In Memory of 'Little Rascals' Actor George 'Spanky' McFarland: 3 Decades After His Tragic Death

Photo bydoyouremember.com

It's been over thirty years since the tragic demise of former child star George McFarland, best known as "Spanky" in the classic Our Gang/Little Rascals feature film shorts. He died of a heart attack in 1993. This is the story of his life and career.

A Closer Look

George McFarland was born with the middle names of Robert and Phillips on October 2, 1928, in Dallas, Texas.

McFarland received his big breakthrough in a one-minute Wonder Bread commercial, after which his aunt sent him for a screen test with Hal Roach.

Roach produced, among other movie productions, the iconic Laurel & Hardy film shorts, and would go on to ignite the Our Gang movies, later known in TV reruns as The Little Rascals.

And Then There Were Legal Issues

In the mid-1930s, George McFarland found himself amid contract disputes between Hal Roach and Stan Laurel. A press release was issued saying McFarland, Oliver Hardy, and Patsy Kelly were to star together in Their Night Out, the first in what was envisioned as The Hardy Family film to be helmed by James W. Horne.

Two decades later, in 1952, at age 24, McFarland joined the U.S. Air Force. Upon his return to civilian life, and due to typecasting he found it challenging to find acting work.

Fortunately, from 1955 to 1960, he created and hosted his own daily children's wraparound show, The Spanky Show, which aired on KOTV (The Tulsa, Oklahoma affiliate of the CBS TV network).

Against the backdrop of a makeshift kids' clubhouse, Spanky provided his studio audiences and the home viewers with games, stories, hobbies, comedy skits, news segments, and interviews with guest performers, personalities, and the children in the studio audience in between the reruns of The Little Rascals.

McFarland's final screen appearance was on a TV episode of Cheers.

In Review

As George McFarland once observed about the role that made him famous, “It was a lark when I was really little, but once the Spanky identity caught on permanently and my kid-comedian career was assured — most kid actors tended to get forcibly retired at around age 7 — then my folks just took it for granted that I was their cash cow. When I’d exhibit any sign of wantin’ to quit or broaden my prospects, my old man’d tell me, ‘Why, you can’t! You’re all we’ve got sustaining us!’ Manipulative hogwash like that."

“Which is why," he continued, "...if you look at those later [Our Gang films] after Mr. Hal Roach had sold the trademark, you can see me lookin’ not altogether pleased. I was bustin’ at the seams, and I don’t just mean the seams of that damned little fat-boy wardrobe they made me keep wearin’.”

Then Came Marriage Followed By Immortality

George McFarland was married to Doris McFarland from 1967 until his demise in 1993. He had one son: Emmett Vogan McFarland.

On February 1, 1994, George received a posthumous Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7095 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.