Darla Jean Hood (November 8, 1931 - June 13, 1979) was an American child actress, best known as the leading lady in the Our Gang series from 1935 to 1941. She was in the series from 1935 to 1941. Tedford, along with the rest of the main cast, reunited in 2014 for a 20th anniversary photo shoot organized by production company 22 Vision. Darla Little Rascals - Etsy I didnt quit Hollywood. Britanny Ashton Holmes hasn't been pursuing that many films after playing Darla and apparently retired from showbiz way back in 1996. He also had a voice role in 1995's "Babe.". as Donna Reeds date at the high school dance. Did Holmes hit the mainstream, or was she content to let that one great performance speak for her? His offspring inherited the role of Petey, though his eye circle mysteriously moved to the left side of his face. There's little Brittany now. Heres What Happened to Spanky from The Little Rascals as Told by a Close Friend, Top 10 Forgotten 70s Teen Heartthrobs, Then And Now 2023, Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Is Now Hiring New Drivers. He was 64. The cast even recreated the film's iconic poster. After Lucenay (the dogs owner) was fired from Our Gang, he retired to Atlantic City. "[2] and a duet with Johnny Desmond in the Sam Katzman movie "Calypso Heat Wave." Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images, Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images, ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images, Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Family Equality Council, Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images, Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images, reunited in 2014 for a 20th anniversary photo shoot, he's been credited in the music department. So, tell us, who was your favorite rascal? Then, Billie Buckwheat Thomas took over. From 1935 to 1941, she continued to play in Our Gang. He played Eddie Munster in the 1996 TV film "The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas," and starred in "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," "The Stupids," "The Big Green," "Get a Clue," "Safety Patrol," and "Hercules.". According to social media, Hall is married with three daughters and has left acting behind and is "embracing a life of poverty." It was more about the film. After break-out roles like the one Holmes had in The Little Rascals, childhood stars usually go on to have very successful careers, with other notable roles on their resume. Most of us remember 1994's The Little Rascals as a pivotal moment in our childhoods. She started in the series in 1928, just as the silent era was ending, and left in 1931 at age 8. He guest-starred on 6 episodes of The Roy Rogers Show, and his final actin endeavor was in 1958, in the Tony Curtis-led film, The Defiant Ones. So, tell us, who was your favorite rascal? He died on Aug. 31, 1948. Whatever Happened To Darla From The Little Rascals? - NickiSwift.com Darla was introduced to the gang with the very popular short, . His family moved into town after his father bought the oil refinery. Distractifty reported Collins was working as an assistant cameraman on "Sons of Anarchy," but it's not on his IMDb. He elaborated, "This wasn't about the tabloid. The group of misfit kids and their misadventures was charming, funny, and featured a ton of cute kids (and a dog). For her third birthday they went to New York to seek fame and fortune in the arts. 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. Rounding out the popular Our Gang favorites were Spanky, Buckwheat, Stymie, and of course Petey, the dog. The friend only suffered minor injuries, but Billy Laughlin died at a nearby hospital on August 31, 1948. Its no wonder so many spinoffs and revivals happened through the years, including the 1994 feature film. Here's what the cast, including Raven-Symon, the Olsen twins, and Blake McIver Ewing, are up to now. The boy who played the only Black Little Rascal was Matthew Beard. Lots of times our sets would be next to Laurel and Hardys on the same stage. She had "gone off the grid" and was "guarded," but eventually acquiesced. She worked at MGM for an additional couple of years. Photos from The Little Rascals: Then and Now - E! Online He even had a career as a film lab technician with the Technicolor Corporation. We went to school together, played together, laughed together. Sadly he died in June 1993 at the age of 64, but well never forget Spanky. This piece will look at Darlas actor, Brittany Ashton Holmes, in 2021. Bug Hall, in particular, who played the lovable Alfalfa, has gone on to career success with consistent roles across the board. Beards very first appearance was as Hercules in Teachers Pet in 1930, and many recall this short as one of the series best. Matthew was buried with his infamous Stymie Hat. NEXT: 10 Animated Films That 90s Kids Have Forgotten About. If youve ever wondered what happened personally and professionally to the actors fromThe Little Rascals,the wait is over. He is one of the most memorable and recognizable Little Rascals. Following her cameo role in The Little Rascals, Daryl went on to star in several big productions, including Kill Bill: Vol. Shortly after graduation, the quartet was booked by producer and vaudeville star Ken Murray for his famous "Blackouts", a stage variety show. She notoriously dated Christian Brando, Marlons son, while she was with Blake. Brian Pocrass, the