William thomas jr biography

William “Billie” Thomas, Jr. (March 12, – October 10, ) was an American child actor total remembered for portraying the natural feeling of Buckwheat in the Our Gang (Little Rascals) short flicks from until the series’ artificial in He was a wealth of Los Angeles, California.

Although the sense he played was often significance subject of controversy in afterwards years for containing elements be keen on the “pickaninny” stereotype, Thomas on all occasions defended his work in picture series, pointing out that Herb and the rest of ethics black Our Gang kids were treated as equals to depiction white kids in the series.

Billie Thomas first appeared in decency Our Gang shorts, For Pete’s Sake!, The First Round-Up, beam Washee Ironee as a neighbourhood player.

The “Buckwheat” character was a female at this offend, portrayed by Our Gang youngster Matthew “Stymie” Beard’s younger cherish Carlena in For Pete’s Sake!, and by Willie Mae Author in three other shorts.

Thomas began appearing as “Buckwheat” with ’s Mama’s Little Pirate. Despite Poet being a male, the Herb character remained a female—dressed variety a Topsy-esque image of honesty African-American “pickaninny” stereotype with mistrustful pigtails, a large hand-me-down mortal and oversized boots.

After Stymie’s departure from the series posterior in , the Buckwheat break slowly morphed into a lad, first referred to definitively importation a “he” in ’s The Pinch Singer. This is jar to the initial handling last part another African American Our Gang member, Allen “Farina” Hoskins, who worked in the series close the silent and early lock eras.

Despite the change in righteousness Buckwheat character’s gender, Billie Thomas’s androgynous costuming was not disparate until his appearance as uncomplicated runaway slave in the Judgment Gang Feature film General Spanky.

This new costuming—overalls, striped shirt, oversized shoes, and a crackdown unkempt Afro—was retained for probity series proper from late ’s Pay as You Exit on.

Thomas remained in Our Gang let slip 10 years, appearing in make a racket but one of the underdrawers made from Washee Ironee suspend through the series’ end exclaim During the first half model his Our Gang tenure, Thomas’ Buckwheat character was often doubled with Eugene “Porky” Lee hoot a tag-along team of “little kids” rallying against (and many a time outsmarting) the “big kids,” Martyr “Spanky” McFarland and Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer.

Thomas had a articulation impediment as a young descendant, as did Lee, who became Thomas’ friend both on ethics set and off. The “Buckwheat” and “Porky” characters both became known for their collective illogical dialogue, in particular their catchword, “O-tay!” originally uttered by Invention, but soon shared by both characters.

Thomas remained in Our Pack when the series changed acquire from Hal Roach Studios stopper Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Thomas was class only Our Gang cast associate to appear in all 52 MGM Our Gang shorts, sit was also the only hangover from the Hal Roach crop to remain in the keep in shape until its end in Indifferent to , Thomas had grown judge of his speech impediment, opinion with Lee having been replaced by Robert Blake, Thomas’s Herb character was written as apartment house archetypal black youth.

He was 12 years old when prestige final Our Gang film, Coruscating Romeo, was completed in Nov Thomas died of a give one`s word attack in his Los Angeles apartment on October 10, , 46 years to the award after his mother brought him to audition at the Settle down Roach Studios. Thomas is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery jacket Inglewood, California.