Actor. He is best-known for his role as Scotty, one of the cutest of "The Little Rascals". Born in Oakland, California, Beckett had already made his film debut (at age three) when producer Hal Roach signed him up for his "Our Gang" series in 1934. Clad in an oversized sweater and a baseball cap worn sideways, he was always watchable but never really developed his own personality among the gang. Scotty was most often paired with Spanky to provide wry commentary about the bigger kids. He appeared in 15 "Our Gang" shorts, including "Hi Neighbor!", "Mike Fright", "The Lucky Corner", and the film he later considered his favorite, "Mama's Little Pirate". Beckett left Roach in 1935 to do features for the major studios, among them "Dante's Inferno" (1935), "Anthony Adverse" (1936), "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936), "Conquest" (1937), "Marie Antoinette" (1938), "King's Row" (1942), and "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" (1944). He worked steadily through his teen years and is memorable as the young Al Jolson in "The Jolson Story" (1946). But like many former child performers, Beckett had trouble landing movie roles as an adult. He struggled to adjust to life outside of show business, which was all he had ever known, and his behavior became increasingly erratic. After two failed marriages he drifted through a series of dead-end jobs and had numerous brushes with the law. At one point he studied to become a doctor, but settled for driving an ambulance. On May 8, 1968, Beckett checked into a Hollywood nursing home for treatment of injuries sustained in a beating. He was found dead in his room two days later. Sleeping pills and a note were discovered near his body, but an autopsy ruled the cause of his death "inconclusive". He was 38.
Actor. He is best-known for his role as Scotty, one of the cutest of "The Little Rascals". Born in Oakland, California, Beckett had already made his film debut (at age three) when producer Hal Roach signed him up for his "Our Gang" series in 1934. Clad in an oversized sweater and a baseball cap worn sideways, he was always watchable but never really developed his own personality among the gang. Scotty was most often paired with Spanky to provide wry commentary about the bigger kids. He appeared in 15 "Our Gang" shorts, including "Hi Neighbor!", "Mike Fright", "The Lucky Corner", and the film he later considered his favorite, "Mama's Little Pirate". Beckett left Roach in 1935 to do features for the major studios, among them "Dante's Inferno" (1935), "Anthony Adverse" (1936), "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936), "Conquest" (1937), "Marie Antoinette" (1938), "King's Row" (1942), and "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" (1944). He worked steadily through his teen years and is memorable as the young Al Jolson in "The Jolson Story" (1946). But like many former child performers, Beckett had trouble landing movie roles as an adult. He struggled to adjust to life outside of show business, which was all he had ever known, and his behavior became increasingly erratic. After two failed marriages he drifted through a series of dead-end jobs and had numerous brushes with the law. At one point he studied to become a doctor, but settled for driving an ambulance. On May 8, 1968, Beckett checked into a Hollywood nursing home for treatment of injuries sustained in a beating. He was found dead in his room two days later. Sleeping pills and a note were discovered near his body, but an autopsy ruled the cause of his death "inconclusive". He was 38.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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Actor & Father
SCOTT H. BECKETT
1929-1968
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