Jane Powell and Spanky Mcfarland

Years ago, as teenagers, we would hear tales about what Spanky McFarland was doing. The one most often mentioned, as it turns out, is true. He was a television salesman. He also was a native-born Texan. Oddly enough he was born in the same city as my husband, Dallas, Texas. He was on October 2nd, 1928 at Methodist Hospital. In recent months, we have spent some time at Methodist with my husband’s father. It’s probably changed since the birth of Spanky, who coincidently was born George Robert Phillips McFarland. The nickname “Spanky” has its roots in the myth and in the factual.

There were often the studio versions and the real-life versions of the people we came to know through the silver screen. The studios tended to make much of nothing. Although most concocted stories have some roots, in reality, the extrapolations of those roots ran to extremes. Perhaps a star’s mother had worked for a wealthy duchess, for example. The star would then become the daughter of a duchess from some strange and exotic land that no one earth could find on the map. They were that inventive. “Spanky” was a turn of the last century phrase that described an intelligent and gifted toddler. Thus, Spanky McFarland was born on the wings of a Los Angeles newspaper reporter’s imagination.

Jane Powell was born in Portland, Oregon and her birth name has nothing to do with the screen name she would take from her movie debut, in which the character she played was named Jane Powell. Jane Powell was born Suzanne Lorraine Burce on the first day of April, 1929. The odd connection that brought the names Spanky McFarland and Jane Powell together this morning as I read about each one’s life, was that Jane’s father worked for Wonder Bread for several years. Spanky, on the other hand, was the face on Wonder Bread billboards across the Dallas Metro-Plex.

The two were born within a year and a half of one another and while Ms. Jane Powell (Mrs. Dickie Moore) is still very much alive, George Robert Phillips “Spanky” McFarland died in Grapevine, Texas in 1993 of a coronary. Both were forced to overcome their “child-star” status and Ms. Powell did so amicably. However, Spanky remained George’s nemesis throughout his life. Ms. Powell’s husband, also an Our Gang member, had a similar problem with his child-star status and has written a book “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” in which he interviewed other child actors. During these interviews, he met Ms. Powell, and they were married in 1991.

Spanky was never graceful, and he couldn’t sing. Jane Powell is one of the most beautiful—sometimes positively adorable—stars to grace the silver screen. Two of her movies “Three Daring Daughters,” and “Luxury Liner” in which she plays Tess Morgan and Polly Bradford respectively, should be put on the “to-see” list for any movie aficionado. She positively shone in both films, and they are memorable for her part-trickster, mostly-adorable comedic talents.

She is one of the nicest, most-congenial stars to ever make the lights of Hollywood sparkle in adoring fan’s eyes. While there are few in “Today’s Hollywood” that could match the talents of Ms. Powell, more should aspire to be the talent she has been through the years. Sweetness and light, and apparent love for everyone, sum up Ms. Powell’s personality and legacy. One cannot imagine that this lovely lady would ever speak a harsh word against another human being. She’s still very much a beautiful star and person.