Dorothy DeBorba | |
|---|---|
 Dorothy DeBorba, pictured in the 1931Our Gang filmBargain Day | |
| Born | Dorothy Adelle DeBorba (1925-03-28)March 28, 1925 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | June 2, 2010(2010-06-02) (aged 85) Walnut Creek, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Dorothy DeBorba Habereitter |
| Occupation | Child actress |
| Years active | 1930–1960 |
| Children | 2 |
Dorothy Adele DeBorba (March 28, 1925 – June 2, 2010) was an Americanchild actress ofPortuguese descent who was a regular in theOur Gang series ofshort subjects as the leading lady from 1930 to 1933.
Dorothy Adelle DeBorba was raised inLivermore, California.[1] OfPortuguese Azorean ancestry,[2] she came from a show business background. Her mother was a singer-dancer-actress, and her father was a drummer inPaul Whiteman's band.[1]
Dorothy DeBorba began her career at age five. She impressedHal Roach with her ability to cry on cue. Her debut was an auspicious one: inPups Is Pups (1930), she playsJackie Cooper's younger sister.
With her trademark curls and elaborate hair bows, Dorothy quickly became an audience favorite. Her mother made those bows and would spend two hours every night brushing and putting Dorothy's hair up in curlers. Her natural energy and mischievousness added to her appeal. Although she stated that "the boys [in the series] were given all the bestlines," inLove Business Dorothy has some of the funniest lines in the entire series, delivered whileChubby is practicing his seductive patter on an oversized cutout poster ofGreta Garbo in front of a movie house:
This "smart-alecky compulsion" earned her the nickname "Echo" at theHal Roach Studios.[1]
In 1931 Dorothy became the female star afterMary Ann Jackson left the series.
She appeared in twenty-fourOur Gang comedies over three years with her last appearance coming in 1933'sMush and Milk. "It was like we had the biggest playhouse in the world," she said. "We were always playing when we weren't working or going to school.'Uncle' Bob McGowan had a real terrific way with children."[1] She stated, however, "It wasn't really much fun, working every day and going to school besides. By the age of ten, of course, the movie careers of most of us were finished."
DeBorba graduated fromVan Nuys High School[1] and then worked atRepublic Pictures as a secretary. In later years she was a senior clerk in the School of Journalism atUC-Berkeley. She married twice and had two children.[1]
DeBorba died in 2010 ofemphysema at the age of 85 inWalnut Creek, California.[1]
