Thomas remained in Our Gang for 10 years, appearing in all but one of the shorts made from Washee Ironee in 1934 through the series’ end in 1944. This new costuming—overalls, striped shirt, oversized shoes, and a large unkempt Afro—was retained for the series proper from late 1936’s Pay as You Exit on. Directed by Penelope Spheeris. [14], CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, "Spanky" McFarland discusses Buckwheat in a 1987 appearance, "The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang", "Scholarship Keeps Controversial Image in the Spotlight : Education: Despite criticism, the son of the actor who played Buckwheat sees grant as a way to preserve his father's legacy", His gang Spanky McFarland remembers his long stint as a `Little Rascal'. L… Thomas was the only cast member to appear in all 52 of the MGM-produced entries and was the only holdover from the Hal Roach era to remain in the series until its end in 1944. 100% Cotton Brand New Item Buckwheat Our Gang Little Rascals Character Neon O-Tay Adult T-Shirt Tee Officially Licensed Color: Blue Material: 100% Cotton My mother just took me out to the studio on a regular interview day, and they needed a person, and that was it." Among those honored, on July 31, were fellow Our Gangers George McFarland, Dorothy DeBorba, Tommy Bond, and Joe Cobb. (black person) a boy or a girl? In the 2019-set sketch, the Little Rascals character was a contestant on The Masked Singer, dressed as Corn on the Cob. After Stymie’s departure from the series later in 1935, the Buckwheat character slowly morphed into a boy, first referred to definitively as a “he” in 1936’s, . Though offered many film and stage roles, he had no desire to return to Hollywood as an actor. For a full list, check here. The “Buckwheat” character was originally a female, portrayed by Matthew “Stymie” Beard’s younger sister, Carlena. POST COMMENTS AND INTERACT AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS! After returning to civilian life, Thomas faced a dilemma shared by many of his co-stars from Our Gang. CMG helps you navigate through and effectively manage the licensing process, while providing peace of mind that you have addressed all the outstanding clearance concerns. The Little Rascals is a 1994 American family comedy film produced by Amblin Entertainment, and released by Universal Pictures on August 5, 1994. William "Billie" Thomas Jr. (March 12, 1931 – October 10, 1980) was an American child actor best remembered for portraying the character of Buckwheat in the Our Gang ( Little Rascals) short films from 1934 until the series' end in 1944. He was 12 years old when the final Our Gang film, Dancing Romeo, was completed in November 1943. The problem is Alfalfa belongs to an anti-girl organization. By 1940, Thomas had grown out of his speech impediment, and with Lee having been replaced by Robert Blake, Thomas's Buckwheat character was written as an archetypal black youth. The Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas Story. This is an American Film that came out in 1994. The answer to this is Porky. Details about Buckwheat Dressed in white top hat New The Little Rascals Hamilton Collection O1. During the series' sec… Ferguson; Waldo; The Rascals; Woim Thomas remained in Our Gang when the series changed production from Hal Roach Studios to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1938. Thomas first appeared as a background character in Our Gang in 1934. [12], The next week, 20/20 acknowledged, on-air, that English's claim had been false and apologized for the interview. He was a native of Los Angeles, California. Name: William "Billie" Thomas Nickname: Buckwheat Played By: William Thomas Jr. Born: 1931 Relatives: Mandy (mother), Joe (father), Big Shot (brother) Clubs: former member of He-Man Woman-Hater's Club, The Wise Owl Club, The Four Nitengales, former member of All-4-One Club, 1-2-3-Go Safety Society First Short: For Pete's Sake! O TAY! The Little Rascals was a short-lived animated television series produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. William Thomas Jr. was born on March 12, 1931, in Los Angeles. Thomas died of a heart attack in his Los Angeles apartment on October 10, 1980, 46 years to the day after his mother brought him to audition at the Hal Roach Studios. Billie Thomas first appeared in the 1934 Our Gang shorts, For Pete’s Sake!, The First Round-Up, and Washee Ironee as a background player. Billie Thomas, "Buckwheat" The Little Rascals/ Our Gang Billie Thomas (originally William Thomas, Jr.) (March 12, 1931 – October 10, 1980) was an American child actor best remembered for portraying the character of Buckwheat in the Our Gang (Little Rascals) short films from 1934 until the series' end in 1944. The series aired Saturday mornings on ABC from September 25, 1982 to September 1, 1984. The “Buckwheat” character was a female at this time, portrayed by Our Gang kid Matthew “Stymie” Beard’s younger sister Carlena in. Although the character he played was often the subject of controversy in later years for containing elements of the “pickaninny” stereotype, Thomas always defended his work in the series, pointing out that Buckwheat and the rest of the black Our Gang kids were treated as equals to the white kids in the series. 