'Little Rascals'Butch makes campus stop during book tour

Sixty years ago the small spunky red-headed bully began terrorizing Spanky and Alfalfa. And although Tommy Bond doesn't sport the curly locks or scowl that were once his trademark, he still brought back memories for University students and faculty alike during his visit to campus yesterday. Bond, who played "Butch" in The Little Rascals features of the 1930s and '40s signed his autobiography, Darn Right It's Butch, in front of The Book Store from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For students and staff, Bond's visit was a hit. "I grew up watching The Little Rascals," said College and Wharton senior Omar Amanat. "It's part of my childhood?It's very nostalgic." Lucy Madler, a University Book Store employee, said Bond's features "were something worth seeing rather than that stuff they put out today." "They don't make anything like that anymore," she said. But for some, the memories were not as light-hearted. "When I originally saw the show, Butch was the scariest person I'd ever seen," said College freshman Peter Young. Bond's 192-page book recounts his star-studded childhood and behind-the-scenes adult life, while outlining the 64 features Bond performed -- starting at age five. Bond said it was not easy to record his almost 70 years of show business into his autobiography, which took five years to write. "At my age it's difficult to remember what you did when you were five," he said. "Especially when you can't remember what you did yesterday." Bond's wife Polly -- who was Miss California in 1945 and was one of the two country western singing Darling Sisters -- said reading her husband's book is just like having a conversation with him. "We tell stories all the time," she said. "We never shut up. [Reading the book] is like hearing a story." She also said she felt that writing the book was one way to move on in life. "In addition to living for today, we need what was," she said. "When we decide what we want to take from the past, we can move forward." Even today, people recognize Bond as "Butch," although the reactions are sometimes mixed. "One day a kid in the market came up and kicked Tommy in the shin," Bond's wife recalled. "He said, 'That's what you did to Alfalfa yesterday.'" Nostalgic sentiments flowed yesterday during Bond's two brief hours on campus. "We're bringing back a beautiful time," Bond's wife said. "There were no worries, no cares, no cholesterol counts and no taxes -- just fun and games." Rascals enthusiasts said they missed the show that was once a part of their childhood. "There's a little rascal in everyone -- especially me," Amanat said.

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