20/20 (Oct 5, 1990) - Where Are They Now? - Our Gang star Buckwheat

Here is the infamous 20/20 segment that cost producer Lynn Murray her job.
William "Billy" Thomas died on October 10, 1980.
William "Doc" English died on November 15, 1994.

[@destruya]

He doesn’t even look like Billy Thomas

[@laurasaw6933]

On Wikipedia they said he passed away at the age of 49 and 1980

[@theo3s611]

William “Buckwheat” Thomas Jr. Will forever be a legend.

[@t-bo2734]

And William "I'm Buckwheat, Too!" English will forever be a fraud.

[@felandowaller7181]

That was a fraud bro the real 1 had died in 1980 and thr producer for fired after this aired

[@kevinshell8392]

William Thomas’s family should be outraged by this fraud

[@gammakrush905]

Oh, they were (along with Spanky McFarland).

[@conner474]

The producer from 20/20 was fired and Thomas son who passed in 2012 filed a lawsuit

[@gammakrush905]

@@conner474 William Thomas III died in 2012?

[@vlogsnstufflikethat]

the fact that somebody was fired for this stupid "mistake" is hilarious

[@WWChampion16]

somebody didn't do their research,

[@rp7r54]

true. some journalists don't do research.

[@sidneyshepherd3553]

I thought Billie died at the age of 49 of a heart attack??

[@in_vas_por8810]

Think about how cringe this is, for a grown man to be unironically claiming to be someone who is famous (and beloved), and not only being unrelenting, but also proud of it. All while putting a woman's reputation/career in jeopardy. Guess you can't expect him to be a forward thinker seeing as how he thought the former was a bright idea.

[@ChrisHansonCanada]

My family and I watched that when it first aired, and even WE knew it was a hoax, as we knew that the real Buckwheat had passed away.

[@nick56677]

Bill English took the lie to the grave with him, LITERALLY! On his obit and headstone reads Bill "Buckwheat" English😂. He passed in 1994, and is on Find a Grave. Talk about dedication to a lie.

[@in_vas_por8810]

Imagine if it really was him and everyone else had it wrong. 😂

[@pegbars]

@@in_vas_por8810 Nope, the real William Thomas worked at Technicolor Labs in L.A... not a grocery store.

[@Hespeakstruth]

This wasn't the real Billy Thomas.

[@rjay8214]

Barbara : Can you remember and lines from the movies? Bill : 1, 2, 3, look at me I'm Buckwheat 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@DosYeobos]

This video is wrong. Buckwheat died at 49. He enlisted in the army and worked as an editor in movie studios. Someone take this down

[@haveyouseenthis516]

The fact that this man was impersonating Buckwheat is revealed at the end of the video.

[@erikas.4001]

This is not the real buckwheat. This guy is a fraud. Do your research.

[@haveyouseenthis516]

Yes, shame on 20/20. Someone lost their job as a result.

[@VicGChad07]

We knew it wasn't really Buckwheat.

[@BallparkHunter]

The moment he said that he wanted to act in gangsta movies should have been a clue that he was an imposter.

[@Lucky-ei6yh]

@erikas.4001 Didn't you see the headline's at the very end of the video?

[@mikevickphi]

@@haveyouseenthis516the guy looks absolutely nothing like the person he claims to be lmao 🤣 .

[@jckhammer]

Pretty funny now watching this one . The producer got fired over this disaster .

[@vlogsnstufflikethat]

good

[@TheAnxietyCloset]

Resigned to be accurate but diffrence without distinction

[@larpsim]

That's not Buckwheat. That's meadowlark lemon's father.

[@DisWldFrk90]

I was wondering if I'd ever see this. By all accounts by people who knew him he was a mentally ill man who really did think he was Buckwheat, which is very sad. Totally jacked up of 20/20 though. Sure there wasnt Google at the time, but there were records available they could have searched. Not to mention Hal Roach and many former co-actors were still alive that they could have asked.

[@rickwaldron4255]

Good to.know buck wheat is still.alive and well and still good for..him him..2023 I still watch the little rascals I wouder if buckwheat still watches him.self on the rascals

[@DisWldFrk90]

@@rickwaldron4255 Not unless there's an afterlife with TV. William Thomas (the 3rd, final, and most known Buckwheat), Carlena Beard (The 1st Buckwheat), Willie Mae Taylor (The 2nd Buckwheat only in 3 films), and Bill English (Buckwheat imposter who was never in the films by all accounts) are all dead.

[@nick56677]

1:56 "OH mamma Mia!" Bill English also thought he was Super Mario.

[@steeltownbrown52]

Sounded like he said "bumble bee".

[@jimmysaucez]

What a Joke! The Real Buckwheat Died in 1980 at the Age of 49 Years old

[@stuartperry1047]

"He still likes to be called Buckwheat" Wonder if his name tag at the supermarket said "Buckwheat ".

[@steeltownbrown52]

Or resume?

[@mhertz2563]

There were so many Little Rascals/Our Gang fans alive at the time......including quite a few of the original actors.........one wonders how this fraud was perpetrated. Very frustrating and sad to watch this. The fired producer must have felt like a real idiot.

[@victoriapiasecka7766]

Here in 2024. Talented gentleman

[@nick56677]

2:41 never fails with the media throwing the race card out of no where 🙄

[@Stephensorrentino]

Fact, check ladies and gentlemen. Fact checks how sad that this guy let this hoax go on.

[@sketchartist1964]

I see no resemblance between this man and buckwheat except for the color.

[@mz8560056]

That's not Billy Thomas

[@RomicBianchi]

Bill English was never Buckwheat.

[@effanhopps-df7nn]

i love da movie im guna wach it agien tonight

[@JustHadToKnow]

This is B.S. He wants to be in gangster movies. Dang 20/20, that was hard to watch and to see the male reporter holding back from not laughing. A mockery to Black America.

[@austin_the_brimstone]

Good lord mike and jay weren't kidding.

[@GeneralMcNuggs]

He should have been in Goodfellas.

[@willyjoerockhead]

Not him

[@indrataylor3149]

🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

[@RBLXGaming23]

Buckwheat was baggin' buckweat

[@sashab.6366]

This wasn't the real Buckwheat. He was an imposter named Bill English.

[@effanhopps-df7nn]

i 💓 darla

[@KickthaTruth]

Lmao at the fake buckwheat tricking 20l20

[@Peter-rg4ng]

Fraud

[@megamoneyk]

Omg he should get royalties

[@steeltownbrown52]

The real William Thomas Jr (and his surviving relatives): yes. But not this guy.

[@DisWldFrk90]

Spanky (George McFarland) actually did sue to try to get them all royalties, but did not win unfortunately.

[@Lava1964]

Nobody got royalties. All the child actors signed movie contracts, got paid for their performances in those movies...and that's it.

[@rogerclark7418]

That's okay that he's fraud. He's only bagger at a grocery store. I think the real Buck Wheat is smiling from heaven looking at him. Time to have some fun. Relax, Buck Wheat is laughing!

[@kingromeo7328]

Lmfaoo 😂😂😂...this don't even sound like him....imagine acting like I somebody who been dead for 20years