founder of 22 Vision, the company that staged the reunion, told HuffPost that Holmes "wasn't into"doing the reunion until he convinced her that it "wasn't about the tabloid"and was"more about the film." He had to depart the show in 1939 after a massive growth spurt, even outgrowing McFarland when he was just 10 years old. Roach is the mastermind behind Laurel & Hardy. My dancing teacher talked my mother into letting me go to New York City, where I wound up leading the band at the Edison Hotel and caught the eye of theOur Gangcasting director. Once again Laurel & Hardy helped round out the character, as the trademark hat was given to him by comedian Stan Laurel. The two reunited for the 20th anniversary of the iconic children's film in 2014. Its hard for a child actor to start working again. She wrote, "I was [an] actress when I was little and did this movie called The Little Rascals. Ironically, this would end up being a preview of what would ultimately be in store for him. Brittanys return to acting was short-lived. In fact, with friend and manager Rick Saphire, he embarked on a college tour to do just that. After that, the former child star seemed to disappear. Simply the Worlds Most Interesting Travel Site, This Is What Darla From 'The Little Rascals' Looks Like Now, Here's What 'Little Rascals' Star Bug Hall Looks Like Now, where the cast of 'Little Rascals' is today, Child Star Kyla Pratt Shocks Fans With Her Ageless Good Looks. Waldo Johnston III is the new kid in town, an extremely richbrat who also harbors an interest in Darla. The film's writers adapted the movie from a series of short films by Hal Roach that aired from the 1920s to the 1940s. In 1995, she played Julie on an episode ofEllen,and later that year, she appeared as Dana inRed Shoe Diaries. It looks likeE! A year before that, he also performed as a go-go dancer for some time. This little movie is a keeper! It was great.. You'll Barely Recognize Darla From Little Rascals Now 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. Ewing also appeared in an episode of "Below Deck" as a charter guest. Mead's last credit on IMDb is "Mean Parents Suck" from 2014. Ewing hosted a few episodes of Bravo's talk show "The People's Couch" from 2013 to 2014. One of the most popular female characters inOur Gangduring the 1930s, Jackson often played the older sister of Wheezer. He's played by Bug Hall who earned quite a name for himself in the '90s with roles in Hercules and Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves. 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. They are in their late 80s and mid-90s respectively. Robert Blake and Sidney Kibrick are all thought to be the last living members of the original Little Rascals/Our Gang shorts. Her secluded life and career, Who are Gradey Dicks parents? Mabry has had several different experiences in life since then after acting, as can be seen from his work experience on LinkedIn. Since 2014, Ashton has yet to grace our screens again, and we dont suspect that she will soon. At the time, Symon had already completed her run on "The Cosby Show" as Olivia, the outspoken step-daughter of Denise Huxtable, and was starring on "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" as Nicole, which she was on until 1997. In 1930, Pal was tragically poisoned and killed. I was a curious kid, and I got a charge out of Stan Lauren, and he knew it. She works in costumes now, and she has worked in the wardrobe department of some of the biggest projects in Hollywood, like "The Mandalorian," "Mythic Quest," "Birds of Prey," "Santa Clarita Diet," and more. 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. Bagley reunited with the "Fresh Prince" cast for the HBO Max reunion in 2020. Is Darla from Little Rascals Still Alive 2021? Technicolor Paradise: Rhum Rhapsodies & Other Exotic Delights, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Darla_Hood&oldid=1135577796, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2022, Turner Classic Movies person ID same as Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 January 2023, at 15:05. Holmes had a busy 1996, too, appearing in three TV movies: Death Benefit; Circuit Breaker; and sci-fi horror Humanoids from the Deep, a remake of the 1980 original and part of Roger Corman Presents' second season on Showtime. For anyone who grew up in the '90s, or has a love of '90s-era films, 'Little Rascals' was iconic. The actress who played the rascals' favorite teacher, Miss Crabtree has been a big name in the movie universe since the '80s. He does have a private Instagram with over 2,400 followers with a bio emphasizing "Faith & Family.". When Our Gang stopped production in 1944, Laughlin went straight into. He was replaced by Mickey Gubitosi, better known asRobert Blake. "The Little Rascals" was released in August 1994. According to Brittany Ashton Holmes' old MySpace page (remember MySpace? She went through a public split in 2020 from French banker Olivier Sarkozy. On Nov. 18, 2005, he was found liable in a California civil court for her wrongful death. It was an idealized version of youth. However, in 2005 Blake became much more famous for his personal life when he was tried and acquitted of the 2001 murder of his second wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley. She had two children and later died of emphysema in 2010. Pocrass stated that most of the cast appeared because theyd missed each other. In 1955, she was a leading lady in the act of ventriloquist Edgar Bergen. The original Petey was an American Pit Bull Terriernamed Pal, the Wonder Dog. It was a perfect storm of comedy. There he attended public school and attempted a life of normalcy. Darla went on to perform as the leading "Rascals" actress in 51 of the popular short films plus a television movie. It was and probably will forever be unmatched. He released a self-titled EP in 2015. 