#William buckwheat Thomas jr.

[lboogie1906]

William "Billie" Thomas Jr. (March 12, 1931 – October 10, 1980) was a child actor 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. He enlisted in the Army in 1954 and was released from active military service in 1956 decorated with a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. Having been 14 when WWII ended in 1945, 9 years before he joined the military, it is uncertain why his grave marker says "Reg US Army, World War II". After returning to civilian life, he faced a dilemma shared by many of his co-stars from Our Gang. Though offered many film and stage roles, he had no desire to return to Hollywood as an actor. “After the Army, I wasn't really interested in the hassle of performing," he explained shortly before his death in 1980. "Even the big stars had to chase around and audition; it seemed like a rat race to me, with no security." He still enjoyed the film industry at large and had a successful career as a film lab technician with the Technicolor corporation. He took his experience in film work as a spark to learn the trade of film editing and cutting. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CpsCwEtOFru/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[detrixsta]

The Our Gang kids do a bit of Thanksgiving publicity during the production of  ”Our Gang Follies of 1936 “ (1935)

Seated around the table (left to right) are: Darla Hood, Scotty Beckett, Pete the pup, George “Spanky” McFarland, Baby Patsy May, Billie “Buckwheat” Thomas, jr. & Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer

[blackdollenthusiast]

William Thomas Jr., aka Buckwheat

William Thomas Jr., aka Buckwheat

Name: William Thomas Jr., aka Buckwheat of “The Little Rascals”  Made by and When: Rachel McCullough Sherrod of Starkey’s Daughter Cloth Dolls, 2020 Material: Wool-blend felt (face, arms, and legs); cotton-blend (head and torso) Marks: Signed by the artist Height: 16 inches without the hat; close to 18 inches with the hat Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black fleece hair/painted facial features with brown…

[gregarnott]

William Thomas, Jr. outside of his role as Buckwheat. 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.

[robertamarieadams]

A picture of acceptance of unity of true friendship no bigotry no racism and teamwork...I'm proud to be a fan and their protege and student...Who were little rascals characters?the Our Gang stars, as most of us remember included Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer, George “Spanky” McFarland, Darla Hood, and William Thomas Jr as “Buckwheat”. There was also the character “Stymie” played by Matthew Beard.Sep 25, 2020

[uptownbill]

Reposted from @vintagesoul2012 Here is a image of William Thomas, Jr. outside of his role as Buckwheat. Because of the time he grew up we never got a chance to see him in any other role other than Buckwheat. 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. After Our Gang was discontinued, Thomas enlisted in the US Army in 1954, and was released from active military service in 1956 decorated with a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. At the age of 49, Thomas died of a heart attack in his Los Angeles apartment in 1980, 46 years to the day after his mother brought him to audition at the Hal Roach Studios. He is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. https://www.instagram.com/p/CGQotK7j8QE/?igshid=1jhw3crz9yq1f

[demdread]

Here is a image of William Thomas, Jr. outside of his role as Buckwheat. Because of the time he grew up we never got a chance to see him in any other role other than Buckwheat. 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. After Our Gang was discontinued, Thomas enlisted in the US Army in 1954, and was released from active military service in 1956 decorated with a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. At the age of 49, Thomas died of a heart attack in his Los Angeles apartment in 1980, 46 years to the day after his mother brought him to audition at the Hal Roach Studios. He is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9DFXawp-jV/?igshid=1mmw1ncmvmekb

[nastyfreakho]

Here is a image of William Thomas, Jr. outside of his role as Buckwheat. Because of the time he grew up we never got a chance to see him in any other role other than Buckwheat. 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. After Our Gang was discontinued, Thomas enlisted in the US Army in 1954, and was released from active military service in 1956 decorated with a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. At the age of 49, Thomas died of a heart attack in his Los Angeles apartment in 1980, 46 years to the day after his mother brought him to audition at the Hal Roach Studios. He is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. (at Atlanta, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3fG_ksF_aU/?igshid=1kht5d9bzfotd

[blackkudos]

Billie Thomas

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, California.

Our Gang

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.

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. 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.

