Otay! - The Billy Buckwheat Thomas Story

by William Thomas

Hardback presentation version. William Thomas, the man known as "Buckwheat," one of the most beloved characters in the history of the Our Gang and Little Rascals films, rose from obscurity to become an American icon. Billy's heritage grew to be more than the ninety-three comedies in which he appeared as Buckwheat. He was a husband, father, and soldier. Several generations have come to know Buckwheat as if he was a real person, but few knew Billy, the man behind the myth. In "Otay!" The Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas Story, William Thomas, Jr., Billy's son, joins with acclaimed author David W. Menefee to brush back the sands of time and unearth the facts beneath the fable. For the first time, the true story is told how producer Hal Roach, Sr. plucked three-year-old Billy from hundreds of children and raised him on a pedestal before an adoring public. For a decade, Billy was the most prominent Black American in motion pictures, but World War Two brought an end to the famous comedy series and a halt to his film career. Billy went on to live a private, nearly normal life, married, fathered an adorable child, and then answered the call to arms and enlisted in the US Army during the Korean War. Years later, imposters attempted to steal his limelight, but Billy forgave the offense with his characteristic, childlike good humor. In an era when most Black American actors were struggling to gain a foothold in Hollywood, Billy achieved a lasting legacy. Enjoy the timeless tale of a baby superstar, who once shown brightly on movie screens during Hollywood's "Golden Years" and still fascinates audiences today.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2010

About the author

William "Bill" Thomas works as a business intermediary and attorney in, both, New York and Florida. He specializes in selling businesses and commercial properties in South Florida. Being both an attorney and a broker gives Mr. Thomas a competitive edge that has proven to be of great benefit to his clients. He is highly respected and trusted within the South Florida business community.

Bill currently runs The Beech Group which is the M&A division of Florida Business Brokers, a highly successful business brokerage. He has 25 operating agents throughout Florida that have gone through his training program, and he is working on a book to help other business advisors train their agents to become successful business broker agents.

Bill's niche is upper main street and middle market business sales (with sales revenues over $1MM). He is able to accomplish a high percentage of deals due to his focus on organization and preparation. His sales model starts with doing the due diligence for his sellers prior to making a strategic decision to sell and prior to creating a pricing model for the merger. His preparedness allows him to maintain a closing ratio above 83% compared to the industry average of 22% for business brokers. Business owners looking to retire may feel free to call or email Bill Thomas for a free business sale consultation at (561) 914-1182, William@FloridaBizMLS.com.

Reviews

[Samantha Glasser]

Although I have not read this book, I had a chance to skim through it at a convention where it was offered for sale. What I hoped would be a detailed and personal memoir looks to have been written sparingly and in large font, padded heavily with photographs. The photos I saw were worth checking out, but don't expect much from the text.

[CassandraG · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice intriguing read(kindle)and if you ever had a chance to check out his old series growing up, you'll definitely, learn a thing or two that you didn't know about. It was interesting and the pictures were to. so if you want a little history on how Buckwheat came about, pick up a copy and check it out. You'll definitely be fascinated.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story on a very misunderstood man.