Harold Frederick Switzer (January 16, 1925 – April 14, 1967) was an American

child actor The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in film, movies or television. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associ ...

, most notable for appearing in the ''

Our Gang ''Our Gang'' (also known as ''The Little Rascals'' or ''Hal Roach's Rascals'') is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, also the ...

short subjects A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

series as an extra. He was the older brother of gang member

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer Carl Dean Switzer (August 7, 1927 – January 21, 1959) 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 began his career as a child ...

, one of the series' most popular and best-remembered characters.

Early life and family

Switzer was born in

Paris, Illinois Paris is a city in Edgar County, Illinois, south of Chicago and west of Indianapolis. The population was 8,291 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat and largest city of Edgar County. History Paris was established in 1826 on land donated by ...

, the first son of George Frederick and Gladys C. Shanks Switzer. He and younger brother, Carl, became famous around their hometown for their musical talent and performances; both sang and played a number of instruments.

''Our Gang''

The Switzers took a trip to

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

in 1934 to visit with family members. While sightseeing they eventually wound up at

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

Studios. Following a public tour of the facility, 8-year-old Harold and 6-year-old Carl entered into the

Studio's public

cafeteria A cafeteria, sometimes called a canteen outside the U.S., is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school ...

, the ''Our Gang'' Café, and began an impromptu performance. Producer Hal Roach was present at the commissary that day and was impressed by the performance. He signed both Switzers to appear in ''Our Gang''. Harold was given two nicknames, "Slim" and "Deadpan," and Carl was dubbed "Alfalfa." Maltin, Leonard and Bann, Richard W. (1977, rev. 1992). ''The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang'', p. 268-271. New York: Crown Publishing/Three Rivers Press. The Switzer brothers first appeared in the 1935 ''Our Gang'' short, ''

Beginner's Luck Beginner's luck refers to the supposed phenomenon of novices experiencing disproportionate frequency of success or succeeding against an expert in a given activity. One would expect experts to outperform novices - when the opposite happens it is co ...

''. Harold played the

mandolin A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...

, while both brothers sang ''She'll Be Comin' 'Round The Mountain''. By the end of the year, Carl was one of the main characters in the series, while Harold had more or less been relegated to the role of a background player. Both Carl and Harold outgrew the series by 1940, with Slim's last appearance in '' The New Pupil''.

Adult years and death

Harold Switzer did not pursue an on-screen career after leaving the ''Our Gang'' series, and his ''Our Gang'' appearances would remain his only film credits. Though not saddled with the same problems his younger brother was faced with due to being typecast as a "child star," Harold had his own problems. For several years, he operated a Speed Queen Company franchise, installing and servicing washers and dryers. In 1967, after killing a customer over a dispute, Switzer drove himself to a remote area near

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from ...

and killed himself. He was 42. Harold "Slim" Switzer is interred at the

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a full-service cemetery, funeral home, crematory, and cultural events center which regularly hosts community events such as live music and summer movie screenings. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles ...

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...

, next to his father, George Frederick Switzer. Carl is on the other side of their father.

Personal life

Switzer was married to Beverly Osso for six years. They had three children: Judith Ann, Tony Frederick and Teddy Berton. Switzer also fathered a child, Gladys, with Rose Lavon.

Filmography

*''Beginner's Luck'' *''Teacher's Beau'' *''Sprucin' Up'' *''The Lucky Corner'' *''Our Gang Follies Of 1936'' *''Divot Diggers'' *''The Pinch Singer'' *''Second Childhood'' *''Arbor Day'' *''Bored Of Education'' *''Two Too Young'' *''Pay As You Exit'' *''General Spanky'' *''Glove Taps'' *''Rushin' Ballet'' *''Fishy Tales'' *''Framing Youth'' *''The Pigskin Palooka'' *''Mail And Female'' *''Our Gang Follies Of 1938'' *''Three Men In A Tub'' *''Came The Brawn'' *''The Little Ranger'' *''Party Fever'' *''Aladdin's Lantern'' *''Clown Princes'' *''Cousin Wilbur'' *''Time Out For Lessons'' *''The Big Premiere'' *''The New Pupil''

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Switzer, Harold American male child actors American male film actors American people of German descent Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery People from Paris, Illinois Male actors from Illinois American child singers 1925 births 20th-century American male actors Suicides in California 20th-century American singers Our Gang 1967 suicides