When you think of the Our Gang comedies—better known today as The Little Rascals—your brain probably goes straight to the cowlick on Alfalfa’s head or Spanky’s double take. But if you really look at the heart of the later Hal Roach era, it was actually the chemistry between Buckwheat and Porky that kept the engine running. They were the "little guys." While the older kids were busy with clubhouses and unrequited love, these two were usually off in their own world, providing a brand of deadpan comedy that feels surprisingly modern even today.
Honestly, it's wild how much people misremember about these two.
Who Were They Really?
William Thomas, Jr., known to the world as Buckwheat, didn't even start out as the character we know. When he first showed up in 1934's For Pete's Sake!, he was a background player. Interestingly, the "Buckwheat" character was originally a girl! Thomas wore pigtails and a dress because the studio wanted a successor to the previous African American star, Matthew "Stymie" Beard. It wasn't until a few films later that the character transitioned into the boy in the oversized overalls.
Then came Eugene Gordon Lee. Everyone called him Porky.
He was cast at just 18 months old because he looked remarkably like George "Spanky" McFarland. The studio literally hired him to be Spanky’s younger brother. By the time 1935 rolled around, he was paired with Thomas, and the "Buckwheat and Porky" duo became the show's secret weapon.
They were a comedy team in the purest sense. Buckwheat was the slightly older, more experienced one, while Porky was the chubby-cheeked toddler who could barely pronounce his lines but had perfect comedic timing. Their dialogue was often minimal, but their presence was massive.
The Iconic Catchphrase and the "O-Tay" Myth
If you ask anyone to do a Buckwheat impression, they’ll yell "O-tay!"
But here’s the thing: Eddie Murphy’s Saturday Night Live parody in the 1980s is actually what cemented that specific pronunciation in the American consciousness. While Billy Thomas did use the phrase "Okay" frequently, the exaggerated, high-pitched "O-tay" was a caricature. In the original films, the real Buckwheat and Porky were much more grounded.
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Porky had his own catchphrase, though.
"Ot-ay, Panky!" was his go-to line when talking to Spanky. Because he was so young when he started, Lee had a natural speech impediment that the writers leaned into. It wasn't scripted to be "cute" in a forced way; it was just how the kid talked. This raw, unpolished nature of the Our Gang kids is exactly why they outshone the "stage brats" of the 1930s. They felt like real kids you’d find in a vacant lot, not actors who had been coached by overbearing parents.
Breaking Racial Barriers (With Nuance)
We have to talk about the context of the 1930s. It was a different world. A worse world in many ways. But Hal Roach’s Our Gang was uniquely progressive for its time.
Buckwheat and Porky were best friends. Full stop.
In an era of Jim Crow and deep-seated segregation, these shorts showed Black and white children playing together as equals. They lived in the same neighborhoods, went to the same schools, and got into the same trouble. While some of the humor definitely relied on tropes that make us cringe today—like the kids' hair standing on end when they got scared—the underlying humanity was undeniable.
Billy Thomas was one of the most popular child stars in the country. He wasn't just "the Black kid" in the group; he was a lead actor.
When Porky and Buckwheat were on screen, the jokes weren't usually about their race. The jokes were about them trying to build a fire engine out of a trash can or failing to bake a cake. They were just two kids being ridiculous. That kind of representation was revolutionary, even if it wasn't perfect.
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Life After the Rascals
What happened when the cameras stopped rolling? It's usually a sad story for child stars, but for these two, it was... normal.
Eugene "Porky" Lee left the series in 1939. He had hit a growth spurt, and he wasn't the "cute little brother" anymore. He moved to Texas, became a schoolteacher, and lived a very private life under his birth name. He actually embraced his legacy later in life, appearing at conventions and speaking fondly of his time with Billy Thomas. He died in 2005, but he never seemed bitter about the "washed-up child star" trope.
Billy Thomas had a different path.
He stayed with the series until it ended in 1944. He was the only Rascal to appear in all 52 of the MGM-produced shorts. After the show, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. When he came back to civilian life, he didn't try to chase the Hollywood dragon. He became a film lab technician.
Think about that.
The kid who was once one of the most famous faces in cinema spent his adult life working behind the scenes at Technicolor, processing the film for the next generation of stars. He was a humble guy. His son, William Thomas Jr., often speaks about how his dad didn't brag about his fame. He just saw it as a job he did when he was a kid.
The Cultural Longevity of the Duo
Why do we still care? Why is there an article about Buckwheat and Porky in 2026?
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It's because their comedy was visual and character-driven. You don't need to know the politics of 1938 to find a scene of two toddlers trying to hide a giant dog in a classroom funny. Their chemistry was effortless. They didn't have the ego that Alfalfa (Carl Switzer) famously had on set.
Crew members often remarked that Thomas and Lee were the easiest to work with. They were professionals before they could tie their own shoes.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you’re looking to dive back into the world of the Little Rascals, don’t just settle for the chopped-up TV edits.
- Seek out the "Cabin Fever" Restorations: In the 1990s, the original Hal Roach films were meticulously restored. These versions include scenes that were often cut for television syndication due to time or "controversial" content. Seeing the original film grain makes a huge difference in appreciating the cinematography.
- Watch 'The Lucky Corner' (1936): If you want to see the Buckwheat and Porky dynamic at its absolute peak, this is the one. It’s a classic "kids vs. adults" business rivalry where the duo runs a lemonade stand.
- Visit the Archives: The Museum of Western Heritage and various film archives in Los Angeles hold personal papers and props from the Roach era.
- Understand the Transition: Recognize the difference between the "Roach" era and the "MGM" era. The Roach films (pre-1938) are generally considered the gold standard for Buckwheat and Porky, as they allowed more room for improvisation. The later MGM films were more scripted and lost some of that raw, "real kid" energy.
The legacy of Buckwheat and Porky isn't just about nostalgia. It's a testament to the idea that comedy, at its best, is universal. Two kids from different backgrounds, making a mess and having a blast, will always be funny. They weren't just characters; they were a window into a kind of childhood that felt authentic, even through the lens of a Hollywood camera.
When you sit down to watch an old short, look past the grainy black-and-white film. Look at the timing. Look at the way they play off each other. That’s the real magic of Billy Thomas and Gordon Lee. They weren't just the "Little Rascals." They were a duo that defined an era of American entertainment.
To truly honor their work, watch the films in their original context. Appreciate the hurdles Billy Thomas cleared as a young Black actor in a segregated industry. Respect the fact that Gordon Lee walked away from fame to help educate the next generation. Their lives were as interesting as the characters they played, maybe even more so.