Donnie "Beezer" Smith
American actor and comedian
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Donald Ray Smith, better known professionally as Donnie "Beezer" Smith, is an American child actor. He appeared in the Our Gang film short series during the silent Pathé era, in between 1928 and 1929.
Donnie "Beezer" Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | Donald Ray Smith |
| Occupation | Child actor |
| Years active | 1928–1929 |
| Family | Jay R. Smith (brother) |
Early life
Donald Smith is the brother of Jay R. Smith, who later joined the "Our Gang" and was known for his freckled face.[1][2]
Our Gang
Joining in 1928, Smith appeared in four Our Gang shorts, Fair and Muddy (1928),[3] Little Mother (1929),[4] Boxing Gloves (1929),[5] and Cat, Dog & Co. (1929).[6] He played supporting to small parts, whom he played a character billed either as Donnie or Beezer.
Personal life
When fellow former Our Gang actor Mildred Kornman died in 2022, Smith became one of two known surviving actors from the silent film era, the other being Garry Watson.[7]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Fair and Muddy | Unnamed | Short film |
| 1929 | Little Mother | Beezer | Short film |
| 1929 | Boxing Gloves | Donnie | Short film |
| 1929 | Cat, Dog & Co. | Donnie | Short film |