Okay, I was young and uneducated at the time. I hadn’t seen many of the silent Our Gang films at that point. They just really weren’t very available for viewing in 1980. So at the time I scarcely knew who Mary Kornman was, much less her little sister Mildred. And the clincher was that the Kornman Mom – Verna Kornman – was also on hand for the Our Gang reunion. Mary, who had passed away from cancer in 1973, was THE leading lady of the silent Our Gang – as much as Darla was the leading lady of the sound Little Rascal films.
Later in life, I would develop a huge crush, almost a fixation, on all things Mary Kornman. She stayed at the Roach studios into her teen years also working in the Boy Friends comedy series. And I would also become friends with Mildred Kornman, who herself had appeared in over twenty Our Gang films – both silent and sound – and who was every bit as attractive as Mary was. In fact, she later became a model, gracing early covers of Vogue among others. I was even able to visit her at her home in 2005, and am now in posession of her little blue autograph book that she carried around with her on movie sets as a child. That statement will only whet your appetite for now…more on all that later.
Mildred and Wheezer
But back to 1980… Mildred Kornman and her mother Verna attended the Our Gang reunion and autograph session and I, diligent as I was, stood in line to get them to sign my little blue autograph book, even if I didn’t really know who exactly they were. While Dorothy deBorba had made a fuss over me and my blue eyes, Mildred actually commented on them in the autograph book. Verna, incidentally, must have virtually lived on the sets of the Hal Roach Studios as well. Not only had her daughters Mary and Mildred been in the series, but her husband Gene Kornman was one of the studio’s still photographers.
Verna and Mildred Kornman’s signatures in my autograph book
I would write to Mildred in 1998, reminding her how I had once met her (in fact, I think I sent her a photocopy of her signature in my book, enticing her with the ‘blue eyes’ statement) and she was kind enough to respond by sending me a nice note and autograph. I subsequently would interview her and publish an article about her in 2003, then finally meet her again in Columbus in 2004, and visit her at her home in San Diego in 2005. At age 80, she was still a charmer at the time…and quite attractive.
Gorgeous Mildred meets up with her former boss Hal Roach at Hollywood ’80
Mildred signs this modeling picture from circa 1973 to me
The Our Gang stars of Hollywood ’80 will continue…
I was at Hollywood 80 and Mildred stole my heart that day.Was 16 at the time and a total Our Gang buff thanks to sneaking into Sons meetings since I was 12.Mildred and I chatted for what seemed forever at one of the dinners at the convention.That was 27 years ago and I still tell people that Hollywood 80 was the most amazing gathering of stars ever.My daughter is 13 and she loves to hear me talk about that week.
Raul Moreno
September 25th, 2007
Thanks so much for information on the Kornmans.
larry smith
February 21st, 2011