20 Facts About Spanky McFarland

Spanky McFarland spent the final decades of his life as a public speaker reflecting on his child-acting career.

Spanky McFarland was born in Dallas, Texas, on October 2,1928, to Virginia Winifred and Robert Emmett Spanky McFarland.

Spanky McFarland had three siblings: Thomas, Amanda, and Roderick.

The nickname "Spanky McFarland" is erroneously said to have arisen from warnings by his mother not to misbehave during one of the initial discussions with Hal Roach in his office.

Spanky McFarland contradicted the tale, saying that the name was given by a Los Angeles newspaper reporter.

Spanky McFarland's scene-stealing abilities brought him more attention, and by 1935 he was the de facto leader of the gang, often paired with Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, and always the enterprising "idea man".

Switzer's character became as much of a scene-stealer as the young Spanky McFarland was, and the two boys' fathers fought constantly over screen time and star billing for their children.

Spanky McFarland's only starring feature-film role was in the 1936 Hal Roach film General Spanky, an unsuccessful attempt to move the Our Gang series into features.

Spanky McFarland remained in the MGM Our Gang productions until his final appearance in the series Unexpected Riches in 1942, at age fourteen.

In 1952, at age 24, Spanky McFarland joined the US Air Force.

Spanky McFarland took less glamorous jobs, including work at a soft drink plant, a hamburger stand, and a popsicle factory.

Station executives prevented Spanky McFarland from developing and expanding the show's format, and by 1960 Spanky McFarland had quit the show.

Spanky McFarland was selling for Philco-Ford Corporation, where he advanced to national sales training director.

Spanky McFarland had his own namesake charity golf classic for 16 years, held in Marion, Indiana.

Spanky McFarland traveled the country doing speaking engagements and lectures about his movie roles and his days in the Our Gang.

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

Spanky McFarland died of "a heart attack or an aneurysm" at his home; his remains were cremated shortly thereafter.

However, this is disputed by biographer Bruce Eder, who has said her fellow musician Arnie Lanza gave her the nickname "Spanky," based on what he saw as her resemblance to George McFarland who played "Spanky" in the Our Gang comedies.

In 1990, Spanky McFarland filed a $100,000 lawsuit against a bar owner in St Paul, Minnesota.

The lawsuit called for Spanky McFarland to receive all of the internal merchandise and equipment featuring his likeness.