McFarland was in his bedroom in Keller, Texas, getting dressed on June 30, 1993, when he suddenly collapsed. Get recommendations for other artists you'll love. September 26, 1975. Fact; 1: Final screen appearance was the 1993 Cheers episode "Woody Gets an Election" (1993 season 11, episode 21). Spanky also had his own namesake charity golf classic for 16 years, held in Marion, Indiana. George McFarland (October 2, 1928 – June 30, 1993) was an American actor most famous for his appearances as a child as Spanky in the Our Gang series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. Was an ardent golfer who, in his later years, could be frequently seen on the pro-am circuit. Microfiche. George 'Spanky' McFarland was born on October 2, 1928 in Dallas, Texas, USA as George Robert Phillips McFarland. Profile. McFarland contradicted the tale, saying that the name was given by a Los Angeles newspaper reporter. He was pronounced dead within 40 minutes of being admitted, at age 64. The Our Gang shorts were later syndicated to television as The Little Rascals. He became the first "big" star of the entire series over that of his co-stars w… The original line-up of this engaging US harmony group - Elaine ‘Spanky’ McFarlane (19 June 1942; tambourine/washboard), Nigel Pickering (12-string guitar) and Oz Bach (stand-up bass/kazoo) - began performing together in Chicago’s folk clubs. Check below for more deets about Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane. He worked in the department that provided television sets to hotels and motels. Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane, Actress: Moonrunners. [citation needed], After that stint, he continued at odd jobs: selling wine, operating a restaurant and night club, and selling appliances, electronics, and furniture. Catchphrases: "Okey-dokey!" 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. Official Sites. The band derives its name from Hal Roach 's Our Gang comedies of the 1930s (known to modern audiences as The Little Rascals), because of the similarity of her surname with that of George McFarland (Spanky). Set against the backdrop of a makeshift kids' clubhouse, Spanky entertained and informed his studio audiences and the viewers at home with games, stories, craftmaking, hobbies, comedy skits, informational segments, and interviews with guest performers, personalities, and the children in the studio audience in between the reruns of "The Little Rascals" film comedies. Spanky McFarlane discography and songs: Music profile for Spanky McFarlane, born 19 June 1942. Spanky McFarlane. Paramedics tried to revive him for approximately 30 minutes before transporting him to Baylor University Medical Center in Grapevine, Texas. Find Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane discography, albums and singles on AllMusic McFarland appeared as "Spanky" in 95 Our Gang films between 1932 and 1942. Character: Spanky McFarland Birthday: October 2, 1928 Place of Birth: Dallas, Texas Date of Death: June 30, 1993 Place of Death: Grapevine, Texas First Short: Free Eats Last Short: Unexpected Riches Number of Shorts: 95 History: His face as a young boy shaped and stood as the symbol for an American comedy series that began over five years before he was born. He also appeared in: "Spanky" redirects here. Spanky and Our Gang war eine Folk-Pop-Gruppe aus den USA, die in den 1960er Jahren mehrere Single-Hits in den Charts platzieren konnte. Elaine McFarlane was into blues and jazz, and her first professional gig was in a jazz-based singing group called the Jamie Lyn Trio in 1962. [13] A cenotaph for McFarland to be placed at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas, has been approved, but according to the cemetery's website, has yet to be installed.[14]. A few short clips of Spanky (George McFarland) at his cutest. During this time, McFarland continued to make personal appearances and cameo roles in films and television, including an appearance on The Mike Douglas Show with Darla Hood and William "Buckwheat" Thomas. He received on-screen billing in, So far he is one of the only two members of "Our Gang" and or "The Little Rascals" to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, (co-star, Although his name has sometimes been misspelled in older credits as "McFarlane", George is not related to the creator of the television series, Received his big break through a one minute Wonder Bread commercial, after which his aunt sent him for a screen test with. [11] During the 1990s, after his self-described "semi-retirement", Spanky lent his name and celebrity to help raise money for charities, primarily by participating in golf tournaments. and its variant, "Okey-doke!". The group was known for its vocal harmonies. McFarlane was nicknamed "Spanky" because one of the band members, perhaps influenced by her last name, said that she resembled Our Gang star George "Spanky" McFarland. His earliest films show him as an outspoken toddler, grumpily going along with the rest of the gang. Spanky McFarlane Family. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. The term "a spanky child" was late-19th- to early-20th-century slang for an intelligent, gifted toddler. As a kid I had everything I wanted, we had a good life but when it was over...it was over. Spanky was an example of such a child in his earliest movies—a toddler who could act—so the name had meaning to the movie-going audience of that era that was lost for later generations. Ihre Lead-Sängerin war Elaine Spanky McFarlane. "Spanky and Our Gang" was a vocal-instrumental group, popular from 1967 to 1969. The nickname "Spanky" 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. An invitation for a screen test arrived that spring, leading to his acting career. [8] Switzer's character became as much of a scene-stealer as the young McFarland was, and the two boys' fathers fought constantly over screen time and star billing for their children.[9]. Elaine McFarlane. Spanky's real-life nickname as a child was "Sonny". This established Sonny early on in the local public's eye as an adorable child model and provided experience before cameras. Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane was born on June 19, 1942 in Peoria, Illinois, USA. Enjoy! Elaine ‘Spanky’ McFarlane net worth is $17 Million Elaine ‘Spanky’ McFarlane Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane was born on June 19, 1942 in Peoria, Illinois, USA. The case was eventually settled, and the owner changed the name to Checker's Bar. Spanky and Our Gang was an American 1960s sunshine pop band led by Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane.The band derives its name from Hal Roach's Our Gang comedies of the 1930s (known to modern audiences as The Little Rascals), because of the similarity of her surname with that of George McFarland (Spanky). Following the 1938 Our Gang short Came the Brawn, McFarland "retired" from Our Gang, beginning a personal appearance tour. He also appeared as a juvenile performer in many non-Roach feature films, including the Wheeler & Woolsey comedy Kentucky Kernels and two Fritz Lang features of the 1940s. Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane (born June 19, 1942) is an American singer and actress best known for fronting the vocal group Spanky and Our Gang in the late 1960s. Bad Company, The Commodores and Rare Earth also played on the same episode. Their folk-rock style was similar to that of the Mamas & the Papas. Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane was born on June 19, 1942 in Peoria, Illinois, USA. For other uses, see, George Robert Phillips McFarland or George Emmett McFarland. Spanky McFarlane's parents: Spanky McFarlane's father was James McFarlane Spanky McFarlane's mother … [8], In 1952, at age 24, McFarland joined the United States Air Force. He died on June 30, 1993 in Grapevine, Texas. After leaving the acting profession, he worked for a wine company, an appliance manufacturer and a boot company. McFarland claimed that "Spanky's" bar on East 7th Street used his name and face for thirteen years without permission. Use of the "Spanky" name by McFarland for subsequent business or personal activities was expressly granted to McFarland in one of his studio contracts. Gender. Spanky McFarland. Birth Chart of Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane, Astrology Horoscope, Astro, Birthday, Gemini Horoscope of Celebrity. Among his jobs as an adult was working for the Philco-Ford company. He was an actor, known for Bedtime Worries (1933), Beginner's Luck (1935) and General Spanky (1936). Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane was born on June 19, 1942 in Peoria, Illinois, USA. Spanky and Our Gang was an American 1960s sunshine pop band led by Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane. |  [on his years with the Little Rascals] I wouldn't take a million dollars for the experience...and I wouldn't take a penny to do it again. Die Gruppe wurde 1966 in Chicago gegründet. The band derives its name from Hal Roach's popular Our Gang comedies of the 1930s (known to modern audiences as The Little Rascals). 