Rare vintage signature in blue fine-tip pen on a roughly 4x5-inch pink autograph album page, acquired in-person around 1980. Originally sold by Donnell Noble of Noble Autographs over a decade ago. In good condition and nice for matting with a favorite photograph. The African-American Our Gang comedy star, who famously sported a bowler hat given to him by Stan Laurel, was given his nickname by director Robert F. McGowan, who found that the child actor repeatedly "stymied" his otherwise acceptable takes.  In later years, Beard struggled with a heroin addiction, and subsequently found finding work virtually impossible, until landing the role of Monty on T.V.'s "Good Times" in the 1970s. He tragically died of pneumonia at the age of 56 and his autograph is extremely uncommon in any format.

• Tweet