Carl Switzer as Alfalfa, George McFarland as Spanky and Tommy Bond as Butch in "Glove Taps," an episode of "Our Gang" comedy later known as "The Little Rascals" which aired on February 20, 1937 | Photo: Getty Images. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Hello. Co-edited by Gillian McCain and Legs McNeil, the authors of, The Knack had an amazing sound. The former child star still gets fan mail from new audiences that are just getting into the Little Rascals shorts. There is a certain fascination with hearing about the stars lives on the screen, in newspapers, and in magazines. He wanted his money, and he said hed beat it out of Bud Stiltz. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Close your eyes and think of Dickie Moore. This is one of the many things that made it so that Sidney Kibrick would continue becoming increasingly famous even after leaving the entertainment industry behind. He supported himself through other lines of work. Carl Switzers misbehavior was just one of many reasons the shooting of the Little Rascals shorts might happen to get behind schedule. His character was one of the most memorable characters ever portrayed in the series. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Everyone called him Alfalfa. It seems as if their roles reversed when the cameras stopped rolling. No doubt he did. This is perhaps why Carl Switzer went on to die so tragically young. Carl borrowed the dogs to take some tourists on a bear-hunting trip. Alfalfas role was small but notable comic relief in a tense drama. What become of Alfalfa's son? Perhaps he refers to him as "Lothario" earlier, but in the scene in question - when he's about to open the gym floor - he specifically says "Othello" and it's specifically in reference to the fact that Freddie is seething with jealousy over Mary dancing with George. He could cry great big tears in just a few seconds. According to his bride, money was scarce because Alfie never learned to read. FIRST OF ALL, EVERYONE CALLED HIM ALFALFA. From the time Hal Roach bestowed the moniker, through adulthood and even into the afterlife, no one called him by his given name. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. As far as the Little Rascals curse is considered. We are changing the login scheme for contributors for simpler login and to better support using multiple devices. They farmed in that community until 1939 when they moved to a farm in Howard Co; in 1965 they retired and thereafter lived in St. Paul. 21 Jan 1959 (aged 31) Mission Hills, Los Angeles County, California, USA. Allen Hoskins's derogartory character, Farina, the archetypal pickanniny, belied his upper middle class, Boston bred upbringing. However, with Carl facing hard times, he visited Stiltz in the company of his friend, Jack Piott. He was 64. Werent his last words, Give me my drugs? No! Gilbert and his podcast partner Frank Santopadre shouted in unison. Though the series of shorts is more commonly known as the Little Rascals nowadays, it originally called Our Gang. He was very bright but he needed help reading the scripts, Dian Collingwood recalled many years later. click ACCEPT. Alfalfa was Freddie Othello, Donna Reeds date at the high school dance until she lays eyes on Jimmy Stewart. He wrote the books TABLOID BABY and, with Jeff Abraham, THE SHOW WONT GO ON: THE MOST SHOCKING, BIZARRE, AND HISTORIC DEATHS OF PERFORMERS ONSTAGE. Stiltz was 38, a bully boy from St. Louis whod arrived in Hollywood as a bodyguard for Ray Crash Corrigan, a movie stuntman who first got work because he owned a gorilla suit and went on to work in westerns with stars like Alfalfas pal Roy Rogers. In the history of celebrity murder stories, one case that confounded many is the death of actor Carl Switzer. You are completely wrong. With the former child star building his own development in the area of Palm Springs. I need a long, hot purifying shower after reading all of the above. | Photo: Getty Images. He's the guy who opens the gym floor in It's a Wonderful Life. 'Alfalfa' refused so the man put him own face near the bear - and it bit into his face. WebCarl Dean Switzer. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 241 Views. On this day, Jan. 21, in 1959, Carl Dean Switzer, the actor who played Alfalfa in the "Our Gang" series, was killed during a fight over $50 and a hunting dog. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Let me in, or Ill kick in the door! he shouted. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. They also acted together four years later in one of those Lassie films. He was always a motherfucking asshole. I had no idea. Failed to delete memorial. [italic] What's It All About, Alfalfie ? Even [] More, What is it about celebrities that we find so attractive? Join Facts Verse as Little Rascals Sidney Kibrick confirms the rumors about Carl Switzer. Despite the fact that 94-year-old Sidney hasnt worked in Hollywood in over eight decades. "Though not saddled with the same problems his younger brother was faced with due to being typecast as a "child star," Harold had his own problems. Which suggests that Carl Switzer was the only one of the many child stars in the series of shorts who ended up letting his ego take over. Thats the only dog we could think of when we thought of Alfalfa: Carl Alfalfa Switzer, the skinny, freckle-faced kid with the slicked-back hair and straight-up cowlick from the Our Gang comedies of the 1930s. I read a post somewhere about it but it might have been