Thomas began appearing as "Buckwheat" with 1935's Mama's Little Pirate. 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. 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. 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.

Despite the change in the Buckwheat character's gender, Billie Thomas's androgynous costuming was not changed until his appearance in the 1936 film Pay as You Exit. 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 a runaway slave from late 1936's Our Gang feature film General Spanky. . 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. Thomas had a speech impediment as a young child, as did Lee, who became Thomas' friend both on the set and off. The "Buckwheat" and "Porky" characters both became known for their collective garbled dialogue, in particular their catchphrase, "O-tay!" originally uttered by Porky, but soon used by both characters.

Thomas remained in Our Gang when the series changed production from Hal Roach Studios to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1938. 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. 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. He was twelve years old when the final Our Gang film, Dancing Romeo, was completed in November 1943.

Later life

After Our Gang was discontinued, Thomas enlisted in the US Army in 1954, and was released from active military service in 1956 decorated with a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal.

After returning to civilian life, Thomas faced a dilemma shared by many of his co-stars from Our Gang. Though offered many film and stage roles, he had no desire to return to Hollywood as an actor. “After the Army, I wasn't really interested in the hassle of performing," he explained shortly before his death in 1980. "Even the big stars had to chase around and audition; it seemed like a rat race to me, with no security." However, Thomas still enjoyed the film industry at large, and had a successful career as a film lab technician with the Technicolor corporation. He ably took his experience in film work and learned the trade of film editing and cutting.

Sons of the Desert Convention

In 1980, the Second International Convention of The Sons of the Desert took place at the Los Angeles Hilton Hotel, with more than 500 fans in attendance. Several days were spent touring famous Hollywood attractions, and then the highlight of the gathering took place in the hotel ballroom. Among those honored were fellow Our Gangers Spanky MacFarland, Dorothy DeBorba, Tommy Bond, and Joe Cobb. When Thomas was brought out, he received a spontaneous standing ovation, and was moved to tears.

Death

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. Thomas is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.

Controversies

The comedian and comedy actor Eddie Murphy performed a series of Buckwheat sketches on Saturday Night Live during the 1980s, when he belonged to "The Not Ready For Prime Time Players Company." But Thomas's co-star George McFarland, who played "Spanky" in the Little Rascals, made it clear that he hated Murphy's imitations. "I didn't care for them a bit," he complained of them. "Mr. Murphy did a very poor imitation. He made Buckwheat into a stereotype that he wasn't, at the expense of the people in his family who are still alive."

In 1990, the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 aired a segment purporting to be an interview with Buckwheat, then a grocery bagger in Arizona. However, the interview was actually with a man named Bill English, who claimed to be the adult Buckwheat. English's appearance prompted public objections from George McFarland, who contacted media outlets following the broadcast to declare that he knew the true Buckwheat to have been dead for 10 years. Confronted directly by McFarland on the television newsmagazine A Current Affair, English refused to retreat from his claim, maintaining that he had originated the role of Buckwheat, with other actors playing the character only after he had left it. The next week, 20/20 acknowledged, on-air, that English's claim had been false and apologized for the interview. Fallout from this incident included the resignation of a 20/20 producer, and a negligence lawsuit filed by the son of William Thomas. English died in 1994.

Wikipedia

[lboogie1906]

William “Billie” Thomas Jr. (March 12, 1931 – October 10, 1980) was a child actor remembered for portraying the character of Buckwheat in the Our Gang (Little Rascals) short films (1934-44). He was a native of Los Angeles.

He enlisted in the Army in 1954 and was released from active military service in 1956 decorated with a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. Having been 14 when WWII ended in 1945, 9 years before he joined the military, it is uncertain why his grave marker says “Reg US Army, World War II”.

