Buddy McDonald
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Buddy"/"Bud" McDonald (October 1, 1922–September 22, 2008) was an American child actor. He is perhaps best known as one of the Our Gang
kids of the early sound period, and McDonald is prominently featured in the Our Gang shorts Teacher's Pet and School's Out. He appeared in several of the Our Gang comedies, and also appeared in a scene (later deleted) with Laurel & Hardy in Pardon Us
.
, in which they enclosed a newspaper article of Buddy's local spelling bee win. They received a phone call from the studio that same week.
The studio gave him a screen test and called Buddy to work on his first picture, Pups is Pups
. From there, he worked on various bit parts with Paramount Pictures
and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
. In addition, he sang on Juvenile review, a weekend radio program on KFWB in Los Angeles
. He attended grammar school on the studio lot with fellow Our Gang actors Donald Haines
and Mary Ann Jackson
. Additionally, he did scenes with Thelma Todd
and Zasu Pitts
.
, California, McDonald had a difficult upbringing; his parents were both alcoholics, and after they divorced in 1933, he and his mother went to live with his aunt in Oregon
. There he slept in a tent and picked fruit. Within a year, his family had made enough money to move back to their old house in Bell.
While he and his mother were living in Oregon, his father told him that the studio had called asking for Buddy to do more work in the pictures. However, by that time the calls had already stopped, thus ending his childhood "career" in acting.
, his father owned a cafe on Florence Avenue in Bell and after Prohibition was repealed, he turned it into a bar.
Buddy became famous in the community, as he was the only person living there at the time that was in pictures. As a teenager, he encountered his own problems with alcohol. McDonald was expelled from Bell High School and later attended Jacob August Riis High School in Los Angeles, a reform school for boys.
In later years, McDonald joined the United States Marine Corps
, where he served in Guadalcanal
during World War II
. After a run-in with the law upon returning, Buddy later joined Alcoholics Anonymous
. After more than 10 years of being sober, he and a friend started what they named the "Dana" School (Drugs, Alcohol, Narcotics, Awareness) in Downey
, California. In 1972 they formed the Southern California Alcohol and Drug Program and in 1975 opened their first recovery house, the Cider House. In 1985, they established an additional recovery house for women and their children.
. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Southern California Drug and Alcohol Abuse Center.
McDonald suffered from congestive heart failure
and died in his home on September 22, 2008.
Our Gang
Our Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
kids of the early sound period, and McDonald is prominently featured in the Our Gang shorts Teacher's Pet and School's Out. He appeared in several of the Our Gang comedies, and also appeared in a scene (later deleted) with Laurel & Hardy in Pardon Us
Pardon Us
Pardon Us is Laurel and Hardy's first feature length comedy film. It was produced by Hal Roach and Stan Laurel, directed by James Parrott, and originally distributed by MGM in 1931.- Plot :...
.
Early career
McDonald was discovered when his mother wrote a letter, dictated from his father to Hal Roach Studios in Culver CityCulver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
, in which they enclosed a newspaper article of Buddy's local spelling bee win. They received a phone call from the studio that same week.
The studio gave him a screen test and called Buddy to work on his first picture, Pups is Pups
Pups Is Pups
Pups Is Pups is a two-reel comedy short subject, part of the Our Gang series. It was produced and directed by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach, and originally released to theatres by M-G-M in 1930. It was the 100th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:Wheezer attempts to find his puppies after...
. From there, he worked on various bit parts with Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
. In addition, he sang on Juvenile review, a weekend radio program on KFWB in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He attended grammar school on the studio lot with fellow Our Gang actors Donald Haines
Donald Haines
Donald Haines was an American child actor who had recurring appearances in the Our Gang short subjects series from 1929 to 1933.-Our Gang:...
and Mary Ann Jackson
Mary Ann Jackson
Mary Ann Jackson was an American former child actress who appeared in the Our Gang short subjects series from 1928 to 1931. She was a native of Los Angeles, California.-Career:...
. Additionally, he did scenes with Thelma Todd
Thelma Todd
Thelma Alice Todd was an American actress. Appearing in about 120 pictures between 1926 and 1935, she is best remembered for her comedic roles in films like Marx Brothers' Monkey Business and Horse Feathers, a number of Charley Chase's short comedies, and co-starring with Buster Keaton and Jimmy...
and Zasu Pitts
ZaSu Pitts
ZaSu Pitts was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas and comedies, transitioning to comedy sound films.-Early life:ZaSu Pitts was born in Parsons, Kansas to Rulandus and Nellie Pitts; she was the third of four children...
.
Childhood
Growing up in BellBell, California
Bell is a city in Los Angeles County, California. Its population was 35,477 at the 2010 census, down from 36,664 in the 2000 census. Bell is located on the west bank of the Los Angeles River and is a suburb of the city of Los Angeles...
, California, McDonald had a difficult upbringing; his parents were both alcoholics, and after they divorced in 1933, he and his mother went to live with his aunt in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. There he slept in a tent and picked fruit. Within a year, his family had made enough money to move back to their old house in Bell.
While he and his mother were living in Oregon, his father told him that the studio had called asking for Buddy to do more work in the pictures. However, by that time the calls had already stopped, thus ending his childhood "career" in acting.
After Our Gang
During ProhibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, his father owned a cafe on Florence Avenue in Bell and after Prohibition was repealed, he turned it into a bar.
Buddy became famous in the community, as he was the only person living there at the time that was in pictures. As a teenager, he encountered his own problems with alcohol. McDonald was expelled from Bell High School and later attended Jacob August Riis High School in Los Angeles, a reform school for boys.
In later years, McDonald joined the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, where he served in Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After a run-in with the law upon returning, Buddy later joined Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
. After more than 10 years of being sober, he and a friend started what they named the "Dana" School (Drugs, Alcohol, Narcotics, Awareness) in Downey
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
, California. In 1972 they formed the Southern California Alcohol and Drug Program and in 1975 opened their first recovery house, the Cider House. In 1985, they established an additional recovery house for women and their children.
Death
Buddy McDonald lived in the retirement community of Leisure World, California in Seal BeachSeal Beach, California
-Neighborhoods:Seal Beach encompasses the Leisure World retirement gated community with roughly 9,000 residents. This was the first major planned retirement community of its type in the U.S...
. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Southern California Drug and Alcohol Abuse Center.
McDonald suffered from congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
and died in his home on September 22, 2008.