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| Born | Darla Jean Hood November 8, 1931 Leedey, Oklahoma U.S. |
| Died | June 13, 1979 (aged 47) North Hollywood, California U. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Leedey is a town in Dewey County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 345 at the 2000 census. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) North Hollywood is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles California. S. |
| Years active | 1935-1979 |
Darla Jean Hood (November 8, 1931 – June 13, 1979) was an American child actress, best known for her lead roles in Our Gang (Little Rascals) shorts during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Events Judy Garland signs a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM The year 1979 in film involved some significant events Events March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The term child actor is generally applied to a Child Acting in motion pictures or Television, but also to an Adult "The Little Rascals" redirects here For other uses see The Little Rascals (disambiguation. She was born in Leedey, Oklahoma, the only child of James Claude Hood and Elizabeth Davner. Leedey is a town in Dewey County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 345 at the 2000 census. Her father worked in a bank and her mother was a music teacher.
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Our Gang
Darla's mother started her in singing and dancing at an early age, taking her to lessons in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. Just after her third birthday, she was taken to New York City, where she was seen by Joe Rivkin, a casting director for Hal Roach Studios, who arranged a screen test. The City of New York Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr ( January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and For the BBC TV series see Screen Test. A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an Actor or actress for She was then taken to Culver City, California, to appear in the Our Gang movies. Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County California. "The Little Rascals" redirects here For other uses see The Little Rascals (disambiguation.
Hood made her debut in The Bohemian Girl with Laurel and Hardy. The Bohemian Girl is a 1936 feature film version of the opera The Bohemian Girl by Michael William Balfe. Laurel and Hardy were the popular American -based comedy team of thin British-born Stan Laurel (1890-1965 and heavy American-born Oliver Hardy (1892-1957 From 1935 to 1941, she played Darla in Our Gang. Events Judy Garland signs a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM The year 1941 in film involved some significant events in particular the release of a film consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time "The Little Rascals" redirects here For other uses see The Little Rascals (disambiguation. Her coquettish character typically was the love interest of Alfalfa, Butch, or (usually) Waldo. Carl Dean "Alfalfa" Switzer ( August 7, 1927 &ndash January 21, 1959) was an American Child actor, professional For the Major League Baseball player see Tommy Bond (baseball. Darwood Kenneth Smith, also known by the stagename Darwood Kaye ( September 8, 1929 &ndash May 15, 2002) was an American One of her most memorable moments was singing a romantic song entitled "I'm in the Mood for Love" in The Pinch Singer. " I'm in the Mood for Love " is a popular Song. The music was written by Jimmy McHugh, the lyrics by Dorothy Fields.
After Our Gang
When she outgrew her role in Our Gang, she appeared in a couple of other movies and attended school in Los Angeles. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West While at Fairfax High School, she organized a vocal group called the Enchanters with four boys. Shortly after graduation, the quartet was booked by producer and star Ken Murray for his famous "Blackouts", a stage variety show. Ken Murray ( July 14 1903 - October 12 1988) was an American Entertainer and Author. The group remained with Murray's Blackouts during its long run in New York and Hollywood. The City of New York
Hood then went out on her own with singing engagements in nightclubs and guest appearances on TV. A nightclub (or "night club" or "club" is a drinking, dancing, and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark She was a regular on The Ken Murray Show from 1950 to 1951. The year 1950 in television involved some significant eventsBelow is a list of Television -related events in 1950. The year 1951 in television involved some significant eventsBelow is a list of Television -related events in 1951. In 1955, she was a leading lady in the act of ventriloquist Edgar Bergen. She had a hit record in 1957, "I Just Wanna Be Free," and appeared in the movie Calypso Heat Wave singing a duet with Johnny Desmond. Johnny Desmond ( November 14 1919 - September 6 1985) was an American popular singer She also recorded two songs with the Ray Whitaker Orchestra, "Only Yours" and "Silent Island," for RayNote Records.
