• Science • People
Non User
 • Locations • Timeline
Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Home > Allen "Farina" Hoskins

 
Allen Clayton Hoskins ( August 9, 1920 - July 26, 1980) was an African-American child actor, most famous for portraying the character of Farina in the Our Gang short films from 1922 to 1931. With his pigtailed hair and patchy outfits, Farina was obviously meant to be a depiction of a pickaninny in the tradition of the character Topsy from Uncle Tom's Cabin, but as the character became more popular, and as Allen Hoskins got older, Farina developed his own personality separate from that of Topsy . The name " Farina", derived from a type of cereal, was chosen because its gender was ambiguous: as a toddler, Farina was portrayed as both a boy and a girl (sometimes both genders in the same film), much to the puzzlement of movie audiences.

During his time in the gang, Farina became both the series' anchor and its most popular character. While he wasn't the first Black child actor (or even the first Black Our Gang kid), Farina became arguably the first Black child star. Allen Hoskins' last contract with the Hal Roach Studio called for $250 a week, more than any other kid (even Jackie Cooper) was earning at that time.

Farina's character stayed in the series through the silent years and the transition to talking pictures, and left the series in 1931 at the age of eleven. His replacement was Matthew "Stymie" Beard.

After leaving the gang, Farina got some small roles in feature films, and had a vaudeville act with his sister Jannie Hoskins, who was also an Our Gang kid. After seving in World War II, Farina started to drift away from performing and retired his stage name. Allen Hoskins eventually found a career helping disabled young people with drug problems.

He died of cancer on July 26, 1980.

Hoskins, Allen Hoskins, Allen Hoskins, Allen Hoskins, Allen Hoskins, Allen "Farina"

Read more »

Topics: Allen "Farina" Hoskins, Allen Ginsberg, Allene, Allen G. Thurman...

Allen GinsbergAllen Ginsberg ( June 3, 1926 April 5 1997) was a gay American Beat poet born in Paterson, New Jersey. He formed a bridge between the Beat movement of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s, befriending, among others, Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, William SAlleneAn Allene is an hydrocarbon in which one atom of carbon is connected by double bonds with two other atoms of carbon. The simplest allene is propyl allene: Such pair of bonds make allene much more reactive than other alkenes. For example their reactivity wAllen G. ThurmanAllen Granberry Thurman ( November 13, 1813- December 12, 1895) was a Democratic Representative and Senator from Ohio. He was born in Lynchburg, Virginia to Pleasant Thurman and Mary Granberry Allen Thurman. Both his parents were teachers, his father also
AllentownAllentown is the name of some places in the United States of America: Allentown, Georgia Allentown, New Jersey Allentown, Pennsylvania See also Allen. There are also Allenton, Michigan, without the "w," and Allenstown, New Hampshire, with an extra "s.Allendale County, South CarolinaAllendale County is a county located in the U. State of South Carolina. As of the 2000 census, its population is 11,211. Its county seat is Allendale 6. Geography According to the U. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,069 km˛ (413 mi˛). 1,057Allen County, OhioAllen County is a county located in the U. State of Ohio. As of 2000, the population is 108,473. Its county seat is Lima 6. Geography According to the U. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,054 km˛ (407 mi˛). 1,047 km˛ (404 mi˛) of it is land
Allen County, KentuckyAllen County, KansasAllen County, Indiana
Allen Parish, LouisianaAllenspark, ColoradoAllentown, Georgia
Allenhurst, GeorgiaAllenville, IllinoisAllendale, Illinois
Non User