"The Little Rascals" -- Alfalfa

You might remember Alfalfa as the kid who sang off-key in "The Little Rascals" and "Our Gang" TV series. His name was Carl Switzer, born in 1927. His older brother, Harold Switzer, was also in the original show. Born in Paris, Illinois, both boys had musical talent. 


One day, in 1934, while the family was on vacation touring Hollywood and the Hal Roach Studios, the kids performed an impromptu musical number in the studio cafe. Hal saw the act, liked it and signed them on. Harold was eight years old and Alfalfa was six. Alfalfa became famous for singing off-key and sporting the cowlick hair style. If you can call that a style.

His first Little Rascal show was in 1935, called "Beginner's Luck," and his last was in 1940, at the age of 12. He had some other roles in films -- a short cameo in the Christmas film, "It's a Wonderful Life" as the boyfriend/date of Mary Hatch:

He also got a short cameo as a Hebrew slave in "The Ten Commandments." Here he is, on the left, in the "Roy Rogers Show" on Jan. 27, 1952, seven years before his death:

Carl Switzer (Alfalfa) was shot and killed at the age of 31. He's buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Three stories have come forth about the shooting.  In all likelihood he was murdered, according to eyewitnesses, but the murderer said it was self-defense and got away with it.

Photo Credit

Here are two photos of Alfalfa with Elizabeth Taylor in "There's One Born Every Minute":

 

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