George McFarland

Infobox actor
bgcolour = silver
name = George "Spanky" McFarland

---

imagesize = 200px
caption = McFarland as "Spanky" in "Our Gang Follies of 1938".
birthdate = birth date|1928|10|2|mf=y
location = Dallas, Texas, U.S.
deathdate = death date and age|1993|6|30|1928|10|2
deathplace = Grapevine, Texas, U.S.
occupation = Film actor
yearsactive = 1931-1993
birthname = George Robert Phillips McFarland
othername =
homepage =
academyawards =

George Robert Phillips "Spanky" McFarland (October 2, 1928 – June 30, 1993) was an American actor most famous for his appearances in the "Our Gang" series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. The "Our Gang" shorts were later popular after being syndicated to television as "The Little Rascals".

Biography

McFarland was born in Denison, Texas (not in Dallas or Fort Worth, Texas, as many biographies report), to Emmett and Virginia McFarland. He had three siblings, Thomas ("Tommy," who himself appeared in many "Our Gang" episodes from 1931 until 1942, as long as Spanky had, but had no speaking roles), Amanda, and Roderick ("Rod"). The other two siblings, like most Our Gang siblings, also appeared numerous times uncredited as extras when there were classroom or theatre scenes where many children were needed. Fact|date=August 2007 McFarland lived in an area of Denison called "Sugar Bottom", which got its name in the early 1900s when a train hauling sugar overturned. Young McFarland, who still has relatives in Denison, attended school there briefly before moving to Dallas.

Prior to joining the comedies, Buddy, as he was called by his family, modeled children's clothing for a Dallas department store and also was seen around the Dallas area on highway billboards and in print advertisements for Wonder Bread. This established "Buddy" early on in the local public's eye as an adorable child model and provided experience before cameras. In January of 1931, in response to a trade magazine advertisement from Hal Roach Studios in Culver City, California, requesting photographs of "cute kids," Spanky's Aunt Dottie (Virginia's sister) sent pictures from Buddy's portfolio. An invitation for a screen test soon arrived, which happened that spring, leading to his acting career. In fact on the episode Spanky, the first 6 minutes show Spanky appearing half a year younger. The reson was because that was parts of his screen test done back in the spring of 1931 and incorporated into his second film. His brother Tommy was also screen tested but only used as a part-time fill in.

McFarland's nickname "Spanky" is said to have arisen from warnings by his mother not to misbehave during one of the initial discussions with Hal Roach in his office. As the story goes, he had a habit of reaching out and grabbing things, and on doing so his mother Virginia would say, "Spanky, spanky, mustn't touch!" Spanky himself refuted this version in later years, saying that the name was given by a Los Angeles newspaper reporter. Use of the Spanky name by McFarland for subsequent business or personal activities was expressly granted to McFarland in one of his studio contracts. In later years some in his family would affectionately refer to him as "Spank."Maltin, Leonard and Bann, Richard W. (1977, rev. 1992). "The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang", p. 118. New York: Crown Publishing/Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-517-58325-9]

After his discovery at the age of three, he instantly became a member of the "Our Gang" children's comedy movie series and one of Hollywood's darlings. His earliest films show him as an outspoken toddler, grumpily going along with the rest of the gang. His sassy portrayals, natural comedic timing, hilarious facial expressions and acting ability brought him more attention, and by 1935 he was the "de facto" leader of the gang, often paired with Alfalfa, and always the enterprising "idea man."

Later years

McFarland remained with "Our Gang" through 1942, his final short being "Unexpected Riches." Spanky McFarland also appeared as a juvenile performer in feature films, including the Wheeler and Woolsey comedy "Kentucky Kernels" and two Fritz Lang features of the 1940s.

In 1952, at age 24, McFarland joined the U.S. Air Force. Upon his return to civilian life, indelibly typecast in the public's mind as "Spanky" from "Our Gang," he found himself unable to find work in show business. He took less glamorous jobs, including work at a soft drink plant, a hamburger stand, and a popsicle factory. In the late 1950s, when the "Our Gang" comedies were sweeping the nation on TV, McFarland hosted an afternoon children's show, "Spanky's Clubhouse," on KOTV television in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The show included a studio audience and appearances by other celebrities such as James Arness, and it ran "Little Rascals" shorts.

After that stint, he continued at odd-jobs, selling wine, operating a restaurant and night club, and selling appliances, electronics and furniture. He was selling for Philco-Ford Corporation, where he advanced to national sales director. After his self-described "semi-retirement," Spanky loaned his name and celebrity to help raise money for charities, primarily by participating in golf tournaments. Spanky also had his own namesake charity golf classic for 16 years, held in Marion, Indiana. McFarland continued to do personal appearances and cameo roles in films and television. His final television performance was in 1993 in an introductory vignette at the beginning of the "Cheers" episode "Woody and the Election."

Death

McFarland died suddenly of a heart attack on June 30, 1993, at age 64. His remains were cremated shortly thereafter.

In January 1994, “Spanky” joined fellow alumnus Jackie Cooper to become one of only two "Our Gang" members to receive a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Filmography

McFarland appeared as “Spanky” in 95 "Our Gang films" between 1932 and 1942. He also appeared in:
*"One Track Minds" (1933) as a train passenger
*"Day of Reckoning" (1933) as Johnny Day
*"The Cracked Iceman" (1934) as a student
*"Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen" (1934) as Johnny Prentiss
*"Kentucky Kernels" (1934) as Spanky
*"Here Comes the Band" (1935) as Billy Lowry
*"O'Shaughnessy's Boy" (1935) as Joseph "Stubby" O’Shaughnessy (as a child)
*"The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" (1936) as Buddie Tolliver
*"Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus" (1938) as Pee Wee
*"Katnip Kollege" (1938) (uncredited voice work)
*"I Escaped from the Gestapo" (1943) as Billy
*"Seeing Hands" (1943) (uncredited) as the boy leading the initiation
*"Cowboy and the Senorita" (1944) (uncredited) as the kid who trips Teddy Bear
*"The Woman in the Window" (1945) (uncredited) as the Boy Scout who finds Mazard’s body
* "Spanky's Clubhouse" (1950s), host
*"The Aurora Encounter" (1986) as the governor
* "Cheers", as himself in 1993 episode “Woody and the Election”

References

Further reading

* Cooper, Jackie (1982). "Please Don't Shoot My Dog: The Autobiography of Jackie Cooper". New York: Penguin Putnam. ISBN 0-425-07483-8.
* Ramsey, Steve. Our Gang Online. "Ramseyltd.com" (No longer online). Retrieved [http://web.archive.org/web/20020803200351/www.ramseyltd.com/rascals/ version of site as it existed on August 3, 2002] using the Wayback Machine on March 10, 2005. (Appears to be back online a/o 10/21/07).

External links

*imdb name|id=0568757|name= George “Spanky” McFarland
*amg name|2:47374
*findagrave|8318
*youtube|bCcDmf7mb1g|McFarland 1987 appearance

Persondata
NAME= McFarland, George "Spanky"
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= McFarland, George Robert Phillips
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Film actor
DATE OF BIRTH= 1928-10-2
PLACE OF BIRTH= Dallas, Texas, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH= 1993-6-30
PLACE OF DEATH= Grapevine, Texas, U.S.