In January 1959, she released a new record, Quiet Village. Joe Rivkin, who discovered her as a child, saw the cover and cast her in her final film role, which was also her first adult role in a movie. She played a secretary in the suspense drama The Bat with Vincent Price and Agnes Moorehead. The Bat ( 1959) is a Mystery film directed by Crane Wilbur, and co-starring Vincent Price and Agnes Moorehead. Vincent Leonard Price Jr ( May 27 1911 &ndash October 25 1993) was an American Film Actor, remembered Agnes Robertson Moorehead ( December 6 1900 – April 30 1974) was an American Actress.
Hood was a guest on such TV shows of the early 1960s as Tell It to Groucho starring Groucho Marx and The Jack Benny Show, where she appeared on October 30, 1962 as "Darla" in a spoof of the old Our Gang shows with Jack Benny (who appeared as Alfalfa). Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky February 14, 1894 - December 26, 1974) was an American Comedian, vaudevillian Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky February 14, 1894 - December 26, 1974) was an American Comedian, vaudevillian She did singing and voice-over on TV commercials, which included Campbell Soup and Chicken of the Sea tuna. Campbell Soup Company ( (also known as Campbell's) is a well-known American producer of Canned soups and related products Chicken of the Sea is a brand of canned Tuna produced by a company owned by Thai Union International. She appeared in her own nightclub act at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, the Copacabana in New York, and the Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. A nightclub (or "night club" or "club" is a drinking, dancing, and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark The Sahara Hotel and Casino is a Hotel Casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally
During the 1960s and 1970s, she went to many Our Gang/Little Rascals festivals and conventions, meeting and greeting the various generations of fans.
Sudden Death
Hood was busy organizing a 1980 Little Rascals reunion for the Los Angeles Chapter of The Sons of the Desert when she underwent minor surgery at a North Hollywood hospital. The Sons of the Desert is a Laurel and Hardy appreciation group founded in 1965 by L & H biographer and admirer John McCabe. Following the procedure, Darla contracted acute hepatitis under suspicious circumstances and died suddenly on June 13, 1979. Hepatitis (plural hepatitides) implies injury to the Liver characterized by the presence of Inflammatory cells in the tissue of Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) She was 47. [1]
The Our Gang community was stunned at Hood's unexpected passing. Fellow Our Gang member Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas said, "I hate to hear it. Billie Thomas (originally William Thomas Jr) ( March 12, 1931 &ndash October 10, 1980) was an American child actor best It's a shock. She was an awfully nice person, a fine woman. We got along real good as kids. "[1] A little over a year later, Thomas died as well.
Darla Hood is interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood. Hollywood Forever Cemetery is located at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California.
Personal life
Hood had two marriages, insurance salesman Robert W. Decker (1955 to 1957) and record company head Jose Granson (married 1957). She and Granson had three children. Tommy "Butch" Bond mentioned that her marriage to Granson was difficult as he was confined to a wheelchair due to a stroke. For the Major League Baseball player see Tommy Bond (baseball. A wheelchair is a wheeled Mobility device in which the user sits A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain As a result, pursuing her career was not easy. [2]
In popular culture
- Darla Hood is mentioned in the song "Purple Stain" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers with the lines:
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- Knock on wood we all stay good
- 'Cause we all live in Hollywood
- With Dracula and Darla Hood
- Unspoken words were understood
- A short sound clip of Darla, Spanky and Alfalfa from an episode of Our Gang can be heard at the beginning of the REO Speedwagon song "Tough Guys", from the album Hi Infidelity. Red Hot Chili Peppers are REO Speedwagon is an American rock band which grew in popularity in the Midwestern United States during the 1970s and peaked in the early
References
- ^ a b Maltin, Leonard and Bann, Richard W. Leonard Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American Film critic and Film Historian. (1977, rev. 1992). The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang, p. 274. New York: Crown Publishing/Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-517-58325-9
- ^ Bond, Tommy and Genini, Ron (1994). For the Major League Baseball player see Tommy Bond (baseball. Darn Right It's Butch: Memories of Our Gang/The Little Rascals, p 71. Delaware: Morgan Press. ISBN 0-9630976-5-2
External links
- Darla Hood at the Internet Movie Database
- Darla Hood at Allmovie
- Darla Hood website (vandalized on or before March 15, 2008)
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