Topic: Our Gang star Dorothy DeBorba 1925 - 2010

[Rich Finegan]

Former Our Gang star Dorothy DeBorba passed away on June 2, 2010.

She was one of the last surviving Our Gang kids from the early 1930's period. She was a very nice lady and I am glad to have met her several times over the years at Sons of the Desert events. I was interested to talk with her about what she did later after outgrowing the Our Gang films.

IMDb listing:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0213496/

By the way, the IMDb filmography is incomplete. Dorothy told me that she also appeared in the 1935 Fox feature DANTE'S INFERNO starring Spencer Tracy. It was her last film.

After retiring from films in 1935 she managed to get back into the business in the mid-1940's...but in a unique way. She was hired by Republic Pictures as one of a group of girls who would ride bicycles around the lot delivering mail and messages. I was pleased to surprise her one day with a an unidentified photo I found of three young ladies on bikes delivering mail on the Republic lot...and there she was, one of the three. She said she had never seen that photo before.

Three Stooges connections:
She appeared in the 1933 MGM feature BOMBSHELL with Ted Healy.
And it would be nice to imagine that she may possibly have encountered Shemp Howard or Joe DeRita on the Republic lot in 1946 as they were filming their Republic features ONE EXCITING WEEK (Shemp) and THE FRENCH KEY (Joe). Sorry I never thought to ask her.

Thanks Dorothy for all the films and friendship!

[BeAStooge]

From L.A.'s Sons of the Desert chapter, The Way Out West Tent...

I have some sad news to pass along. Dorothy de Borba passed away yesterday, after her long struggle with emphysema and lung disease. There will be no service, but her daughter Janet has suggested that it would be nice if everyone attending the upcoming convention got together to reminisce about Dorothy. Donations can be made to the American Lung Association.

--Jim Wiley

Dorothy joined the gang in 1930, as Chubby's baby sister. Her habit of repeating everything he said earned her the nickname of "Echo." She remained with the series thru 1933, with fan-favorites THE KID FROM BORNEO (1933) and MUSH AND MILK (1933) her last shorts.

Dorothy in SCHOOL'S OUT (1930)
<a href="http://www.hulu.com/embed/n0Qp9TINfB8tKxUiz2K9XA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.hulu.com/embed/n0Qp9TINfB8tKxUiz2K9XA</a>
http://www.hulu.com/watch/70172/the-little-rascals-collection-his-rascals-in-schools-out

(Dorothy is the younger girl in curls, with Wheezer and Stymie.)

[7stooges]

Dorothy was always one of my favorite rascals. Great facial reactions! It's just too bad that she never had an Our Gang short to herself (though she did have some great memorable scenes in some of them). I remember reading a quote from Dorothy stating that the boys in the Gang always got the best lines.

Her first film was a 1930 feature "A Royal Romance". In this film, she is given a crying scene. During production of this film, Dorothy caught the attention of Hal Roach, who quickly signed her to Our Gang.

Dorothy memories of the Gang include jumping into a puddle of mud in "Pups is Pups" (1930), getting splinters on her rear while sliding down a wooden gang plank that was being used in "Shiver My Timbers (1931), falling off of a phony block of ice during production of "Spanky" (1932), and getting butted by a goat during production of "Hook and Ladder" (1932); Dorothy was knocked out unconscious after the latter two events.

She seems to have been a very nice lady, and she will be greatly missed. Rest in peace Miss DeBorba.

[Dunrobin]

(Dorothy is the younger girl in curls, with Wheezer and Stymie.)

I couldn't think which kid Dorothy was (I haven't watched the Our Gang/Little Rascals shorts in a long time), but I recognized that description.  She was a cute kid and pretty funny, as I recall.  Sorry to hear that we've lost yet another star from the past.

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[7stooges]

Dorothy was scheduled to attend the LA Sons of the Desert meeting that takes place in two week.s Her daughter Janet has suggested those attending the next LA Sons of the Desert meeting to come together and reminisce about her mother. Also, donations can be made in her name through the American Lung Association.

[BeAStooge]

Leonard Maltin remembers Dorothy DeBorba.

[Rich Finegan]

Leonard Maltin remembers Dorothy DeBorba.

Changing times:
Note that at the bottom of the page they suggest "related articles" and they're all about other "gangs" - gang fights and killings, etc.
About as completely opposite as you can get from the innocent fun of the Our Gang Comedies that Dorothy appeared in.

[metaldams]

Changing times:
Note that at the bottom of the page they suggest "related articles" and they're all about other "gangs" - gang fights and killings, etc.
About as completely opposite as you can get from the innocent fun of the Our Gang Comedies that Dorothy appeared in.

I've mentioned this before, but a just as good reflection of this would be that Charley Chase google search.

It's sad.

[FineBari3]

I've mentioned this before, but a just as good reflection of this would be that Charley Chase google search.

It's sad.

I'm not falling for that again! 

[metaldams]

I'm not falling for that again! 

Why not?  Her cameo in Buns Of The Desert is legendary.

[Rich Finegan]

It's been nice reading all the nice things that have been said about Dorothy DeBorba.
My friend Annette touchingly said there's a new echo now in Heaven ("Echo" having been a nickname of Dorothy's).
Another friend, Stan, imagined Dorothy ascending to Heaven and finally being reunited with all her deceased Our Gang pals.

But with all due affection and respect, and knowing Dorothy as I did, I'm wondering how long after she arrived in Heaven did she demand to know "Where's the smoking area?!"

So long, Dorothy. We'll miss you!