Wheezer

[spankees]

I remember hearing something about that but not sure where. I think I heard his family secluded him from the rest of the Our Gang members during playtime, I'm not sure if that was in the Leonard Maltin book or I heard that from Jean Darling. I was in touch with Jean threw emails many times in the past and may have heard it there. Also if you think about it all the Our Gang kids were the bread winners in their family, some of the kids siblings were also hired to bring in more money.

[Mark]

Yep, I read about that too. I think it's somewhere in the Maltin/Bann book. I would have wanted to break his dad's neck.

[maliejandra]

I don't remember that his father starved him but it is possible. Wheezer was my favorite and I'm always trying to dig up new information about him. Does anyone know anything about him outside the gang and his death? Everything about him is shrowded in mystery it seems.

[ymymeatemup]

I wonder if perhaps his absence from the Gang in 1932 had any connection to his malnourishment. Child actors had physical check-ups every few months, and if they were found to be in bad health, then their work permit was suspended. This happened to Spanky in late '33. Wheezer's absence seems to be for about the same period of time.

[ina]

Speaking of Wheezer, I wonder if he had any brothers, sisters, or any family members still living?

[maliejandra]

I know he had a brother, who was great in Forgotten Babies with his "Remarkable" line. I don't know if he is still living.

I honestly had no idea about the Wheezer or the Spanky breaks. Can you elaborate? When were they and why did Spanky have one?
Also, Wheezer looked pretty healthy in the later episodes near when he was taken out permanently. He was just getting too tall for the gang.

[ymymeatemup]

Spanky was on loan to Paramount to appear in the Baby Leroy feature "Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen." Leroy had the whooping cough and Spanky caught it. His parents allowed him to work before he had fully recovered and the child welfare department suspended his work permit for five months. During that period, Spanky was absolutely necessary to the Our Gang films, so the unit shut down for the duration. This explains the gap in the release schedule between "Wild Poses" and "Hi-Neighbor." Wheezer's absence between "The Pooch" and "A Lad An' A Lamp" was also for five months (late March thru late August), which is why I suspect this was also a work permit suspension.

[sidewayscap]

I read in the Maltin/Bann book that Wheezer's "Father" tried to harm him in some way. That may have to do with food, but I wondered if it wasn't a little more serious. Think Castorated Boy Choirs. That may be a little severe, but that Dad must have gotten it in the end, I tell you, I so would have had to do terrible things to him with a crowbar.

[cubear]

I agree! I love little Wheezer, he is my favorite Rascals. I think he is one of the most underrated performers in the series. My favorite period of the series is the Wheezer, Mary-Ann, Jackie, Chubby, Farina era.
It is indeed very strange that Wheezer's life is shaded in such mystery. Not that much can be found out about him and the unspoken "harm' his father tried to do to him, which I guess lead to a divorce between his mom and dad. The heavily retouched photo of him in the Maltin book always makes me feel very weird when I look at it. And the way he did die is such a tragedy, especially since it seemed like he was getting his life together at the time.
I hope that Wheezer knows that there are fans who still remember him and that Little Wheezer still brings a smile to our faces. RIP Wheezer!

[maliejandra]

Yes, I had a feeling that the harm referred to might have had something to do with what you said sidewayscap. It really urks me too that a parent could do that to their own child. It's really sad.

I remember reading a story published in a magazine after Wheezer's parents had separated. He was living with his mother in some rural country and Mary Ann Jackson got to visit him for about a week. I haven't been able to locate the article since but it was the only information I'd been able to find out about him outside of the usual Little Rascals stuff.

I agree cubear that the photograph of Wheezer as an adult is a little disturbing. It always reminded me of those things they send in the mail looking for missing children with and age-progressed photo next to the one of them at 4 years old. Really sad.

[rhapsody]

Mary Ann Jackson's 1935 visit with Wheezer and his family is referenced in the Maltin book. It apparently was reported in a local Tacoma paper at the time.

Wheezer was such a charming and engaging little child, it is hard to think about anyone trying to do him any harm, let alone a parent. There are lots of sad Our Gang stories, but I think his is perhaps the saddest. It seems like the poor kid (as he himself said in The First Seven Years) could never get a break!

But he is remembered fondly even more than 60 years after his death. In fact, my six year old niece refers to him as The Rascal. All the other kids go by their names, but he's always The Rascal. Stymie and The Rascal stole the gang's baseball equipment. The Rascal lost his puppies. Petie and The Rascal are best friends.

Here's hoping the Rascal is resting in peace.

[ymymeatemup]

Hey Maliejandra - how did you find out which "forgotten baby" was Dickie Hutchins? I always thought that the 'remarkable' boy bore a resemblance to Wheezer, but haven't been able to find any conclusive evidence.

[maliejandra]

I think it says in the Maltin book, either that or his character name is listed in the credits of the book and I heard it said in the film. Or maybe I just assumed it was him because they looked alike, but I'm pretty positive that it is that kid. I always wondered why they didn't keep him along in the series; that Remarkable line stole the show almost. Maybe it was all he ever said or something.

[sidewayscap]

The thing I find sad about the infamous picture is that, on top of being very close to his death, it's the only one of him as an older um, man, boy teenager? Anyway and the whole "heavily retouched" thing is a little... creepy.

[ymymeatemup]

Is that what they mean by 'inappropriate retouching'?