Carl Dean Switzer was an American singer, child actor, dog breeder and guide. He was best known for his role as Alfalfa in the short subjects series Our Gang. Switzer married in 1954 and had one son before divorcing his wife in 1957. In 1959, he was fatally shot by an acquaintance in a dispute over money.
About Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer in brief
Carl Dean Switzer was an American singer, child actor, dog breeder and guide. He was best known for his role as Alfalfa in the short subjects series Our Gang. As an adult, he appeared mainly in bit parts and B-movies. Switzer married in 1954 and had one son before divorcing his wife in 1957. In 1959, he was fatally shot by an acquaintance in a dispute over money in January 1959. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son and a daughter-in-law. He died of a single gunshot wound to the head at the age of 48. His funeral was held in Paris, Illinois, on January 21, 1959. His last role was in a brief series of imitation Bowery Boys movies. He reprised his character, complete with comically sour vocals, in PRC’s Gas House Kids comedies in 1946 and 1947. In the 1954 musical White Christmas, his photo was used to depict the Dog-Faced Boy, the lead character in Haynes, Haynes and Davis, who was also the brother of the female leads the Haynes Sisters. He also made six appearances on The Roy Rogers Show in the 1950s and 1960s. He had a son with his first wife, who died in a car accident in 1968. He later had a daughter with his second wife, whom he had with his third wife, Barbara, who later died of lung cancer.
He lived in Paris and died of cancer in 1998. He left behind a wife and two children. He never remarried and had no children of his own. His final role was as the mayor of a high school dance in the 1948 film On Our Merry Way. He appeared in the 1946 Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life as Mary’s High School dance date in the film’s opening scene. He played a trumpet player in a musical contest, a fixed son, a busboy and Pat Spencer and Katharine Spencer in the 1951 film On our Merry Way as the busboy. He and his brother Harold became famous in their hometown for their musical talent and performances. Both sang and could play a number of instruments. They were signed to appear in Our Gang by Hal Roach. The brothers first appeared in a 1935 Our Gang short Beginner’s Luck. By the end of 1937, Switzer’s character had surpassed the series’ nominal star, George \”Spanky\” McFarland, in popularity. His best friend among the Our Gang actors was Tommy Bond, who played his on-screen nemesis \”Butch\”.
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