https://www.facebook.com/robert.satterfield.7967/posts/pfbid02jtv5CBNTc4hBRLW5z4b756qUitFdBLhBXfkd2jLjBdS8Lw7qUjL7AgqQfkC7VuHFl

Robert Satterfield
Saturday, August 20, 2022 at 5:38 PM

I am very sad to report my good friend and former actress/model Mildred Kornman Hinsey (AKA Ricki VanDusen) (July 10, 1925-August 19, 2022) passed away yesterday at the age of 97. Mildred was one of the last members of Our Gang Comedies appearing in 21 of the shorts from 1926-1935. Under the name of Ricki VanDusen she became one of the very first super models appearing on the cover of Vogue and Harpers Bazaar. It appears as Mildred was the last living actress to appear in a silent film era motion picture. Garry Watson of the famous Watson family and possibly Donald Smith (brother of JR Smith of Our Gang) are the only living people to appear in an original silent film. It also drops the number of actors who appeared with Stan Laurel and/or Oliver Hardy to eight confirmed.

Mildred appeared at the Hollywood '80's Our Gang Reunion during the Second International Sons of the Desert Convention on July 31, 1980 and appeared at the Our Gang Reunion during Laurel and Hardywood convention on July 4, 2014. Mildred also appeared with Jean Darling at one other Sons convention as well as several Way Out West Tent events over the years.

Mildred's keen sense of humor and devotion to her sister (Our Gang's "first leading lady" Mary Kornman) will be missed. She was a sweet, dignified and candid lady who I shall miss personally. I was blessed to have known her these past 42 years. Rest in Peace dear friend.

Nice tribute there by Sir Satterfield for the late VanDusen...but is it certain that now there is NO one else extant from the silents?

I mean, weren't there some silents made even as late as 1930? And those oldest-living rosters that That Derek and others herein so painstakingly compile still had a bunch of players from the silents even a year or two ago, no? (Don't know if Ms. VanDusen was listed on any of those, as I was unfamiliar with here, not being a much a fan of the "Our Gang"/"Little Rascals"" series.)

(Just trying to be factually tidy here.)

BRYAN STYBLE/Florida

On Saturday, August 20, 2022 at 6:52:16 PM UTC-4, radioacti...@gmail.com wrote:
> Nice tribute there by Sir Satterfield for the late VanDusen...but is it certain that now there is NO one else extant from the silents?
>
> I mean, weren't there some silents made even as late as 1930? And those oldest-living rosters that That Derek and others herein so painstakingly compile still had a bunch of players from the silents even a year or two ago, no? (Don't know if Ms. VanDusen was listed on any of those, as I was unfamiliar with here, not being a much a fan of the "Our Gang"/"Little Rascals"" series.)
>
> (Just trying to be factually tidy here.)
>
> BRYAN STYBLE/Florida

Good point - I posted Mr. Satterfield's pronouncement but didn't double-check it.

I just checked Lenona's July "Oldest living film people" post, and while there were a number of men and women who were born before her (such as Marsha Hunt, who was born in 1917), I didn't see any who had been in silents. Marilyn Knowlden is on that list - she was born in 1926 and made her first film, a talkie, in 1931. She seems to be the woman on the list with the earliest screen credits.

Mildred's father Gene photographed many of the stills of Hal Roach comedies..
The afore mentioned Jean Darling attended the second Slapsticon. She came over from Ireland and an Irish cabbie at the airport slammed her legs in the cab door, so Jean needed support to get around the venue. We all took turns walking arm in arm with her. Jean took a shine to my long hair and remarked I looked like Buffalo Bill. When I was walking arm in arm with her through the lobby I could not help but think "Here I am touching someone who touched both Laurel and Hardy, Charley Chase, and Herbert Hoover."

Diana Carey aka Baby Peggy was the last silent film comedian with their own multi-year series to pass. Mickey Rooney was second to last.

On Saturday, August 20, 2022 at 8:35:16 PM UTC-4, Diner wrote:
>
> I just checked Lenona's July "Oldest living film people" post, and while there were a number of men and women who were born before her (such as Marsha Hunt, who was born in 1917), I didn't see any who had been in silents. Marilyn Knowlden is on that list - she was born in 1926 and made her first film, a talkie, in 1931. She seems to be the woman on the list with the earliest screen credits.

Thank you, but keep in mind that most of the names on my list belong to those who became famous in the English-speaking world. (In almost any week, you can go to Deaths in 2022 in Wikipedia and find the names of 90-ish film people from other countries. Wikipedia was how, after an actor's death, I heard of the 1975 Moldovan musical "Gypsies Are Found Near Heaven.")