Thomas Robert Laughlin Jr. (August 10, 1931 – December 12, 2013) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, author, educator, and activist. Laughlin's daughter told The Associated Press that he died Thursday at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Laughlin … He was 82. He was Movies (Actor) by profession. After his test and positive public reaction he was signed to a term contract to Our Gang. The scooter was given to Laughlin by his parents two weeks prior to the accident. His character was known for his strange, guttural voice, which was reminiscent of a frog's croak. His mother enrolled him in a dramatic class to overcome his self-consciousness. Laughlin died at a hospital on August 31, 1948 after a speeding truck struck the Cushman motor scooter on which he was delivering newspapers near his home in La Puente, California. 'Billy Jack' Creator Tom Laughlin Dies : The Two-Way His character was an "ill-tempered, karate-chopping pacifist" who battled racists through four movies. Sixteen year-old Billy was delivering newspapers on his motor scooter in August 1948 when a speeding truck hit him and killed him. Laughlin's daughter … "The Death of Froggy | The Little Rascals", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_Laughlin&oldid=1009528186, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 March 2021, at 01:29. Ggould1975, Other Works Died in a motor scooter accident at the age of 16 in La Puente, California. He was 82. She would hear him talking to the puppet in his room but he would do the Popeye voice when responding. William Robert Laughlin (July 5, 1932 – August 31, 1948) was an American child actor. Died in a motor scooter accident at the age of 16 in La Puente, California. | Billy 'Froggy' Laughlin Dead Born: 7/5/1932 in San Gabriel, California, USA Died: 8/31/1948 Age: 16 Cause of death: motor scooter accident Full name: William Robert Laughlin Noted For: actor; "Froggy" in The Little Rascals (1940-44). Only 16, Laughlin died younger than any of the other actors who appeared in the Our Gang films. 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. He was born on August 10, 1931 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. 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). His gravel voice was exploited by an MGM talent scout. “Billy Jack” was released in 1971 after a long struggle by Laughlin to gain control of the low-budget, self-financed movie, a model for guerrilla filmmaking. After his test and positive public reaction he was signed to a term contract to Our Gang. Billy Laughlin (1932-1948) as ‘Froggy’ in Our Gang The final batch of short films featuring the highly popular Our Gang were made between 1940 and 1944, and among its many fabulous child actors was one Billy Laughlin, better known by his ‘Our Gang’ persona ‘Froggy’. His mother enrolled him in a dramatic class to overcome his self-consciousness. When Our Gang stopped production in 1944, Laughlin appeared in a cameo in Monogram's Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any More, his only non Our Gang film, speaking in his natural voice for the only time ever on film. It was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world. She would hear him talking to the puppet in his room but he would do the Popeye voice when responding. Laughlin, who played football at Milwaukee's Washington High School and attended Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, … Laughlin rose to fame at the age of eight when he appeared in his first Our Gang film, The New Pupil, in 1940. Bill was given a Popeye puppet from his mother. Darla Jean Hood is part of the Silent Generation, which followed after the G.I. After the gang, he did try out in some feature films, but he told his mother he wasn't interested in continuing with that. Laughlin's daughter told The Associated Press that he died Thursday at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Laughlin was 82 … On August 31, 1948, the 16-year-old Billy Laughlin, known as "Froggy" to "Our Gang" fans, died from an accident while delivering newspapers. Brother of Mickey Laughlin from "Our Gang." Laughlin's daughter told The Associated Press that he died Thursday at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Laughlin was 82 … - IMDb Mini Biography By: 12160, William Laughlin, District 1951, County of Los Angeles, State of California. He worked in support of Alfalfa Switzer in his first three films and then replaced the now too old Switzer as the comic lead of the group with the 1941 films. Laughlin's last Our Gang short film was the last film of the series in 1944 called Dancing Romeo. Laughlin is inter… You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Gen… Tom Laughlin, who created the