|
|
Post by myhomeo on Mar 5, 2023 9:46:55 GMT -5
Ernie Weckbaugh (sp?), who served as an extra in many Rascals films and is best remembered as the scrawny little thing Alfalfa rejects as a wrestling opponent in CAME THE BRAWN, has apparently claimed the name Stinky for himself.
While to my knowledge, he was never identified by that or any other name in the shorts, it's not impossible he was called that in the script. Or maybe he just saw the name lying around and decided to grab it.
There was also a musician who claimed he played Stinky in the Little Rascals but I can't remember his name or where I read it. Joe Morton? Something like that.
|
|
|
|
Post by mtw12055 on Mar 5, 2023 20:18:10 GMT -5
"Came the Brawn" was, to my knowledge, Ernie's sole Our Gang film. His "extra" roles that he claimed to have had seem to line up with Warner Bros. "Penrod" features (the ones starring the Mauch Twins). Though I haven't examined any of those closely enough to tell if he's really in them.
Bob Demoss had access to the script for "Brawn" via the USC library. It makes no mention of the name Stinky.
Joe Morton (or was it Jay Morton?) specifically claimed he was the original Stinky Davis in the Mickey McGuire comedies. However, that was Junior Johnston.
Stinky seems to have been a popular go-to name for imposters. Leonard Maltin recalled making a personal appearance with Spanky McFarland. According to Maltin, a guy in the crowd made his way up front to chat with the former Rascal star.
"Spanky! Remember me? I played Stinky!"
Before Leonard had a chance to correct the gentleman, Spanky responded with, "Sure! I remember you!"
As Leonard discovered, this wasn't the first time Spanky encountered a fake Rascal. By this point, he was humoring the imposters.
It would seem that there were bit players in the Our Gang films who would exaggerate their involvement with the series - presumably for the sake of attention and a little money. Ernie comes off as one of those types. Joy Wurgaft / Joy Lane ("The Object of My Affection" girl from "Our Gang Follies of 1936") is another great example. Patsy Barry would often sign mid-'30s photos filled with Our Gang extras, but it's a little unclear if she even appeared in any of the films. More recently, there has been the late June Preston, who has an impressive IMDB list - though heavily comprised of what appear to be fake roles. I've been told that even Annette De Kirky (Joe Cobb's girlfriend in "Dog Heaven") was known to play up her significance in the Our Gang legacy.
Annette very well could have been in some of the Our Gang rival series and mistook them for the real McCoy. But Our Gang knock-offs were long gone by the time those other names made their way to the movies.
|
|
|
|
Post by myhomeo on May 11, 2023 21:31:21 GMT -5
Wait. It gets sadder.
Turns out Ernie wrote a book, WHAT I LEARNED AS A LITTLE RASCAL or something like that.
Look, it's apparently all he has...
|
|
|
|
Post by dchord568 on May 12, 2023 0:31:29 GMT -5
Joy Wurgaft / Joy Lane ("The Object of My Affection" girl from "Our Gang Follies of 1936") is another great example. I recall being in a New York City shop of some sort (sometime in the 1980s) and seeing a whole wall of Joy Wurgaft stuff for sale, I assume on consignment. Wish I could pull forth more specific memories, but I seem to recall stills being among those items — stills in which Joy absolutely was NOT present. As you say of others, she tried to turn a very brief association with Our Gang into much, much more than it actually was. Sorry, but a child who appeared in one short (two if you want to count the questionable "Mike Fright") in a small role is not an "Our Gang member." But that's what Joy portrayed herself as. ETA: Another memory has come back to me. I recall there being some standard Our Gang stills in Joy's display, the ones we've all seen, with Joy somewhat crudely inserted into them — tacked on at the end in a way that was obviously very phony. I always wondered how many people fell for them. |
|
|
|
Post by tboneator64 on May 18, 2023 12:28:28 GMT -5
Joy Wurgaft / Joy Lane ("The Object of My Affection" girl from "Our Gang Follies of 1936") is another great example. I recall being in a New York City shop of some sort (sometime in the 1980s) and seeing a whole wall of Joy Wurgaft stuff for sale, I assume on consignment. Wish I could pull forth more specific memories, but I seem to recall stills being among those items — stills in which Joy absolutely was NOT present. As you say of others, she tried to turn a very brief association with Our Gang into much, much more than it actually was. Sorry, but a child who appeared in one short (two if you want to count the questionable "Mike Fright") in a small role is not an "Our Gang member." But that's what Joy portrayed herself as. ETA: Another memory has come back to me. I recall there being some standard Our Gang stills in Joy's display, the ones we've all seen, with Joy somewhat crudely inserted into them — tacked on at the end in a way that was obviously very phony. I always wondered how many people fell for them. While this doesn't really change the narrative, having just given THE PINCH SINGER (1936) a fresh viewing yesterday, I cannot help but wonder if the young lady in "The Plantation Trio" might also be Joy Lane/Wurgaft?
Just some food for thought!
CHEERS!
|
|
|
|
Post by mtw12055 on May 18, 2023 16:16:14 GMT -5
While this doesn't really change the narrative, having just given THE PINCH SINGER (1936) a fresh viewing yesterday, I cannot help but wonder if the young lady in "The Plantation Trio" might also be Joy Lane/Wurgaft? Just some food for thought! CHEERS!
That was Miss Betty Cox. She later made appearances on the "Jack Paar" and "Lawrence Welk" TV series. theluckycorner.com/rmt/143.html |
|
|
|
Post by tboneator64 on Jun 1, 2023 10:45:15 GMT -5
While this doesn't really change the narrative, having just given THE PINCH SINGER (1936) a fresh viewing yesterday, I cannot help but wonder if the young lady in "The Plantation Trio" might also be Joy Lane/Wurgaft? Just some food for thought! CHEERS!
That was Miss Betty Cox. She later made appearances on the "Jack Paar" and "Lawrence Welk" TV series. theluckycorner.com/rmt/143.htmlThank you!
Betty's voice developed into having a very pleasing Doris Day like quality as an adult!
CHEERS!  |
|
