Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer

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Carl Dean Switzer (August 7, 1927 – January 21, 1959) was an American child actor, singer, dog breeder, and hunting guide. He is best known for playing Alfalfa in the Our Gang comedy shorts.

Switzer was born in Paris, Illinois, the youngest of four children. He and his older brother Harold were musically talented, and their hometown fame led them to California. A public performance at Hal Roach Studios impressed producer Hal Roach, who signed the brothers to appear in Our Gang. Carl became the character Alfalfa, famous for his cowlick hair and his high, squeaky singing voice. He and the series’ other stars grew popular, and Switzer remained a main character until 1940, when he was twelve and began to outgrow the part.

After leaving Our Gang, Switzer pursued various film roles but never again reached the same level of fame. He acted in a string of movies and later worked in television, often taking small parts or repeating his Alfalfa persona in related comedy series. He also spent time as a dog breeder and hunting guide, a field in which he worked for notable actors and families.

In his personal life, Switzer married Dian Collingwood in 1954, and they had one son. In the 1950s he continued acting while also training hunting dogs. In January 1958, Switzer was shot in the upper arm during an incident outside a bar, but the shooter was not caught. The following year, a dispute over a dog led to a confrontation at a home in Mission Hills, where Switzer was fatally shot. The shooting was ruled self-defense. He died at a hospital at age 31 and was buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where his grave shows a hunting dog emblem and Freemasonry symbols.

Switzer is remembered most for his enduring role as Alfalfa, one of the most popular characters from the Our Gang series.