After returning to civilian life, he faced a dilemma shared by many of his co-stars from Our Gang. Though offered many film and stage roles, he had no desire to return to Hollywood as an actor. “After the Army, I wasn’t really interested in the hassle of performing,” he explained shortly before he died in 1980. “Even the big stars had to chase around and audition; it seemed like a rat race to me, with no security.” He still enjoyed the film industry at large and had a successful career as a film lab technician with the Technicolor Corporation. He took his experience in film work as a spark to learn the trade of film editing and cutting. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[lipwak]

VHS #370

Food Finds - New Orleans & Cajun Cooking on the Food Channel… Wayne Baquet on gumbo, New Orleans Over Night co, crawfish boil, berl a little water, Crescent City Farmer’s Market, making file’ by hand, The Gumbo Shop, roux, Savoie’s roux. *** Dancing to New Orleans20032 hrs w/ commercialsBravoaudio has static https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Orleans-Dirty-Dozen-Brass/dp/B0000AQS40 Buckwheat Zydeco, Michael Doucet, Gregory Davis (Dirty Dozen BB),My  Feet Can’t Fail Me Now, Jazz Fest sights, Louisiana Hayride, the song Jambalaya is based on Grand Texas, Jerry Lee Lewis, You Win Again, Great Balls of Fire, raymond miles at Jazz fest! (gospel), Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus (Ray-Ban stage) William Ferris, blues, Big Jack Johnson, white slide blues guy - John Campbell in a theater, Leadbelly style, texas banjo style, Gatemouth Brown at Jazz fest - Born In Louisiana, tells of his start and his music, teach kids the right way of life, Joe Krown, fiddle tune hoedown, cajun & zydeco, Francis pavy artist, clifton chenier, cj chenier at jazz fest, happy feet music, played sax with his father, froittoir maker, LA is unique, buckwheat zydeco at his farm, on stage at night, on stage at Jazz fest, hard to stop (https://youtu.be/OHlHt7Djcg0) this clip? 2007, talks about his start, didn’t like zydeco then, played with Clifton Chenier, Junior Martin accordion maker (melodeon), beausoleil at Jazz Fest  la danse de la vie!, have fun and be who you are, pic w/ Canray, courir de mardi gras, mardi gras in iota, a cappella women, ann savoy, music is the glue that holds the culture together, 12 year-old amanda shaw – little black dog at home, new orleans, zulu social aid and pleasure club, lionel ferbos at 91, palm court jazz band (trad jazz) shake it break it hang it on the wall, tells of his history, Maison Bourbon, brass bands, Louis Armstrong, dirty dozen brass band, gregiry davis, at jazz fest in tent, on main stage, my feet can’t fail me now, inspired by dancers in new orleans, monday night at the glass house, buck dancing, shake something, acura stage, meet de boys on de battle front, mardi gras indians/neville brothers, costumes, bo dollis, Monk Boudreaux, uptown vs downtown indian costumes, neville brothers on stage at jazz fest,  voodoo – neville brothers at jazz fest, congo square, charles gillam – wood carver, i learned my lesson the hard way - bleeding, 50s music, allan toussaint on stage, irma thomas – ruler of my heart! (dew drop inn revisted, jazz fest 1992), professor longhair, neville brothers on stage at jazz fest - tipitina (have seen this jazz fest before – same clothes) *** Mardi Gras Revealed Travel Channel(duplicate – see #369, fewer “and another secret is”) same as Best of the Big Easy/The Secrets of Mardi Gras *** black *** Best Of The Big EasyTravel Channel1 hr 2/24 Same as on #369. *** black *** 5) All On A Mardi Gras Day - black carnival in NO1 hr, WYES2/24, WLIWaudio static at times https://www.amazon.com/Mardi-Gras-Chief-Tootie-Montana/dp/0615206271 Go To The Mardi Gras - Professor Longhair, mardi Gras indians, baby dolls, skeleton and bone gangs, “Goat" Carson, Indians, Carnival in Parisian style, Kalamu u Salam, Haitian refugees, code noir, congo square, dances in rings/circles, blacks appropriated the holiday and made it their own, indians followed the blacks, Handa Wanda - Bo Dollis & Wild Magnolias, response to rise of hate when Union troops after Emancipation Proclamation left started Mardi Gras Indians and jazz, Buffalo Bill Wild West Show made an impression?, Tootie Montana, bead work is both african and indian, uptown indian style, Tuba Fats, New Suit - Wild Magnolias, Donald Harrison Jr, the weekend before Mardi Gras day - no rest, Monk Boudreaux, spy boy, flag boy, wild man lowest position in the tribe, warrior culture, drink gunpowder and gin, leads to violence, knives and hatchets, rivalry of uptown and downtown, change from violence to beauty, being pretty, my big chief got a golden crown, turn of the century, parading krewes, mock king to rule the day, flambeaux, zulu, from The Tramps, arrive by tugboat, blackened their faces, parody of Mardi Gras, big shot, baby dolls, no schedule, stayed as long as they wanted if they were having a good time, Louis Armstrong as king of zulu, perdido st, gorilla, mocking Rex, politically incorrect, black bourgeoisie embraced it after civll rights, witch doctor was a white guy, rained badly that day, cocoanuts, Street Parade - Earl King, baby dolls started in 1912 by prostitutes, Uncle Lionel, men dressed as baby dolls, cross dressing is as old as Mardi Gras, the dirty dozen, music on pots and pans, claiborne av, skull and bone gangs, Mr Brown - Bob marley, bloody meaty bones, grown people were afraid of them, bruce barnes as a park ranger, Hey Pocky A-Way - Meters, second line, african rhythms from west africa, bamboula rhythm, can’t have mardi gras without the music, Rex can, we can’t, mardi gras indians, indian red, eureka brass band, gallier hall, mardi gras mambo -the hawketts, al johnson - carnival time, our carnival was on clairborne, I-10 impacted clairborne, memphis blues - louis james string band, Big Al Carson - All On A Mardi Gras Day *** Mardi Gras 2005: 45 min Pontchatrain parade excerptsfull screen from computer~1/2 hrJeff and red haired girl jerky video 1/29/05Sparta & Pegasusblond frat guy and brunette woman 1/30/05a little bourbon st interviews yellow bird woman, flash big (censored), again, Sara, (Then intro to Saturday 1/29/05 bourbon st interviews which gets cut off.)

