Carl Switzer

In 1954, Carl Switzer went on a blind date with Diantha Collingwood, heiress of the grain elevator empire Collingwood Grain. The couple got along well and married later on.

In 1956, their son Justin Lance Collingwood Switzer was born. Switzer and Collingwood divorced a year later.

Carl Switzer was born as Carl Dean Switzer on August 7, 1927 in Paris, Illinois, USA, to George Frederick Switzer and Gladys C. Shanks. He had three siblings: sister Janice, brother Harold, and another brother who died young.

At a tender age, Switzer started performing along with his brother Harold. Their musical talent and performances made them popular in their hometown.

In 1934, Carl Switzer, along his brother Harold, visited the Our Gang Café operated by the Hal Roach Studio and started an impromptu performance. The producer of the studio was impressed after seeing their performance and signed them to appear in Our Gang productions. The brothers first appeared in its short ‘Beginner's Luck’.

Soon after this, the brothers were cast in some of the gang’s short films, including ‘Teacher's Beau’, ‘Sprucin' Up’ and ‘Our Gang Follies of 1936’ in 1935. Then in 1936, Carl appeared as Alfalfa in Our Gang shorts ‘The Lucky Corner’, ‘Arbor Day’ and ‘Spooky Hooky’.

In 1937, he acted in a handful of short films such as ‘Reunion in Rhythm’, ‘Rushin' Ballet’, ‘Mail and Female’ and ‘Our Gang Follies of 1938’. In 1940, Carl Switzer's tenure on Our Gang ended, at the age of 12. He then went on to co-star in the comedy ‘Reg'lar Fellers’.

After this, he had supporting roles in the movies ‘Johnny Doughboy’, ‘Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch’, ‘Henry and Dizzy’, ‘There's One Born Every Minute’ and ‘The War against Mrs. Hadley’.

The actor then had uncredited roles in the 1943 films ‘The Human Comedy’ and ‘Dixie’. Later on, he got featured in the flicks ‘Rosie the Riveter’, ‘Going My Way’, ‘The Great Mike’ and ‘Together Again’.

In 1938, Carl Switzer appeared as Alfalfa in several Our Gang’s short films, including ‘Canned Fishing’, ‘Came the Brawn’, ‘Hide and Shriek’ and ‘Football Romeo’. During 1939 and 1940, he reprised his role as Alfalfa in the Gang’s shorts ‘Duel Personalities’, ‘Clown Princes’, ‘Time Out for Lessons’, ‘Alfalfa's Double’, ‘Good Bad Boys’ and ‘Goin' Fishin'’.