'The Little Rascals' Cast Then And Now 2023 - DoYouRemember? Also making her feature debut, actress Brittany Ashton Holmes certainly left an impression both on those watching and on Hollywood. He appeared in a few other projects in the '90s, including "Slappy and the Stinkers," "A Bug's Life," "Adventures in Odyssey," and "The Amanda Show. Beard played the role of Little Rascal, Stymie. To escape his acting career, he changed his name to Gordon Lee after his favoriteOur Gangdirector, Gordon Douglas. Darla is the love interest of Alfalfa, a kind-hearted girl who eventually joins the 'Rascals' despite Spanky's initial hatred towards her. From putting on grand shows to inventing sweet rides, we watched and wished we could join in on the fun. Woods appeared in 14 episodes of "Blossom" from 1994 to 1995, around the time that the film came out. She did singing and voice-over on TV commercials, which included Campbell's Soup and Chicken of the Sea tuna. My wife knew of my background, otherwise I was happy to conceal the Porky tag until the last few years.. Having voiced a puppy among the many animal movie characters on Babe and his last acting role was in a 2000 film called Braniacs.com. Collins' first credit was "The Little Rascals." His moms cancer battle. She was born in Leedey, Oklahoma, the only child of music teacher Elizabeth Davner, and James Claude Hood, who worked in a bank. Joe Rivkin, who discovered her as a child, saw the cover and cast her in her final film role her first adult role in a movie playing a secretary in the suspense drama The Bat with Vincent Price and Agnes Moorehead. 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. Coincidentally the final appearance of crooked hat Scotty Beckett. The 1994 film portrayed the children in a modern setting. How much did the little rascals get paid? - Quick-Advice.com He appeared in bit parts and B movies as an adult, including the classic Its a Wonderful Life(1946). Free shipping for many products! So I learned to disown Porky. In a behind-the-scenes video from the reunion shoot, shared on the 22 Vision YouTube page, Brittany Ashton Holmes enthusiastically argues that "everybody still has that core rascal inside of them" after Hall, standing next to her in a throwback to their onscreen relationship of Darla and Alfalfa, admitted "it feels like no time has passed" since they shot the movie. Where is Darla from Little Rascals now? The 1994 children's comedy The Little Rascals was a hilarious and heartwarming tribute to the series of short films of the same name. For much more on Norman, please check out our profile of him. Unlike other kids, he couldnt really go outside and play, and not because of his stardom, but rather because the neighborhood they lived in was so dangerous. The film turned out to be a moderate success, but what about the actors? For more of these throwback videos, check out our YouTube Channel! 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. It's, like, really embarrassing to watch and I don't want to act anymore," (via Screen Rant). Thomas first appeared in the 1934 Our Gang shorts as a background player. His nickname is said to have come from his mother, who urged him not to misbehave in Hal Roachs office, the creator of the show. And once she was reunited with her castmates, Holmes seemed to fall right back into place. The actor who, at age 9, brought Alfalfa to life is Bug Hall. You might also remember Brittany from Baby. Matthew Beard Jr. was born on January 1, 1925, in Los Angeles. He was out delivering newspapers when a speeding truck struck the boy and his friend who was driving the scooter. They were born from the 1922-1938 'Our Gang' shorts from MGM. 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. How old is Darla from the Little Rascals now? But in 2014, the film's 20-year anniversary, the cast reunited for a photoshoot, and Brittany showed up. Darla's Little Rascals is caring for children ages 0-5 He had a stroke on Jan. 3, 1981, sustained head injuries from falling down a flight of stairs, and succumbed to pneumonia five days later. He began acting in the Little Rascals shorts in 1930 and that was the only acting he ever did. Holmes was 5 years old when she starred as Darla, an icon for all '90s kids. Several of his castmates, however, have faded into obscurity. The kids in the original Little Rascals were between 4 and 9 years old. WHERE ARE THEY NOW: the Cast of 'the Little Racals' - Insider 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. Darla was one of the characters in the 1994 Universal Pictures filmThe Little Rascals. Spanky entertained with games, craft making, skits, informational segments, and interviews, all in between reruns of The Little Rascals shorts. Blake, now 85, has maintained a low profile since his acquittal, filing for bankruptcy with debts of $3 million for unpaid legal fees and taxes. The 1990s were a great decade of movies that now pack so much nostalgia, it's sometimes too much to handle. However, Holmes retired from the entertainment industry early on and has chosen to stay out of the spotlight. Actor Blake McIver Ewing grew up not only to be an actor but also a model, singer, and pianist. On Oct. 16, 2005, at the age of 71, he lost his battle with lung and brain cancer. And by the looks of it, education was her main focus as she got older. Its, like, really embarrassing to watch and I dont want to act anymore.. And who could blame her? 