Ex-'Little Rascals' Star Found Stabbed To Death

AP via WKMG ^ | October 22, 2002

[Shermy]

LAS VEGAS -- An 87-year-old man found stabbed to death in the desert has been identified as a former child actor in the "Our Gang" film series.

The body of Jay R. Smith was found Oct. 5 near Interstate 15, about 25 miles north of Las Vegas, police said. He died from multiple stab wounds, the Clark County coroner's office said.

As a freckle-faced boy, Smith was in three dozen of the "Our Gang" short comedies from 1925-29, most of them silent. The series, better known to TV audiences as "The Little Rascals," ran from the 1920s to the early 1940s, and the casts of children changed over the years.

In many of the films, Smith's roles were relatively minor.

According to the book "The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang," Smith did have a prominent role in the 1928 short "Rainy Days." Baby-sitting, young Jay finds his small charges have drawn all over the walls of his home. He tries to cover up the drawings with new wallpaper, and the homemade wallpaper paste creates a spectacular mess. But Jay smiles proudly at his returning mother, saying, "Notice anything, Mom?"

Among the other films he appeared in were "Love My Dog," "Bring Home the Turkey," "Crazy House," "Thundering Fleas" and "Fair and Muddy." Smith's brother Donnie also appeared in a few Our Gang films, according to the book.

"None of us took it seriously while it was happening," Smith once said. "But looking back, it was a very pleasant time in my life, and as I grow older, it gets more valuable."

As an adult, Smith owned a paint store. He also served in the Army in World War II.

Police said a homeless man who had been staying in a shed next to Smith's home and doing odd jobs for him was being sought for questioning in the death. Detectives reported that money was withdrawn from Smith's bank account last week.

[Saundra Duffy]

They're bustin' up that old gang of mine. This is really sad. How I used to enjoy watching those old "Our Gang" flicks.

[onedoug]

Well met. But that's Stymie in the pic. Matthew Beard, I think.

[Slyfox]

Short bios with pics on members of Our Gang

[Gumlegs]

The site says it was a heart attack.

[MsLady]

I thought he was killed in a hunting accident? I loved the Little Rascals and Our Gang. I still watch them from time to time when I catch them on t.v.

[ErnBatavia]

[tracer]

Oh Tay!!!

[tracer]

Oh, thank you!!

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

You are right, that's Stymie. They had the wrong photo on his tribute. Here's Buckwheat.

[tracer]

"William B. Thomas."

What does the "B." stand for??

[ErnBatavia]

Actually, that looks more like Farina to me....but it's been a loooooong time.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Blake's acting career, though, was more successful than those of his "Our Gang" contemporaries

Some of them, like Blake's wife, the 44-year-old Bonny Lee Bakley, even died violently, beginning with "Pete the Pup," the pit bull with the black circle around his left eye who was the gang's mascot. The original Pete was poisoned by an unknown assailant.

Among others:

# Robert "Wheezer" Hutchins, who died in a military plane accident in 1945 at age 19.

# "Froggie" Laughlin, who was killed in a 1948 motorscooter accident at age 16.

# "Alfalfa" Switzer, who was shot to death in 1959 in a fight over a $50 debt at age 31.

Darla Hood, who later lent her voice to well-known television advertisements for Campbell's Soup and Chicken of the Sea, also died tragically -- in 1979 from hepatitis she contracted in a hospital she had checked into for a minor operation, according to the book "Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang," by Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann. She was 47.

My hero, "Spanky" McFarland, was a successful Texas businessman when he died of a heart attack in 1993 at age 64.

Many other Rascals, including Porky and Butch, are still around. "Porky" Lee, who lives in Minnesota, sells autographed pictures of himself on the Internet; "Butch" Bond, a California resident, also has a Web page.

And we can't forget the Mickey character. He currently resides in the Los Angeles County Jail.

[I still care]

Right on. That's Stymie. He had a bad drug problem, but was a very nice person I hear. I also hear that he was hurt in later years because modern blacks thought his acting "politically incorrect'. I always laugh at this. Just turn on MTV and look at the black rap and hip hop performers, Stymie had tons more class and dignity than any of them.

[xrp]

How could he have been a PFC during World War 2, seeing as how he was born in 1931? A 10-14 year old PFC???

[weegee]

Ed Cobb died recently (earlier this year or late last year).

There are still several Rascals around. More of the pre-Spanky gang than you might think. Hal Roach outlived most of his talent pool though (he was on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno when he turned 100).

[tracer]

Chief Moose just announced that the shooting of Buckwheat has been linked to The Sniper. Studds was seen at Dulles boarding a Saudi Airlines flight to Syria that departed an hour ago.

More news as it becomes available -- exclusively on CNN.........

[tracer]

AHA!!

[Gumlegs]

How could he have been a PFC during World War 2, seeing as how he was born in 1931? A 10-14 year old PFC???

He lied about his age ... ?

[fight_truth_decay]

OTAH ! ...Isn't that 3 of Our gang that has been murdered now? Are my thoughts incorrect?..and of course Robert Blake charged with murder.

[Loyalist]

Alfalfa was a Masonic Illuminatus? Say it ain`t so! :-)