Unveiling the Tragic Life Story of Bobby Hutchins

Bobby Hutchins was an American child actor who died in 1945 after a mid-air collision at Merced, California. Bobby appeared in several films of the Our Gang franchise. He began acting when he was two and went on to appear in several films before proceeding to the army.

Early Life and Education

Bobby Hutchins was born Robert E. Hutchins on March 29, 1925, in Tacoma, Washington, to Olga Constance and James Hutchins. His mother was from Washington, while his father was from Kentucky. Bobby had an extraordinary childhood; he began appearing in films even before starting his education.

However, despite appearing in several films, Bobby did not forget about his education. He went on with his education even after his acting career, and it is unfortunate that he died before graduating from aviation school.

Acting Career

Bobby Hutchins began his acting career in 1927 when he was just two years old. On the first day when Bobby went to the studios, he ran around the studios until he began wheezing. Following this incident he was referred to as “Wheezer.” He went by the name until he left Our Gang. The name was later used by the rock band Weezer but with a different spelling.

Bobby Hutchins’s first role came in the short film Baby Brothers. He usually played a little brother who always wanted to be part of the fun even though he was unwanted. Bobby had a great tenure with Our Gang, appearing in several films. For instance, he was the main character in films such as Pups is Pups, Dogs is Dogs, Big Ears, and Bouncing Babies.

At the end of the 1930-31 season, most of the older “gang” at Our Gang left, and Bobby was poised to become the company’s star. However, it is still a mystery how Bobby fell out of favor with producer Hal Roach and director Robert F. McGowan. Bobby appeared in a few films as the main character, and then the company found someone else to be the lead in their short films.

As Bobby Hutchins’s role kept diminishing at Our Gang; he began pulling away. He was getting a few lines and close-ups. Actually, there is a point in which he did not appear in three episodes of the show. After noticing that their son was not getting any roles at Our Gang, Bobby’s parents began abusing him so that he could keep off Our Gang.

Life After Our Gang

Upon leaving Our Gang, Bobby Hutchins and his family moved back to Tacoma. Bobby enrolled in a public school. After that, he proceeded to high school. After graduating from high school, Bobby Hutchins joined the US Army Air Forces. He later joined the Aviation Cadet Program with the intent of becoming a pilot one day.

Bobby was still part of the program when he was met with his untimely death. Bobby was trying to land an aircraft when he collided mid-air with another aircraft. He died at that moment while the other pilot suffered some injuries. Bobby was supposed to graduate in two weeks.