bullshit. IN 1954, ALFALFA WAS 26 YEARS OLD and had his best chance at moving on from the juvenile roles hed been saddled with since the days of Our Gang. 24 for Carl Switzer, St. Paul, who died Febr. Along the way, he stole Corrigans wife, Rita Jane, and moved in with her and their three kids. Matthew Beard had cleaned up by the time he died, but it was too late apparently. Newspaper stories contradicted the events that took place that night Alfie was murdered. It had something to do with a dog.. cemeteries found in Saint Paul, Howard County, Nebraska, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. The Carl Alfalfa Switzers left Hollywood and moved to 700 acres of flat land where the alfalfa crop grew plentifully. April 23, 2023, 10:16 am, Trending As one of only five surviving Little Rascals, Sidney feels that he understands why the series of shorts has endured in the mainstream. That coonhound was worth $500. PRIDE TV: THE QUIET GAY HEROES OF SIXTIES SITCOMS, THE BALLAD OF CATHY WAYNE: KILLED ON STAGE IN THE VIETNAM WAR, JESSE MALIN: FROM D GENERATION TO REGENERATION, ONE MORE THING CATCHING UP WITH L7S JENNIFER PRECIOUS FINCH. Offscreen, he continued to tend bar, lead hunters into the mountains, and breed and train coonhounds. Hes not gorgeous per se , but there was something sexy as hell about him as he aged . Movie and television work was slow, so Alfalfa got a part-time job tending bar in Studio City. WebCarl Switzers Tragic Death Having such difficulty finding film and television roles, Switzer afflicts by financial troubles. When the movie shorts were revived and renamed decades later on television, we all got to know Alfalfa and Spanky and Buckwheat and Darla and Stymie and the rest of the gang as The Little Rascals. In reality, Bud Stiltz was too good with his hands. Most likely he was mentally ill, but back then no one looked into those sorts of things until things got so wild there was no other alternative, and then they just threw them into a mental institution and doped them up. Hassan Most notable was his part in Frank Capras Its A Wonderful Life in 1946. He received a suspended 30-day jail sentence, and was fined $225. Having starred in such television programs as VEGA$ and Spenser: For Hire. He was just 38 years old. He was in a room with a group of men when a man with a trained bear showed up. Of course, Tommy Corrigan wasnt 14 any more. The fight ended with Carl suffering a gunshot wound and dying from it. A beauty that would land her on the cover of Seventeen magazine. More details about his death with good photos of him. He was only 31. And while game show hosts are often humorous andlighthearted, even the most warm-hearted of hosts have had their patience tested from time to time and have displayed instances of losing their cool. Facts Verse Bio by: the Chronicler. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Harold was married to Beverly Osso for six years, and they share three children, Judith Ann, Tony Frederick, and Teddy Berton. While Robert Urich was famous for doing battle with tough foes on the screen. This browser does not support getting your location. Doctors at Temple Hospital operated on Sunday evening, September 19. He was 56, a San Fernando Valley character who dressed like a movie cowboy with a ten-gallon Stetson, and was owner and face of the western-themed Corrigans Steakhouse, the most popular eatery in the Valley. The fight spilled into a bedroom. Methinks he put zero effort into research and just wrote them on the fly as his memory dictated. Money Maker Software may be used on two systems alternately on 3 months, 6 months, 1 year or more subscriptions. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Try again. ", He was a real loser, take it from me Scotty Beckett. Robert H.Young "Bonedust" (9/15/17 - 9/10/51) - Died in a hotel fire, which started when he fell asleep smoking in bed. Alcohol and "trouble with the law" followed after he became an adult. He would end up having to fight an even tougher battle [] More, Lynda Carter is an actress who makes a name for herself, playing on the hit 1970s television series Wonder Woman. He was married to,Diane collingwood who was from Garden City Ks After quitting the show, Harold did not pursue an acting career. I go all the way through the picture.. WebCarl 'Alfalfa' Switzer was born on August 7, 1927 in Paris, Illinois, USA as Carl Dean Switzer. Facts Verse [Switzers account]. Some reports say he died due to a failed drug deal, while other accounts say Stiltz intentionally killed him. Please click here to get full access and no ads for $1.99 or less per month. Despite, Sidney claims that working on the series of shorts was a positive experience. The big mans eyes swelled shut and the gun went off. April 23, 2023, 1:22 pm, by Gossip queen Hedda Hopper interviewed a recovering Alfalfa in the hospital. 