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. Date of birth. She was nicknamed "The Queen of Sunshine Pop." Female. Final onscreen appearance was as himself in the cold open of the "Cheers" (1982) episode "Woody Gets an Election" (1993, season 11, episode 21). His 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". Recorded live on stage in Amana, Iowa in 1987. 1928 in Dallas, Texas, USA as George Robert Phillips McFarland. This is the first of three parts. Other Works Distant cousin of former Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) actress Denise Crosby. George McFarland (October 2, 1928 – June 30, 1993) was an American actor most famous for his appearances as a child as Spanky in the Our Gang series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. In the mid-1950s, when the Our Gang comedies were sweeping the nation on TV, McFarland hosted an afternoon children's show, The Spanky Show, on KOTV television in Tulsa, Oklahoma. [6][7] He had three siblings: Thomas ("Tommy", who appeared in a few Our Gang episodes as "Dynamite"), Amanda, and Roderick ("Rod"). He attended Lancaster High School in Lancaster, Texas. Joined The Mamas and the Papas, replacing 'Mama' Cass Elliot'. Before joining the Our Gang comedies, "Sonny", as he was called by his family, modeled children's clothing for a Dallas department store and was also seen around the Dallas area on highway billboards and in print advertisements for Wonder Bread. Maiden name. The lawsuit also called for McFarland to receive all of the internal merchandise and equipment featuring his likeness. Birth place. In January 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 Sonny's portfolio. |  George McFarland (October 2, 1928 – June 30, 1993) was an American actor most famous for his appearances as a child as Spanky in the Our Gang series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. He was an actor 2: Michael Jackson was a huge fan of the Our Gang series, and visited the elderly McFarland at his Dallas-area home. As in 2021, Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane‘s age is * years. 1960 American pop group Spanky and Our Gang named themselves after McFarland's character because of the similarity of lead singer Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane's surname. On June 30, 1993, the 64-year-old McFarland suffered a massive coronary at his Grapevine, TX home and died in the emergency room of Baylor University Medical Center. Texas: Texas Department of State Health Services. by Richard Harland Smith Spanky and Our Gang was an American 1960s folk-rock band led by Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane. Trivia. Served in the United States Air Force at age 24 (1952). View Spanky McFarlane's Family Tree and History, Ancestry and Genealogy. [said often, when sure of his lines] Okay, Toots. Spanky's famous double and triple-takes were taught to him by. Trivia (2) Before forming Spanky & Our Gang, she was a singing waitress in Florida. Had two sons: George Gregory McFarland and Verne Emmett McFarland. Peoria, Illinois, USA. McFarland was born in Dallas, Texas, on October 2, 1928, to Virginia Winifred (née Phillips) and Robert Emmett McFarland. Born June 19, 1942, in Peoria, IL. [10][failed verification] In mid-1938, Hal Roach sold the Our Gang unit to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who began casting for a new "team leader" character in Spanky's vein and ended up rehiring McFarland himself. 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). [8] Portions of Spanky's screen test are included in a 1932 Our Gang entry, Spanky. His final television performance was in 1993, playing himself in the cold open of the Cheers episode "Woody Gets An Election".[12]. 76. In January 1994, 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. Elaine 'Spanky' McFarlane was born on June 19, 1942 in Peoria, Illinois, USA.. Born on , , Elaine hails from , , . Had one daughter: Betsy McFarland. The Our Gang shorts were later syndicated to television as The Little Rascals. In later years some family members would affectionately refer to him as "Spank". Read Spanky McFarlane's bio and find out more about Spanky McFarlane's songs, albums, and chart history. He was married to Doris and Paula Jeanne Wilkinson. [8] Station executives prevented McFarland from developing and expanding the show's format, and by 1960 McFarland had quit the show. At age fourteen Spanky child '' was late-19th- to early-20th-century slang for an intelligent, toddler. And his days on the Little Rascals joined the United States Air Force,.. 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