The 2000 Seattle Sons of the Desert Convention was not the first occasion I had to meet Peggy Cartwright, but it turns out that it was the last. I was previously THRILLED to meet her for the first time during my 1992 trip to California. At that time, she was somewhat of a ‘missing’ Our Gang member – and quite an important one at that. Although she only appeared in five of the early silent Our Gang comedies, she was credited for being in the very first one one simply entitled Our Gang in 1922.
Being from British Columbia, Canada, she had a delightful British accent, which surprised me the first time I met her, considering she was portraying the “All-American” leading lady. Peggy had appeared in two other huge films even before her Our Gang stint, Birth of a Nation and Intolerance. This was Peggy’s only convention appearance and she passed away less than a year later.
The following three photos are obviously of Peggy with me and Denise – followed by a photo of Peggy with one of the authors (along with Leonard Maltin) of the definitive Our Gang book Our Gang: The Life and Times of the Little Rascals, and my pal Dick Bann. He asked me to snap this photo of him and Peggy since he didn’t have one. Not sure if I ever actually ever gave it to him, but now its here for him to see! Denise and I were each having her sign the photo as seen above, the only shot I have of her from an Our Gang film. Here she sits atop one of the silent Gang’s favorite pets, Dinah the Mule.
Next up: Dorothy deBorba and Edith Fellows in Seattle…
Do you have any other photos of Peggy Cartwright when she was a young actress? I told my wife how very attractive she was, but she is a very hard person to find any stills from that era. Thanks.
Victor Bailey
May 16th, 2007
Dear Victor,
If you e-mail me, I will send you some
copies of my mother’s early years. She
had four children with Phil Baker and I
am the youngest.
susan taylor
March 30th, 2013
What was her life with William Walker like? How many years were they married? Any bios on her?
Loumke
December 13th, 2016
My mother attended drama classes at the “Y” here in NYC, back in the mid 1940’s, and she would love to know if her drama coach, whose name was Peggy Cartwright, is one and the same.
Thank you so much if you have a moment to reply, and wishing all good health in these challenging times.
Dana
August 24th, 2020
Peggy looks so sweet and content here!! I’m happy to see she at least got to attend one of the Sons of the Desert films!! Bless her soul!
Livie Jane
January 14th, 2021