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William 'Buckwheat' Thomas

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Actor

The Resume

    (March 12, 1931-October 10, 1980)
    Portrayed Buckwheat in 93 episodes of the 'Our Gang' (Little Rascals) series
    Died of a heart attack at age 49

Why he might be annoying:

    His monikers were Billie Thomas, Buckwheat Thomas, Billie 'Buckwheat' Thomas, William 'Buckwheat' Thomas, Willie Thomas and plain Buckwheat.
    There is debate whether his character was a racial stereotype.
    Eddie Murphy shamelessly lampooned his character on Saturday Night Live, perpetuating the stereotype.
    His estate sued Murphy and SNL.
    A segment on '20/20' narrated by Hugh Downs featured 'Buckwheat' as alive and working as a grocery bagger in Arizona (October 5, 1990).
    It was an impostor who fooled '20/20,' 10 years after his death.

Why he might not be annoying:

    'Our Gang' creator Hal Roach took an instant liking to him and hired him the first day he auditioned.
    He was well liked by cast and crew members.
    The other African-American cast members, Matthew 'Stymie' Beard and Allen 'Farina' Hoskins, didn't have to defend the 'racial profiling' accusations of their characters the way he did.
    After his contract expired he quietly left show business and became a film technician for Technicolor.
    Three months before his death he attended a 'Little Rascals' reunion and received a spontaneous standing ovation, moving him to tears.
    Little known fact: Both he and Eugene 'Porky' Lee's characters shared the catch phrase 'O-tay!' 'Porky' was the first to use it, in 'Pay As You Exit' (1936).

Credit: Scar Tactics


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 13 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 78 Votes: 42.31% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 13 Votes: 7.69% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 14 Votes: 7.14% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 19 Votes: 31.58% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 23 Votes: 43.48% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 29 Votes: 41.38% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 165 Votes: 75.15% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 102 Votes: 47.06% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 94 Votes: 36.17% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 91 Votes: 32.97% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 245 Votes: 43.27% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 180 Votes: 40.56% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 357 Votes: 46.50% Annoying