Sidney Kibrick, fondly remembered as “Woim” from the beloved “Our Gang” black-and-white classics, has taken his final bow.
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His daughter, Jane, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that he died on Wednesday in a Northridge, California, hospital. A cause of death was not provided for the 97-year-old.
Before it was known as The Little Rascals, the comedy short film series was originally titled Our Gang. Created by Hal Roach, the franchise followed a group of children from a working-class neighborhood in Los Angeles. The series began in 1922, produced by Roach’s studio before moving to MGM, and featured more than 41 child actors as regular cast members during its run.
Kibrick appeared in two dozen of the shorts from 1935 to 1939 as Woim (a Brooklyn-style pronunciation of “worm”), the trusty sidekick to neighborhood bully Butch (Tommy Bond).
Born in Minneapolis on July 2, 1928, Kibrick was the baby of the family. His older brother, Leonard, actually pioneered the neighborhood bully role before Bond took over the reins in 1936. His big break came courtesy of a classic “only in Hollywood” moment: a talent scout approached the family mid-meal at a Chinese restaurant, pitching movie stardom over dim sum.
Sidney Kibrick’s Career Beyond ‘Our Gang’
According to IMDb, his first role was in The Bowery. He later appeared in Shirley Temple’s Just Around the Corner, Tyrone Power’s Jesse James and Glenn Ford’s Flight Lieutenant.
Meanwhile, Kibrick decided to retire from acting in his teens. His mother eventually agreed, and he made his final appearance in the Bowery Boys film Keep ‘Em Slugging.
“I think people, even today, could identify with being a child and being mischievous when life was simple,” Kibrick said about Our Gang‘s legacy, per THR. “It was fun, and it made people laugh. … I was living the studio life. Those are memories I will never forget. It was a wonderful experience.”
Kibrick is survived by his daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, grandson, two great-granddaughters, and a great-grandson. His wife passed away in 2013 at the age of 83.