popular 1970s big-screen vigilante Billy Jack, has died, The Los Angeles Times reports. Tom Laughlin in "Billy Jack" (Image source: YouTube raw clip) He was American by natinoanliy. At age 16, Billy "Froggy" Laughlin was the youngest former "Little Rascal" to die. Publicity Listings Bill was given a Popeye puppet from his mother. He was the son of Thomas Laughlin (father) and Margaret Laughlin (mother). His older brother Tom said that he was just a normal type of kid in high school, doing well, when this accident occurred. [2][3][4][5] The scooter was given to Laughlin by his parents two weeks prior to the accident. Laughlin is interred in a grave at the Rose Hills Memorial Park Cemetery in Whittier, California next to his parents. Laughlin died at a hospital on August 31, 1948 after a speeding truck struck the Cushman motor scooter on which he was delivering newspapers near his home in La Puente, California. File-This Oct. 22. Tom Laughlin real name was Thomas Robert Laughlin Jr.. "Billy Jack" was released in 1971 after a long struggle by Laughlin to gain control of the low-budget, self-financed movie, a model for guerrilla filmmaking. No ruling has been made on the cause and manner of his death. | accidental hollywood deaths billy 'froggy' laughlin Advertisement Neighbors on Camarta Drive described Laughlin as a very nice man -- a quiet, hard-working father of three. Despite the Great Depression, Hollywood and popular film production flourished. This article about a United States film actor born in the 1930s is a stub. Billy Jack was first seen in the 1968 biker movie "Born Losers," but became widely known after "Billy Jack," the second of four films Laughlin made about him (only three made it to theaters). 1991, file photo shows actor Tom "Billy Jack" Laughlin talking with residents at Eastern Depot Restaurant in Berlln, N.H. Laughlin, whose production and marketing of "Billy … Billy passed away circa 1965, at age 22 at death place, North Dakota. Billy Jack was released in 1971 after a long struggle by Laughlin to gain control of the low-budget, self-financed movie, a model for guerrilla filmmaking. So his career in movies came to an end. Laughlin did the voice himself without dubbing, basing it on a Popeye impersonation he had been doing for friends. Radio was the main source of entertainment, information, and political propaganda, and jazz, blues, gospel, and folk music, became immensely popular. Froggy's friend John Wilbrand who was driving only suffered minor injuries. Laughlin's 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. His gravel voice was exploited by an MGM talent scout. Billy G. mclaughlin, born 1929 Billy G. mclaughlin 1929 New York Billy G. mclaughlin was born on month day 1929, to James mclaughlin and Elizabeth McLaughlin (born Shields) . His favorite sport was bicycling. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro, Famous People Who Died in Plane Crashes and Car Accidents. “Billy Jack” was released in 1971 after a long struggle by Laughlin to gain control of the low-budget, self-financed movie, a model for guerrilla filmmaking. After Our Gang was over, Froggy was riding double on a motorized scooter with a friend delivering newspapers on a old three-lane highway in La Puente. Official Sites. [1] Only 16, Laughlin died younger than any of the other actors who appeared in the Our Gang films. The 16-year-old friend who was operating the scooter, John Wilbrand, made a U-turn in front of the truck, but survived with minor injuries. The 1930s were called the Great Depression (1929-1939). After the "Billy Jack" movies, Laughlin tried his hand at politics — mounting Quixotic bids for president as both a Republican and a Democrat. Actor, director, and occasional presidential candidate Tom Laughlin passed away last week at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness. Certificate of Death No. He is best known for playing the character Froggy in the Our Gang short films in its final stretch, from 1940 to 1944. (10-05-1948). The voice later came to be the gravely voice that later became Froggy's trademark in the Our Gang shorts. Laughlin’s daughter told the Associated Press that he died Thursday at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Teresa Laughlin, who acted in … According to Our Gang actor Robert Blake, Laughlin was "dearly loved".[1]. He was 82. His favorite sport was bicycling. Discover what happened on this day. Laughlin's daughter said he died Thursday at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Darla Hood was born in 1930s. The 16-year-old friend who was operating the scooter, John Wilbrand, made a U-turn in front of the truck, but survived with minor injuries. 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