Stymie Beard

Matthew Beard Jr. (January 1, 1925 – January 8, 1981) was an American actor. As a child actor, he was most famous for playing Stymie in the Our Gang short comedy films of 1930–1935. The role was so well known that he adopted the name Stymie Beard, and was so credited in some later roles, such as his 1978 appearance in The Buddy Holly Story.

Early life Beard was born near Los Angeles, California, to Matthew Beard Sr. and Johnnie Mae Beard (née Clay). His father was the founding pastor of Beloved Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles.

Our Gang years Beard previously played baby parts in many films, then signed a five-year contract in 1930 to appear in Our Gang. In contrast to Farina, the character whom he replaced, Stymie was a slick-tongued con-artist who was self-assured, nonchalant and ready with a sly comment and clever ideas to solve the problems that he faced. He could offer sound common sense that helped resolve his playmates' dilemmas. Stymie is the only member of Our Gang who both replaced one of the original gang members (Allen "Farina" Hoskins) and was in turn replaced by one who stayed until the series disbanded: Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas.

The character was originally to be named "Hercules"; however, Our Gang director Robert McGowan, frustrated ("stymied") by little Matthew's curious wanderings around the studio, gave him the name "Stymie." in which they appeared in the Technicolor "ice cream fantasy" finale sequence.

Family Beard's paycheck helped support his family in East Los Angeles, including 13 brothers and sisters. After Beard renamed his younger brother Bobbie "Cotton" (which was used as the name of one of the Our Gang characters), his parents allowed him to name all of the rest of his siblings as they were born. Beard also appeared in supporting roles in several independent "race films" aimed at African-American audiences, including Two Gun Man from Harlem (1938) with Herb Jeffries and Broken Strings (1940) with Clarence Muse. Parts dried up as Beard became an older teenager; by the time he was an adult, Beard had retired from acting.

Falling into drug use and street life, Beard was arrested at age eighteen for stealing to fuel a budding marijuana habit.

In the 1960s, Beard checked himself into Synanon, a drug rehabilitation facility and cult in Los Angeles and successfully ended his heroin use. and on Good Times, where he had a recurring role (1974–1977) as Monty.

He is interred in the Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles, buried with the famous derby that he wore for all of his life.

Filmography

Legacy In the book series Captain Underpants, one of the kids is named George Beard. The author Dav Pilkey loved Our Gang, so he named the character's last name after Beard.