Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas
|
|
|---|---|
Thomas as "Buckwheat" in
Our Gang Follies of 1938 |
|
| Born |
William Thomas Jr.
March 12, 1931 Los Angeles, California
|
| Died | October 10, 1980 (aged 49) Los Angeles, California
|
| Occupation | Child actor |
| Years active | 1935–1944 |
William "Billie" Thomas Jr. (born March 12, 1931 – died October 10, 1980) was an American child actor. He is best known for playing the character of Buckwheat in the famous Our Gang (also known as Little Rascals) short films. He acted in these films from 1934 until the series ended in 1944. Billie Thomas was born in Los Angeles, California.
Contents
Billie Thomas and Our Gang
Billie Thomas first appeared in Our Gang shorts in 1934. These films included For Pete's Sake!, The First Round-Up, and Washee Ironee. At first, he was just a background actor. The "Buckwheat" character was actually a girl at this time. Other child actors played her in earlier films.
Buckwheat's Character Changes
Billie Thomas started playing "Buckwheat" in the 1935 film Mama's Little Pirate. Even though Billie was a boy, the Buckwheat character was still shown as a girl. She wore pigtails, a big sweater, and oversized boots. Later in 1935, another Our Gang actor named Stymie left the show. After this, the Buckwheat character slowly changed into a boy. In the 1936 film The Pinch Singer, the character was finally called a "he."
Despite the change to a boy, Billie Thomas's costume stayed the same for a while. His clothes did not change until the 1936 film Pay as You Exit. His new costume included overalls, a striped shirt, big shoes, and a large, messy Afro hairstyle. This new look stayed with the character until the series ended. This change helped him play different kinds of roles, like a young boy seeking help in the 1936 movie General Spanky.
Billie's Time in Our Gang
Billie Thomas stayed with Our Gang for ten years. He appeared in almost all the films from 1934 to 1944. He missed only one film, Feed 'em and Weep, because he was sick.
In the first few years, Billie's Buckwheat character often teamed up with Eugene "Porky" Lee. They were the "little kids" who often outsmarted the "big kids," George "Spanky" McFarland and Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer. Billie had a speech difference when he was very young, just like Eugene Lee. They became good friends both on and off the set. The "Buckwheat" and "Porky" characters became known for their funny, unclear talking. Their famous catchphrase was "O-tay!" Porky first said it, but soon both characters used it.
Moving to MGM Studios
Our Gang changed studios in 1938. Production moved from Hal Roach Studios to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Billie Thomas was the only actor who appeared in all 52 films made by MGM. He was also the only original cast member to stay with the series until it ended in 1944. By 1940, Billie had grown out of his speech difference. The Buckwheat character was then written as a typical black youth. Billie was twelve years old when the last Our Gang film, Dancing Romeo, was finished in November 1943.
Impact of Our Gang
The character of Buckwheat later became linked to an old, harmful way of showing black children. However, the work of Billie Thomas and the other black actors in Our Gang helped improve race relations. They played alongside white children as equals in a show that was not segregated. This was important during a time when Jim Crow laws kept people separated by race. Many in the black community saw Thomas and the others as heroes. They were some of the most popular black stars in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. Later, in the 1950s and 1960s, the NAACP worked to change how Little Rascals shows were shown on TV. They made sure the films were edited to remove harmful parts.
Billie Thomas's Later Life
Billie Thomas joined the United States Army in 1954 when he was 23. He left the army in 1956. He received a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. His grave marker says "Reg US Army, World War II." However, Billie was only 14 when World War II ended in 1945. He joined the military nine years later. It is not known why this is on his marker.
Life After Acting
After leaving the army, Billie faced a common problem for many Our Gang stars. He was offered many film and stage roles. But he did not want to return to Hollywood as an actor. He explained shortly before his death in 1980, "After the Army, I wasn't really interested in the trouble of performing. Even the big stars had to chase around and try out for roles. It seemed like a difficult struggle to me, with no security."
However, Billie still loved the film industry. He had a successful career as a film lab technician for the Technicolor company. His experience in film work inspired him to learn film editing and cutting.
Meeting Fans
In 1980, Billie Thomas attended a big meeting of fans called "Hollywood 80." More than 500 fans gathered at a hotel in Los Angeles. Many Our Gang actors were honored at the event. When Billie Thomas came out, the audience gave him a standing ovation. He was very touched and cried.
Billie Thomas's Death
On October 10, 1980, Billie Thomas died of a heart attack. He was 49 years old. He passed away in his Los Angeles apartment. Thomas is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood.
Billie Thomas's Legacy
In 1950, Billie had a son, whom he also named William Thomas Jr.
His son, William Thomas Jr., graduated from California State Northridge University in 1975. In 1992, he created the Buckwheat Memorial Scholarship for students at Northridge. This scholarship honored his father. In 2010, he wrote a book called "Otay!" The Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas Story. William Thomas Jr. the younger died on November 30, 2012, at the age of 62.
See also
In Spanish: Billie Thomas para niños
