quote:

---

The OUR GANG Curse?
There has long been speculation of the existence of a curse on those involved with the Our Gang television program that caused undue hardship and even death under suspicious or unusual circumstances. Following are some of the more curious events that raise speculation. But you be the judge:

Pete the Pup (? 1930) - An unknown assailant poisoned the original Pete.

Robert Hutchins "Wheezer" - (3/29/25 - 3/17/45) - Died in an airplane accident at the age of 19.

William Robert Laughlin "Froggy" - (7/05/32 - 8/31/48) - Died in a bicycle accident at the age of 16.

Robert H. Young "Bonedust" (9/15/17 - 9/10/51) - Died in a hotel fire, which started when he fell asleep smoking in bed.

Dorothy Dandridge "Dorothy" (11/09/23 9/08/65) - Committed suicide after an investment scheme caused her to go bankrupt.

Harold Switzer "Deadpan" or "Slim" - (1/16/25 - 4/14/67) As was the case with his brother, Harold was also killed following a dispute with another man.

Scotty Beckett "Scotty" - (10/04/29 - 5/10/68) Died in a Hollywood nursing home after being severely beaten two days prior to his admittance. A bottle of pills and a note were found at the scene, however the coroner never determined the exact cause of death. He was just 38 years old.

Darla Hood "Darla" - (11/08/31 - 6/13/79) - Hospitalized for hepatitis in 1979, she soon died under what was later ruled to be "suspicious circumstances."

Kendall McComas "Breezy Brisbane" - (10/29/16 - 10/15/81) - Two weeks before his 65th birthday and apparent forced retirement from the U.S. Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, California, he committed suicide.

Robert Blake "Mickey" - (9/18/33 - present) - On April 18, 2002, he was arrested and charged with the murder of his wife, Bonnie Lee Bakely.

Darwood Kaye "Waldo" - (9/08/29 - 5/15/2002) - Killed by a hit and run driver while walking on the sidewalk.

Jay R. Smith "Jay R" - (8/29/15 - 10/05/2002) - Stabbed to death and left in the desert by a homeless man he had befriended.

---

quote:

---

William Robert Laughlin "Froggy" - (7/05/32 - 8/31/48) - Died in a bicycle accident at the age of 16.

---

quote:

---

Matthew "Stymie" Beard fell into drug use and street life, Beard became addicted to heroin, and spent most of his early adult life in and out of jail because of it.

In the 1960s, he checked himself into Synanon, a drug rehabilitation facility in Los Angeles, and successfully ended his heroin use.

In 1978, he appeared in the movie The Buddy Holly Story as a member of the backstage crew at the Apollo Theatre, wearing his trademark bowler hat.

Shortly after his 56th birthday, Beard suffered a stroke in the motel room where he was living. He was found two days later, alive but paralyzed, and taken to the County USC Medical Center, where he died of pneumonia and other complications.

---