Gordon Lee, 'Porky' from Our Gang/Little Rascals, dies

Gordon Lee was the chubby child actor who played George "Spanky" McFarland's little brother, "Porky," in the "Our Gang" and "Little Rascals" comedies. He has died at age 71 after after battling lung and brain cancer. Incidentally, this is less than a month after the passing of co-star, and fellow Texan, Tommy Bond.

Lee, starting at the age of 2, played one of the younger members in the "Our Gang" shorts in the mid to late 1930s, appearing in more than 40 of them. His Porky character is credited with originating the catchphrase "otay."

He was born Eugene Lee in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1933. Lee was 2 years old when his mother sent his picture to studio executives who were seeking an actor to play McFarland's brother. "We were on the next train to L.A. and I had a contract within a few days," Lee said. "Fat kid got lucky." Lee told friends his career ended when a growth spurt made him thinner. "They wanted Porky to be a chunky fellow, so they looked for someone else." Gordon eventually became a teacher.