Billy Laughlin

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Billy Laughlin (William Robert Laughlin) (July 5, 1932 - August 31, 1948) played the character Froggy in the Our Gang short films in its final stretch, from 1940 to 1944. Born in San Gabriel, California, Billy rose to fame at the age of eight when he appeared in his first Our Gang film, The New Pupil. His character was known for his strange, Popeye-esque guttural voice which was reminiscent of a frog's croak. Contrary to popular belief, Laughlin did the voice himself, without dubbing.

When Our Gang stopped production in 1944, Laughlin voluntarily moved away from show business and enjoyed relatively peaceful teenage years.

Tragically, Laughlin's life was cut short on August 31, 1948, when he was killed by a truck in La Puente, California while riding a motor scooter. He was sixteen years old.