Pudgy, cute child actor of the 1930s, a former baby model discovered by producer Hal Roach, who used him in many fondly-remembered "Our Gang" comedy shorts during the Depression years. The often beanie-clad McFarland, whose real first name was George, quickly became the petulant leader of the playful, trouble-causing brood of youngsters and continued with the gang almost until the onset of puberty. He also appeared in over a dozen feature films between 1933 and 1944, but apart from leading roles in "General Spanky" (1936) and "O'Shaughnessy's Boy" (1935, opposite the aging and fading child
Began career at age three when he modeled baby clothes
1932
Was discovered by producer Hal Roach when he appeared in a "Wonder Bread" commercial; selected to replace Joe Cobb as the resident "fat boy" in the "Our Gang" shorts; earliest appearances with the group include "Spanky" and "Free Eats"
1933
Played first notable feature film role in "Day of Reckoning"
Left "Our Gang" in the early 1940s
Left acting after appearing in small roles in the features "I Escaped from the Gestapo" (1943) and "The Woman in the Window" (1944)