[lboogie1906]

William "Billie" Thomas Jr. (March 12, 1931 – October 10, 1980) was a child actor 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. He enlisted in the Army in 1954 and was released from active military service in 1956 decorated with a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. Having been 14 when WWII ended in 1945, 9 years before he joined the military, it is uncertain why his grave marker says "Reg US Army, World War II". After returning to civilian life, he faced a dilemma shared by many of his co-stars from Our Gang. Though offered many film and stage roles, he had no desire to return to Hollywood as an actor. “After the Army, I wasn't really interested in the hassle of performing," he explained shortly before his death in 1980. "Even the big stars had to chase around and audition; it seemed like a rat race to me, with no security." He still enjoyed the film industry at large, and had a successful career as a film lab technician with the Technicolor corporation. He took his experience in film work as a spark to learn the trade of film editing and cutting. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CbAxLq-L7UdMkjVzCpiMW5AMCZ06_LZD8C4KZg0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[robertamarieadams]

A picture of acceptance of unity of true friendship no bigotry no racism and teamwork...I'm proud to be a fan and their protege and student...Who were little rascals characters?the Our Gang stars, as most of us remember included Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer, George “Spanky” McFarland, Darla Hood, and William Thomas Jr as “Buckwheat”. There was also the character “Stymie” played by Matthew Beard.Sep 25, 2020

[robertamarieadams]

I'm Proud to be a buckwheat! Someone to admire....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.

[nastyfreakho]

Here is a image of William Thomas, Jr. outside of his role as Buckwheat. Because of the time he grew up we never got a chance to see him in any other role other than Buckwheat. 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. After Our Gang was discontinued, Thomas enlisted in the US Army in 1954, and was released from active military service in 1956 decorated with a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. At the age of 49, Thomas died of a heart attack in his Los Angeles apartment in 1980, 46 years to the day after his mother brought him to audition at the Hal Roach Studios. He is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. https://www.instagram.com/p/BuX4WS4lUdJYRhW2iGwz9bqb18vAiX9q9jpFxg0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=22vc745vg6wc