MINNEAPOLIS(AP) Gordon Lee, the chubby child actor who played Spanky McFarland's little brother Porky in the "Little Rascals" comedies, has died. He was 71. Lee died Sunday in a Minneapolis nursing home after battling lung and brain cancer, said Janice McClain, his partner of 13 years. Lee played one of the younger members in the "Our Gang" shorts in the 1930s, appearing in more than 40 of them from 1935 to 1939. The comedies, produced by Hal Roach, became known as "The Little Rascals" when shown on TV in the 1950s. Among the films Lee appeared in were "Bored of Education," which won the Oscar for best one-reel short subject in 1937; "Our Gang Follies of 1936"; "The Awful Tooth"; and "Roamin' Holiday." In a 1998 interview with the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, the Texas-born Lee said he was 2 years old when his mother sent his picture to studio executives who were seeking an actor to play McFarland's brother. "We were on the next train to L.A. and I had a contract within a few days," Lee said. "Fat kid got lucky." "My memories are not about making movies. We played with our toys and the adults played with theirs (the cameras)," he said. He and Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas teamed up against older boys Spanky and Alfalfa in many of the comedies. The Porky character is credited with originating
"Porky" ... we hardly knew you! http://www.collectinghollywood.com/GorLee1.jpg It brings back memories -- and I watched those reruns growing up in the seventies! R.I.P., "Porky" Lee.
Little Rascals This is sad. Today our children have no parallel to the Little Rascals. The industry should create a modern version of it for the children of this generation. It was good wholesome fun!
For the trivial minds, There was a new version of it some years ago in the 1990's I think. But either way how in the world could it compare to the original series with the famed Algebra the mule, "He Man Woman Haters" Club, and the five year old vamp named Darla. Ohh, How times have changed.