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. Mabry as Porky is the subject of one of the most adorable GIFs of all time. For four years, he served in different capacities at American Airlines. THE LITTLE RASCALS 1994 All Casts Then and Now 2022 How They Changed Hollywood Star Update 94.4K subscribers Subscribe 91 Share 9.1K views 7 months ago THE LITTLE RASCALS 1994 All Casts. The skits were filmed to be shorts so the kids would remember their lines easier. Brittany is 31 now, and though she had a handful of projects post-'Little Rascals,' she never really cracked Hollywood. Per a video of the reunion on YouTube by22 Vision,the cast had fun at the shoot. Hal Roach noted how much the 18-month-old toddler looked like Our Gang star Spanky McFarland, also from Texas. By that time, they were nearing the end of "Full House," and they had already starred in some of their direct-to-video classics like "To Grandmother's House We Go," "Our First Video," and "Double, Double, Toil and Trouble.". With his last acting credit being 2015's Gnome Alone, the Los Angeles native's whereabouts aren't known much as he doesn't reveal much about his life on social media. When Our Gang stopped production in 1944, Laughlin went straight into Johnny Doesnt Live Here Anymore, but this would be the end of his acting career. The 25th anniversary of Little Rascals was in 2019, so that makes us wonder:what is the cast of The Little Rascals up to today up to today, specifically little Darla? Hood was married twice, first to singer and insurance salesman Robert W. Decker (19491957), then to record-company executive Jose Granson (19571979). After Beard left the series at the tender age of 10, he went on to score some minor roles in such feature films as Captain Blood (1935) and The Return of Frank James (1940) with fellow child star and Our Gang alum Jackie Cooper. After that, however, Brittany disappeared from the entertainment scene. aired a segment featuring a man named Bill English, a grocery bagger in Arizona, who claimed to be the adult Buckwheat. According to The Things, Brittany Ashton Holmes nabbed the role of Darla when she was just 5 years old. He was played by child actor Matthew Beard. The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 5 [Trs bon William Thomas Jr. was born on March 12, 1931, in Los Angeles. Waldo Aloysius Johnston III is the rich snobbish Little Rascal rival to Alfalfa. So what did the rascals get into after this legendary show? Visit Instagram. After leaving the series in 1940, he was the victim of typecasting and struggled to find roles. Darla was introduced to the gang with the very popular short, Our Gang Follies Of 1936. In January 1959, Switzer met an untimely end as he was fatally shot during a fight over $50 and a hunting dog. Producer/creator Hal Roach re-bundled 79 of the shorts to make The Little RascalsTV series, which is still broadcast today. 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. Known for their exciting adventures and comedic moments, The Little Rascals franchise includes books, short films, TV shows, and a feature film. The family moved to New York to seek opportunities for fame for Darla, that was when Joe Rivkin, a casting director for Hal Roach Studios, cast her in the Gang shorts. According to LinkedIn, Warkol has left behind the entertainment industry to work for OTTera, a computer software company. He was only 31. One of her most memorable moments was singing "I'm in the Mood for Love" in The Pinch Singer. His character was originally named Hercules until director Robert McGowan renamed him Stymie. Michael James Gubitosi, aka Robert Blake, was born on Sept. 18, 1933, in Nutley,New Jersey. Additionally, theres her mischievous nature and her ability to mimic other characters lines in a humorous way, which gave her the nickname Echo.. New Legend Films Little Rascals Spanky Alfalfa Darla'S Memorable And while Bug's hair is decidedly well-behaved these days, and Brittany's chubby cheeks are gone, there is some resemblance to their former characters. 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. In a 1980 interview, he explained, After the Army, I wasnt really interested in the hassle of performing. He died on January 28, 1946. Shaurya Thapa is an Indian freelance journalist who mostly dabbles in writings on cinema, music, and human interest features. In later years, she gave up acting and spent her time working in department stores and going out to parties with her sister. After the procedure, she died suddenly of heart failure on June 13, 1979, at age 47. The Little Rascals DVD Family Comedy Classic 25192003424 | eBay More than two decades have passed since the film's release. She had five more credits in the '90s, but that was it for her acting career. TheLittle Rascals, which debuted on television in 1955, introduced a band of ragtag children to the world. ), taking a step back from acting was purposeful. The latest movie news, trailers, reviews, and more.