7 Aug 1927. Neighbors recall Alfie to have been a lousy farmer, but an avid hunter, knocking on doors at 4 a.m. to awaken his buddies to get out and kill some rabbits while the getting was good. Anybody who ever saw him on Carson during his "Baretta' days saw he had issues. Today, the Little Rascals stands as one of those rare media franchises that everybody seems to recognize. Unfortunately, during the trip, one of the dogs went missing. I have no idea if he troubled any of the Rascals actors. This is a carousel with slides. The coroners inquest is available online to read and Jack Piott was the ONLY witness to see how it happened and he swore Alfie did not have a knife. I wasnt aware that hed even scored walk on roles in any major films in his 20s. If this doesnt do it for me, nothing will. The truth is somewhat different, about Carl Alfalfa Switzers life and career after Our Gang, and the circumstances of his death. ", Carl Switzer as Alfalfa, George McFarland as Spanky, Billie Thomas as Buckwheat and Eugene Lee as Porky in "Framing Youth," circa September 11, 1937. Here is what happened. Failed to delete flower. The Wolbach Messenger, March 1, 1973, transcribed by Linda Berney:Rites were held Febr. It wasnt someone impersonating a police officer. He died on January 21, 1959 in Mission Hills, California, USA. She is a true juggernaut, a legend of American television and journalism. Stiltz fired his gun, fatally striking the actor in the stomach. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. 1 Year-Later She Realizes Her Huge Mistake, The Depressing Final Days of Debbie Weems & Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo), Barbara Walters Is Approaching Her Final Days, Why Bonanza Was Almost Canceled After Season 1, Bob Cranes Mysterious Murder Remains Unsolved (Hogans Heroes), Game Show Hosts Who Verbally Attacked Contestants, The ONE Time Dolly Parton Got Naked in Public, Rare Photos of Lynda Carter Not Suitable for All Ages, The Tragic Death of Robert Urich & His Wife, Aneta Corsauts Untimely Death & Affair with Andy Griffith, How Each Gilligans Island Cast Member Died. ^ Wow, that Scotty Beckett was a piece of work himself. WebCarl Alfalfa Switzer died at age 31, and even in death he probably would have felt cheated by Hollywood. William Robert Laughlin "Froggy" - (7/05/32 - 8/31/48) - Died in a bicycle accident at the age of 16. There have been allegations that he did some work for, and owed money to the Mob, and that the sniper attack at the beginning of the year was a Mob warning to pay his debt. The $750 that Sidney brought home every week during his Little Rascals years helped a great deal. Family Members. Arguably, this ranks among Datalounge's most depressing threads. However, he never had the success he enjoyed with "Our Gang. Born in 1967, the only child of a psychologist and a writer, Rebecca was sleek, svelte and beautiful. He was posthumously honored with a star on Hollywoods Walk of Fame in January 1994. Matthew Stymie Beard Getty Images In this version, Alfie didnt lunge with a knife. He was 56, a San Fernando Valley character who dressed like a movie cowboy with a ten-gallon Stetson, and was owner and face of the western-themed Corrigans Steakhouse, the most popular eatery in the Valley. There seems to be some conflict between Carl Switzers account of being shot while at his vehicle vs. the news media account of what transpired. Jay R. Smith "Jay R" - (8/29/15 - 10/05/2002) - Stabbed to death and left in the desert by a homeless man he had befriended. 21 at the age of 74 years. Join Facts Verse as Little Rascals Sidney Kibrick confirms the rumors about Carl Switzer. The Ten Commandments. WebCarl Switzer Shot to Death Carl Switzer was unhappy with being out $50 since the dog was not his but belonged to Stiltz. The popular version , the one Id always heard , was that Alfalfa , unable to find work by The 1950s , was shot dead in a poker game (The Friedman Bros. parodied this in their brutal and hilarious Whatever Happened To Our Gang? cartoon. ) What things? His final television performance was in 1993, playing himself in the opening of the CheersepisodeWoody Gets An Election. He died shortly thereafter, in June of that year, of a heart attack. Its hard for a child actor to start working again. It's a shame he couldn't make hay while the sun shone and find real success. Please try again later. Carl Switzer Died Tragically Young, but Not Cursed According to Sidney Kibrick, Carl Switzer is one of the few former child stars from the Little Rascals that died tragically young and miserable. He was booked in Van Nuys Jail, charged with suspicion of assault with intent to commit murder. His son, Justin Lance Collingwood-Switzwer (aka "Lance Switzer"), is a small time theater actor. Harold and Carl were gifted singers, and this talent proved to be an outlet for their parents to make money. Sidney Kibrick and Carl Switzer two of the many child actors that could be seen in the Our Gang and Little Rascals shorts of Hollywoods Golden Age. Join Facts Verse as Little Rascals Sidney Kibrick confirms the rumors about Carl Switzer. Pedos who find a way to work with children usually do. He was married to Dian Collingwood. Carl played Alfalfa, while Sidney played Woim. Well, let's just say Spanky really lived up to his name on this one. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. He is best known for being a TV Actor. However, records show he operated a Speed Queen Company franchise, installing and servicing dryers and washers. Carl Switzer was born on the 7th of August, 1927. Sidney Kibrick has recently confirmed that Carl Switzer was, in deed, a pain to work with on the set of the Little Rascals shorts. The grave of Carl Alfalfa Switzer, located in whats now the Hollywood Forever cemetery, still attracts tourists and fans. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. According to Sidney, the concept of a bunch of rambunctious little kids doing silly things is a timeless concept that will never go out of style. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password.

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