Norman Chaney

Diagnoses

Personal

Vocation

American child actor, notable for appearing in nineteen of the "Our Gang" comedy films as "Chubby" from 1929 to 1931. In early 1929 Chaney won a nationwide contest to replace Joe Cobb in the popular film series. Chaney was offered a two-year contract. At the time, Chaney was only 3' 11" and weighed about 113 pounds. By spring 1931, Chaney was getting taller and increasingly heavier. He finished out the 1930-31 season without being offered another contract. Chaney returned to his native Baltimore and attended public school, where he excelled in his studies. He continued to gain weight and eventually topped 300 lb (140 kg), though he never grew beyond 4 ft 7 in (1.4 m). In 1935, Chaney underwent treatment for a glandular ailment at Johns Hopkins Hospital; his weight then dropped from over 300 lb (140 kg) to less than 140 lb (64 kg). Chaney became seriously ill afterward and died from myocarditis at 4 AM on 29 May 1936 at age 21. Link to Wikipedia biography