of hair that stood up on his head? Blake got his break at 9 years old when he began playing Mickey in Our Gang, after replacing Porky. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. As it turned out, he was suffering from a glandular ailment which resulted in his weight reaching 300 pounds while he stopped growing at 47. Coincidentally the final appearance of crooked hat Scotty Beckett. In fact, with friend and manager Rick Saphire, he embarked on a college tour to do just that. When it comes to Brittany Ashton Holmes, who played Darla, the answer might be somewhat disappointing for fans. After a stint in the Army, Blake returned to acting, making a name for himself in the television seriesBarettaas an undercover police officer. So, tell us, who was your favorite rascal? The vice-president of the 'He-Man Women Haters Club', Stymie was played by Kevin Jamal Woods. Karasek has stayed in Hollywood, albeit behind the scenes. Of his former career, he also jokingly states, "Didn't develop drug addiction and as a result: Not famous.". As he explained in 1953, Dont get me wrong. But Buckwheat slowly morphed into a boy. The Little Rascals: Directed by Penelope Spheeris. However, if it is indeed the former child star, she hasn't tweeted anything yet to the account. As he related to film historian Leonard Maltin, it was tough adjusting to life once he was no longer a part of Our Gang. We, therefore, suspect that she enjoys a private life with her hubby in California. From putting on grand shows to inventing sweet rides, we watched and wished we could join in on the fun. Thomas died a little over a year later. Hood's final appearance in an Our Gang film was 1941's Wedding Worries. The group remained with Murray's Blackouts during its long run in New York City and Hollywood. When one mentions The Little Rascals, its Spankys Adventures with pal Alfalfa that most often comes to mind.
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