Harry Spear
| Harry Spear | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Harry Sherman Bonner December 16, 1921 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | September 22, 2006 (aged 84) San Diego, California |
| Cause of death | kidney cancer |
| Occupation | Child actor |
| Years active | 1927-1929 |
| Spouse(s) | Thelma Spear (?-2006) |
Harry Spear (December 16, 1921 – September 22, 2006) was an American child actor, notable for appearing in the Our Gang short subjects series from 1927 to 1929. He was a native of Los Angeles, California.
Before joining the wildly popular Our Gang series, Spear made appearances in several Buck Jones westerns. Spear made his first appearance in the Our Gang series at the age of five in the film Chicken Feed. He was a popular member of the gang during the late silent era (1927–1929), often donning an oversized bowler hat. At the dawn of the sound era, newcomer Jackie Cooper took over the role as the leader/tough guy in the gang, replacing Spear. Spear's final Our Gang film would be Bouncing Babies. After departing the series, Spear briefly entered vaudeville, entertaining audiences with a dancing and monologue routine. By the mid-1940s, though, he left the entertainment industry and severed ties with his former Our Gang alumni.
Spear's whereabouts after the 1940s pretty much remained a mystery for over half a century. However, several diligent Our Gang fans attempted to track down Spear in 1995. Residing in San Diego, California at the time, Spear (who went by his legal name of Harry Bonner) continually denied being the "Harry Spear" of Our Gang fame for unknown reasons, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. From US Naval records, it was found that Harry Spear served as a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy during World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
Spear died of kidney cancer at the age of 84 in San Diego.
Spear was managed by his grandmother Bertha Spear, who was also his legal guardian. Some name confusion existed for a while because of a different actor named Harry Spear, who appeared in some bit roles in several movies in the 1960s.
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