William Robert Laughlin (July 5, 1932 - August 31, 1948) was an American child actor. Laughlin's daughter told The Associated Press that he died Thursday Dec. 12, 2013, at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Laughlin was 82 and Teresa Laughlin, who. Laughlins daughter told The Associated Press that he died Thursday at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Laughlin was 82 and Teresa Laughlin, who acted in the Billy Jack movies, said the cause of death was complications from pneumonia. Legal Statement. And Norman Chaney, who played Chubby, also died young at the age of 22 after an operation. Due to the strabismus, Laughlin wore strong, thick glasses in order to see and he was teased a great deal for his appearance by the neighborhood children. [76], Laughlin was an outspoken critic of the Iraq War[77][78] and President George W. / AP. filmmaker. Cause of death: Traffic collision: [citation needed], Laughlin died of complications from pneumonia on December 12, 2013, at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, California.[91]. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Laughlin was born on July 5, 1932 in San Gabriel, California, to Robert Vine Laughlin (August 28, 1901 September 30, 1972) and Charlotte C. Cruikshank (March 11, 1903 June 4, 1992). Played by Billy Laughlin, Froggy acted as the comic relief of the Our Gang shorts at the very end of the series' run. Add to your scrapbook. Daily). At the time of his death he survived by his large extended friends and family. "[59], He appeared on the primary ballots in New Hampshire[60] and Louisiana. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Tom Laughlin passed away. He was the middle child of Charlotte C. Cruikshank and Robert Vine Laughlin, with an older brother named Tommy and a younger brother named Mikey. And according to chimesfreedom, the altercation was over a mere $50. Ricou Browning, 'Creature from the Black Lagoon' star, dead at 93, 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant scolded by Pat Sajak, ripped apart by fans, Jillian Michaels suffered a spinal injury in secret that left her crawling due to pain, 'Friends' star Courteney Cox almost left Hollywood in the '80s, father told her it was 'time to pack it in', Ed Sheerans wife diagnosed with tumor during pregnancy: Spiraling through depression, Prince Harry describes the rest of his life in five words amid 'Spare' fallout: 'Freedom'. William Robert Laughlin was born in San Gabriel, California. . [10], He began his screen-acting career in the 1955 television series Climax!. [8], Laughlin decided to become an actor after seeing a production of A Streetcar Named Desire. [9][35][36] Eventually, Laughlin made a distribution deal with Warner Bros., but he disapproved of the studio's marketing of the film, sued Warner, and re-released the picture himself in 1973. Associated Press that he died Thursday at Los Robles Hospital and Medical While tragedy always stands out, thankfully the remaining Rascals don't have to live in fear of a curse around the corner. Froggy was the passenger, his friend 'John Wilbrand' was driving and did a sudden U-turn into the front of a truck that hit and ended up killing Froggy who died around 6 hours later in the hospital. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. [7] It was retitled Billy Jack and Jean. GREAT NEWS! in the Billy Jack movies, said the cause of death was complications from He is survived by his wife, a sister, three children and five grandchildren. So his career in movies came to an end. [27], In 1959, Laughlin and his wife founded a Montessori preschool in Santa Monica, California. Even though Laughlin doesn't use his iconic Froggy voice, according to Mike's Take On The Movies, fans of Our Gang can easily recognize the raspy tones. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The ending of his marriage saw him get into multiple altercations with law enforcement. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. ", His early film credits included There is a problem with your email/password. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Tom Sizemore's family told there's "no further hope" after aneurysm, Justin Bieber concerts canceled on ticket sales sites, How the creator of Dilbert went from star to "train wreck", Keke Palmer welcomes son with partner Darius Jackson, Netflix's "Stranger Things" play to debut in London this year. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Billy Froggy Laughlin I found on Findagrave.com. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? [66] However, he was seen by much of the press as a "fringe candidate". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The driver of the truck was questioned but not charged and the case was officially found to be an accident. After Our Gang ended and Billy Laughlin played his small part in Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any More, he auditioned for a few more roles before he decided he'd had enough and told his parents that he wanted to leave his acting career behind. Laughlin had played Froggy in Our Gang shorts from 1940-1944. In 1944, Laughlin had a cameo in the movie Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any More. [citation needed], In 2008, the film's title was changed to Billy Jack for President. Verify and try again. The film was a romantic drama set on the campus of UCLA. (1941). During one of his drama classes, Billy Laughlin was overheard doing his Popeye voice by an MGM talent scout, who thought that Laughlin would make a great addition to this updated version of the shorts. Billy Jack was half-white, half Native American, a Vietnam veteran and practitioner of martial arts who had come to hate war. When Gerald notices the cables, he cuts them and exposes Froggy's deception to everyone. [9] According to a 1956 newspaper interview, he became involved in the drama program at Marquette after being encouraged by a university professor, Father John J. Starting off in 1922 as silent short films, the series began using sound in 1929. The Fort Lauderdale man, better known as Froggy, the morning radio host for Y-100 WHYI (100.7-FM), had been suffering from symptoms of a rare disease, acromegaly. Billys income mostly comes from and basic source was being a successful American child actor. support from Hollywood or from theater chains - Laughlin Carl Dean Switzer, who played Alfalfa, died from a gunshot wound during an argument at the age of 31. The Our Gang comedies were a series of shorts about a group of mischievous children, also called The Little Rascals. Norman Chaney was a famous child star known for his appearances in Hal Roach's "Our Gang" franchise, also known as "The Little Rascals." He played 'Chubby' in the short films and was a massive hit from the 20s until his death. I despise him. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In 1958, Mr. Laughlin appeared in a small but memorable role in South Pacific, the movie version of the James Michener book and Rodgers and Hammerstein musical as a Navy pilot, Lt. Buzz Adams. According to Lord Heath, "Dancing Romeo" was the last ever Our Gang short film to be produced and released, bringing the series to an end after a run of 220 shorts. The movie was to be a documentary on the issues facing African Americans in the 1960s and would have focused greatly on the life of Martin Luther King Jr., followed by a discussion of race. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Laughlin, with his blond bowl cut and "Coke bottle" glasses, provided the late-era Rascals shorts with some of their few truly funny moments. According to Our Gang actor Robert Blake, Billy Froggy Laughlin was a dearly loved, sweet, gentle soul. Laughlin wasn't only a filmmaker. [72] Campaigning as an opponent of the Iraq War, he received 154votes in the New Hampshire primary against President George W. Bush, who received 53,962 votes. "Billy Jack" was completed The actors of the film-serial "Our Gang", America, Hollywood, Photograph, Around 1930 | Source: Getty Images. July 14, 2021 Soon after, he became gravely ill and passed on at only 21 years. longtime advocate for Native Americans and bonded with another actor-activist, And according to Fleeing the Fates of the Little Rascals by Laura June Kenny, after his tragic death there were various imposters with unusual voices who tried to pass themselves off as Froggy over the years. However, he failed to earn a living in the early years, having told People magazine in 1975, "We were living on $5 a week and eating Spam. They were written down to be analyzed later. Nicknamed "Froggy" for his comically guttural and raspy voice, he joined the troupe in 1940 for 29 of the MGM shorts. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. While a student, he formed a stock group and directed and starred in a production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Roach was inspired to build a cast of characters around Morrison, so he recruited six more children andOur Gang was born. [1] He attended Washington High School,[4][5] where he was involved in an athletics controversy that made headlines throughout the city, caused by Laughlin being forced to attend another school for a brief period, making him ineligible to play football at his former school on his return. I stole Christmas cards from a church so I could write home saying how well we were, but then I couldn't afford the stamps. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". In the story line, Fowler has made himself the boss of Hampton, a corrupt river town near Vicksburg, Mississippi. Where stalwarts Spanky and Alfalfa . Born: . But while Our Gang appeared progressive, it took a lot from minstrelsy, which allowed the show to walk a line between familiar stereotypes and radical messaging. He became involved in this after witnessing a neighbor, a police officer, beating his wife. Failed to remove flower. 16 years (1932-1948) Billy Laughlin/Age at death. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He created a blueprint for taking control of the home video distribution industry as a way for independent films to be seen. Back at home, his life was a menace, and in a bid to make him a star, his father malnourished him. Frank, Don Henderson, Mary Rose Solti, Frank Laughlin, Frank Christina, Lloyd E. James, Actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, educator, This page was last edited on 5 January 2023, at 22:17. After the gang, he did try out in some feature films, but he told his mother he wasn't interested in continuing with that. He is best known for playing the character Froggy in the Our Gang short films in its final stretch, from 1940 to 1944. Failed to delete memorial. It turns out that the blood she was transfused with was contaminated with Hepatitis, and soon after the procedure, she suffered a fatal heart attack. Taylor co-produced and acted in all four Billy Jack films. But according to Snopes, when all the Our Gang actors are considered, more than half lived to be at least 72 and over 75 percent reached their average life expectancy. Laughlin was born in 1931 and grew up in Milwaukee. Billy Laughlin. They had three children: Frank, Teresa, and Christina. [48] He told People magazine at the time, "Three years from today, we'll be the new United Artists. [73] He again was not allowed to participate in the debates. For the wrestler who shares the same real name, see, List of people diagnosed with coeliac disease, "Tom Laughlin, 82, Star of 'Billy Jack' Movie Series, Dies", "Hollywood's Attack of the Monster Releases", "Psychology of Cancer - 6 Factors Summarized", "Washington High Alumni stroll down Memory Lane", "School Board Approves New Setup for Athletics", "Is it Time for Billy Jack to Come Back? Laughlin will probably be remembered most for the film Billy . The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Wheezer was born Robert E. Hutchins in 1925. pneumonia. ", His early film credits included "South Pacific," ''Gidget" and Robert Altman's "The Delinquents." It was this voice that ended up being his ticket to the silver screen. Delinquents." [6][failed verification], Laughlin attended the University of Wisconsin, before transferring to Marquette University; he played football at both. [30] However, the picture did not get past the planning stages. The site was later revived. Billy was a phenomenal celebrity influencer. One day, his friends persuaded him to have a photo of him taken. interested in directing and writing and by 1960 had directed, written and forever. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Her death resulted from congestive heart failure. Failed to report flower. 24 March 1979. But the marine, Johnny, neglected to tell her that he'd given copies of his keys to several friends of his, resulting in a string of men coming into the apartment unannounced. with lot of social media fan he often posts many personal photos and videos to interact with her huge fan base social media plateform. Which states are not divided into counties? Taylor co-produced and acted in all four Billy Jack films. to become an actor after seeing a stage production of "A Streetcar Named December 15, 2013 / 8:01 PM His mother enrolled him in a dramatic class to overcome his self-consciousness. In 2001, it was announced that Laughlin was suffering from a cancer of the tongue that was inoperable. Laughlin joined "Our Gang" at age seven after an MGM talent scout spotted him doing his Popeye impression at a local theatre. How old was Billy Laughlin when he died? Robert Blake, perhaps better known for starring in the 70s TV hit Baretta, Sidney Kibrick, Jerry Tucker, Mildred Kornman and Leonard Landy are thought to be the last living members of the Gang.. 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