Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer: A Tragic Child Star Story of a Dog, a Few Dollars, and a Deadly Altercation

The child-star Carl "Alfalfa" SwitzerPhoto byPinterest.com

As Alfalfa in the classic Our Gang/Little Rascals comedic feature film shorts-turned-TV-series, former child star Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer brought to the screen his unique brand of humor, coupled with an unmelodic voice, freckles, and a protruding hair cowlick. The Gang/Rascals franchise was later rebooted on the big screen with a cast of new young stars.

Behind the scenes, however, the original band of young actors, like many former child stars before and since, struggled to make their way in the world. That included Switzer.

On January 21, 1959, at only 31, in Mission Hills, CA, Switzer died after a physical altercation over a small sum of money. This is his tragic story.

Born to Be in a Gang

Carl Switzer was born on August 7, 1927 in Paris, Illinois. During a California family vacation, Switzer’s mother brought him and his brother to meet producer Hal Roach (who ignited the careers of icons such as Laurel and Hardy, among others). Roach signed the Switzer siblings for the Our Gang series of film shorts, which he initially produced as silent movies in the early 1920s.

With a racially diverse cast that was ahead of its time, the Gang films showcased a band of downtrodden kids and their realistic but over-the-top exploits. Those included George "Spanky" McFarland, Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas, Darla Hood, and Switzer's Alfalfa, who diligently did his part to precision from the mid-1930s to the early 1940s.

The Big Switch

In 1955, the Our Gang movies were converted into The Little Rascals TV show, which became a massive success. But Carl Switzer and his young co-star peers never received a dime in royalties.

Switzer would be cast in other, mostly supporting roles in movies like Going My Way, It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, and The Defiant Ones. He also made several TV appearances including six episodes of The Roy Rogers Show, and guest spots on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, and Science Fiction Theatre.

Switzer also delivered several unaccredited performances in movies like A Letter to Three Wives, Francis in the Navy, The Ten Commandments, and Between Heaven and Hell.

That last title may have been applied to the highs and lows of Switzer's real life and career. As the actor matured into adulthood, his days of glory were in the past. The now-former-child star was employed beyond the Hollywood limelight, working periodically as a hunting guide, a bartender, and the like. In the process, he also had a few unfortunate brushes with the law.

A Dog, a Few Dollars, and a Deadly Altercation

In either late 1958 or early 1959, Carl Switzer, while working at a bar, consented to train a hunting dog at the Mission Hills residence of Moses 'Bud' Stiltz. However, the canine eventually escaped, and either Stiltz or Switzer offered a reward to whoever found the stray pup.

Although Stiltz allegedly had the money to spare, it was Switzer who paid $50.00 to the kind soul who found the dog. An altercation then disrupted the canine's harmonic homecoming:

Stiltz shot and killed Switzer and, in the end, a jury decided the incident was a justifiable homicide.

Carl Switzer as an adult.Photo bythefamouspeople.com