Mary Kornman

Today, I'm going to talk about the lovely Mary Kornman!

I've been a fan of hers since I was just a little girl, I would actually dress up and act like her!  Who didn't wan't to be a Little Rascal when they were young?

Mary was born December 27th, 1915 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Her father Gene Kornman was a photographer, he shot Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe, and many others!

Mary started acting when she was eight years old, she was best known for playing the darling little Mary in Hal Roaches Our Gang shorts, today commonly known as The Little Rascals. Mary and the other's in The Gang where replaced by younger children as soon as talkies came along. 

She then played a similar role in Hal Roaches, The Boyfriends, a comedy series. Her boyfriend on screen was the same guy whom she starred with in the Gang, Mickey Daniels. 

I remember watching a whole marathon of The Boyfriends a few years ago on TCM. I thought the show was very funny, I've always loved the chemistry that Mary and Mickey had. In my opinion, I think their one of the greatest comedic couple's that has ever graced the screen. Mickey was not afraid to look goofy or weird (hence, the photo above) he was very funny. Getting off topic, I loved his little cameo in The Great Ziegfeld, where he played a telegraph boy. He was and still is one of the most under-rated actors, he deserves SO much more credit! 

What worked great about this "couple" was that Mary was the natural, sweet, caring girlfriend to a goofy, awkward boy. 

I love the clip of Mary and Mickey in The Voice of Hollywood, where they are doing an interview on the radio. Mickey wants to sing but Mary wants to tap dance. They fight over who's going to perform as the camera pans over to the radio show host, and all you hear is Mickey yelling and noises of someone getting hit. It pans back to them and Mickey's on the ground with his hands up, his shirt and hair all messy, Mary's holding the microphone-like shes about to hit him. Mickey agrees to let Mary perform, Mary gladly puts the microphone away and starts dancing like nothing happened.

Mary, Mickey and other former Gang members with the new Gang. 

Mary starred in countless films, with many great actors and actresses. One of them being John Wayne, in The Desert Trail. I've seen that film a looonngg time ago, but from what I remember, I enjoyed it very much. I've always been interested in Mary as an adult, I've always thought she was beautiful and very talented, I've always wished she had done more movies. But Mary wasn't very interested in making films-she stopped making them in her mid-twenties, she even started her own salon at some point. 

Some years after Mary's first marriage, she married Ralph B. McCutcheon, who she devoted her life to, since she never had any children. Mary's sister and actress Mildred Kornman tells people that they where very much in love. Mary never went back to films, but she kept in touch with Hollywood friends and former co stars. 

After a long time illness, Mary passed away on June 1st, 1973 at age 57, with her husband and sister Mildred by her side. Her husband Ralph soon followed in 1975. Their both buried at the Lin Grove Cemetery in Greely, Weld County, Colorado. 

Even though theres only a little group of people in the world who knows Mary Kornman, she is remember by fans of The Little Rascals, and is remembered for being a sweet, caring girl. She did surprisingly well after leaving the Gang, most of the kids never made it in Hollywood, if Mary would have continued being in films, she would have gained the popularity that she deserves so much. 

Rest in Peace Mary, I've always enjoy watching all of your films!