4 months ago. tenure, Thomas’ Buckwheat character was often paired with Eugene “Porky” Lee as a tag-along team of “little kids” rallying against (and often outsmarting) the “big kids,” George “Spanky” McFarland and Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer. Thomas remained in Our Gang when the series changed production from Hal Roach Studios to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1938. Get the best deals for buckwheat little rascals at eBay.com. William “Billie” Thomas, Jr. (March 12, 1931 – October 10, 1980) was an American child actor best remembered for portraying the character of Buckwheat in the, short films from 1934 until the series’ end in 1944. "[11], In 1990, the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 aired a segment featuring a man named Bill English, then a grocery bagger in Arizona, who claimed to be the adult Buckwheat. The same time he played Buckwheat on The Little Rascals, he started a 48-episode stint on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alongside Will Smith. [10] In 2010, he wrote the book "Otay!" He was twelve years old when the final Our Gang film, Dancing Romeo, was completed in November 1943. The Little Rascals (1994) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Despite Thomas being a male, the Buckwheat character remained a female—dressed as a Topsy-esque image of the African-American “pickaninny” stereotype with bowed pigtails, a large hand-me-down sweater and oversized boots. "Buckwheat" "I started when I was three years old. "I didn't care for them a bit. During the series' first season, it aired with "Pac-Man" and "Richie Rich". $15.00 + shipping . [11] But Thomas's co-star George McFarland, who played "Spanky" in Little Rascals, made it clear that he hated Murphy's imitations. Billie Thomas became “Buckwheat” in the 1935 episode called, Mama’s Little Pirate. William “Billie” Thomas, Jr. (March 12, 1931 – October 10, 1980) was an American child actor best remembered for portraying the character of Buckwheat in the Our Gang (Little Rascals) short films from 1934 until the series’ end in 1944. He was a native of Los Angeles. , and by Willie Mae Walton in three other shorts. Spanky started out as a toddler during the silent and early sound generation of the series, then became the lead character, supported by friends such as Alfalfa, Darla Hood, Froggy, Buckwheat… By 1940, Thomas had grown out of his speech impediment, and with Lee having been replaced by Robert Blake, Thomas’s Buckwheat character was written as an archetypal black youth. Alfalfa has fallen in love with Darla, … Billie Thomas first appeared in the 1934 Our Gang shorts For Pete's Sake!, The First Round-Up, and Washee Ironee as a background player. Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas. After Stymie’s departure from the series later in 1935, the Buckwheat character slowly morphed into a boy, first referred to definitively as a “he” in 1936’s The Pinch Singer. On November 30, 2012, he died at the age of 62. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items! The "Buckwheat" and "Porky" characters both became known for their collective garbled dialogue, in particular their catchphrase, "O-tay!" He was a native of Los Angeles… [1] Thomas is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood.[9]. The “Buckwheat” character was a female at this time, portrayed by Our Gang kid Matthew “Stymie” Beard’s younger sister Carlena in For Pete’s Sake!, and by Willie Mae Walton in three other shorts. English's appearance prompted public objections from McFarland, who contacted media outlets following the broadcast to inform them that the true Buckwheat had been dead for ten years. In its fourth decade of licensing and clearing intellectual property rights, CMG Worldwide is the recognized leader in its field. [3][4] However, the work of Thomas and the other black cast members as actors is credited with helping the cause of race relations by playing alongside white children as equals in a desegregated show during the height of the Jim Crow Era. The Official Website of William "Buckwheat" Thomas. Alfalfa is wooing Darla and his "He-Man-Woman-Hating" friends attempt to sabotage the relationship. The Rascal revival was on, and it continues this day. Dec 2, 2015 - Explore Child Stars Photo Gallery's board "Our Gang--Farina, Stymie and Buckwheat", followed by 275 people on Pinterest. Buckwheat's character is played in the film by Ross Bagley and Uh-Huh is played by Courtland Mead. He was a native of Los Angeles, California. During the first half of his. He was a native of Los Angeles, California. The "Buckwheat" character was a female at this time, portrayed by Our Gang kid Matthew "Stymie" Beard's younger sister Carlena in For Pete's Sake!, and by Willie Mae Walton in three other shorts. In 1950, Billy had a son whom he also named William Thomas Jr. William Thomas Jr. the younger, went on to graduate from California State Northridge University in 1975, then in 1992, created the Buckwheat Memorial Scholarship for students at Northridge in his honor. They're all here! Buckwheat was a wildly popular Eddie Murphy impression based on Billie Thomas' character of the same name in Hal Roach's "Our Gang" shorts of the 1930s and 40s (popularized on television as The Little Rascals). Ross Bagley was a huge little star in the ‘90s. "[1] However, Thomas still enjoyed the film industry at large, and had a successful career as a film lab technician with the Technicolor corporation. Thomas enlisted in the United States Army in 1954 at the age of 23, and was released from active military service in 1956 decorated with a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. member, Allen “Farina” Hoskins, who worked in the series during the silent and early sound eras. He took his experience in film work as a spark to learn the trade of film editing and cutting. Ross carried his relationship with Will Smith over to the hit action film Independence Day, playing Will’s son.. Ross currently spends his … The fallout from this incident included the resignation of a 20/20 producer[13] and a negligence lawsuit filed by the son of William Thomas. Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Darla, Stymie, Porky, Petey the dog and all of the Little Rascals star in this hilarious heartwarming classic directed by Penelope Spheeris (Wayne's World). He was a native of Los Angeles . Mel Brooks portrays Mr. Welling, Whoopi Goldberg plays Buckwheat's mother, Daryl Hannah plays Miss Crabtree and Reba McIntire plays … 191 likes. Eddie Murphy performed a series of Buckwheat sketches on Saturday Night Live during the 1980s when he was a cast member. When Thomas was brought out, he received a spontaneous standing ovation, and was moved to tears. He made Buckwheat into a stereotype that he wasn't, at the expense of the people in his family who are still alive. Their new adventures begin at an emergency meeting of the "He-Man Womun Haters Club." There are a lot of people who loved The Little Rascals. Alfalfa, the main character, started to like Darla, who is his schoolmate. Billie Thomas (originally William Thomas, Jr.) is best remembered as Buckwheat in the Our Gang (Little Rascals) shorts from 1934 until the series ended in 1943. "[2], Thomas remained in Our Gang for ten years, appearing in all but one of the shorts, Feed 'em and Weep (due to sickness when Philip Hurlic filled in for him), made from Washee Ironee in 1934 through the series' end in 1944. During the first half of his Our Gang tenure, Thomas’ Buckwheat character was often paired with Eugene “Porky” Lee as a tag-along team of “little kids” rallying against (and often outsmarting) the “big kids,” George “Spanky” McFarland and Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer. He was 12 years old when the final. [1] In his Classic Movie Guide write-up for the film, Leonard Maltin surmises that "Buckwheat's role as slave in search of a master may displease contemporary audiences. Buckwheat Little Rascals Porcelain Doll 17 inches Tall 1997 Hamilton Collection. It talks about young love that was just cute. But he continued to play the role as a girl. This is similar to the initial handling of another African American. . A member of the Little Rascals from 1934-1944. originally uttered by Porky, but soon used by both characters.[1]. Top Searches Holiday Gifts. Thomas was the only, shorts, and was also the only holdover from the Hal Roach era to remain in the series until its end in 1944. Despite the change in the Buckwheat character’s gender, Billie Thomas’s androgynous costuming was not changed until his appearance as a runaway slave in the 1936 Our Gang Feature film General Spanky. Thomas had a speech impediment as a young child, as did Lee, who became Thomas's friend both on the set and off. [5] Later, during the 1950s and 1960s, the NAACP fought against the tired and demeaning racial stereotypes and moved to have the television series ended.[5][6]. Picture Information. Thomas began appearing as "Buckwheat" with 1935's Mama's Little Pirate. Thomas was the only Our Gang cast member to appear in all 52 MGM Our Gang shorts, and was also the only holdover from the Hal Roach era to remain in the series until its end in 1944. "Buckwheat actor's son sues ABC over phony", The Sons of the Desert Convention/Our Gang Reunion, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billie_%22Buckwheat%22_Thomas&oldid=992470132, Turner Classic Movies person ID same as Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 5 December 2020, at 12:44. This is similar to the initial handling of another African-American Our Gang member, Allen "Farina" Hoskins, who worked in the series during the silent and early sound eras. the little rascals, originally known as Our Gang, have stirred up irresistible trouble ever since the short comedies debuted on silent film in 1922. See more ideas about rascal, comedy short films, gang. Buckwheat Dressed in white top hat New The Little Rascals Hamilton Collection O1. With Travis Tedford, Bug Hall, Brittany Ashton Holmes, Kevin Jamal Woods. This new costuming — overalls, striped shirt, oversized shoes, and a large unkempt Afro — was retained for the series until the end. The reason for the change in appearance was so he could portray, in the 1936 Our Gang feature film General Spanky, a five-year-old slave asking men on a riverboat and, subsequently, shoeshine boy Spanky, "You be my master?". as a background player. The character of Buckwheat in later years became synonymous with the derogatory "pickaninny" stereotype. ''O TAY'' catchphrase- Buckwheat from the Little Rascals. Mr. Murphy did a very poor imitation. Several days were spent touring famous Hollywood attractions, and then the highlight of the gathering took place in the hotel ballroom. Film editing and cutting love interest, Darla, … Get the best deals for Buckwheat Little Rascals Hamilton O1! 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