Jean Darling, the actress best known for her role in Our Gang silent comedy shorts from the early 1900s died Friday, September 4, 2015. Her son Roy told The Hollywood Reporter that she passed away in a nursing home in Germany. She was 93.
Darling was born Dorothy Jean LeVake and started acting on Our Gang when she was 4 years old. The shorts would go on to inspire The Little Rascals years later. Her first short was Bring Home the Turkey in 1927.
In 1934 she starred in Jane Eyre and in Babes in Toyland. Her next role was The I Don’t Care Girl in 1953 then after a long break she appeared in the short The Butler’s Tale in 2013.
In addition to acting, she wrote autobiographies, a novel, and hundreds of short stories. She starred on Broadway and worked on Irish radio programs telling stories for children.
Darling is survived by her son Roy and grandsons Robert and Alec.
September 11, 2015
