Andrew Samuel, 82; Child Actor in ‘Our Gang’ Comedies

Andrew Samuel, among the last of the child actors who originally performed in producer Hal Roach’s “Our Gang” comedies, has died at age 82.

Samuel died Thursday at the Reche Canyon Convalescent Home in Colton. His son, Paul Samuel, said he had been ill since the first of the year and had suffered a stroke last month.

Andy Samuel got into Roach’s movies by tagging along to studios with an older brother who was the agent for swashbuckling actor Ramon Novarro. Roach, who was planning his series in 1922, saw the boy and tapped him as one of the first “Our Gang” kids.

He appeared in Roach’s seventh production in the series, titled “The Big Show” which was issued Feb. 25, 1923. Already 13 when he began, the diminutive Samuel performed in only a handful of the films, including “The Champeen” and “Boys to Board.”

Samuel exited the group, his son said, “because he just got too big; he outgrew the other kids.”

He never returned to acting. For 20 years he and his father, Harry Samuel, operated an art and picture-framing shop in Beverly Hills called H. A. Samuel & Son. He later worked for the now-defunct art supply wholesaler Duncan Vail.

Samuel’s wife, Julianna, died in 1983. Survivors include a brother, Ben Samuel of Huntington Beach, and two grandchildren.

Services are scheduled for noon Wednesday at Beth Olam Cemetery, Santa Monica Boulevard and Gower Avenue, Hollywood.