In a rare, candid look behind the curtain of Hollywood stardom, comedic legend Eddie Murphy has revealed a quiet, personal act of generosity, focusing on a former child actor whose fame faded into obscurity. The revelation, featured in his new Netflix documentary, Being Eddie, confirms that Murphy paid for the tombstone of Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas, a central figure in the original Our Gang shorts.
Discovering the severe financial difficulties some entertainers face after their careers conclude, Murphy was particularly troubled by the fact that Thomas lacked a suitable memorial following his death in 1980.
Murphy recounts the detail about the actor, whose appearances in The Little Rascals shorts spanned a decade: “Buckwheat didn't have no tombstone,” Murphy states in the film, underscoring the lack of funds for a memorial marker. Murphy's act provided a permanent marker for Thomas, who is interred in Inglewood, California.
The story of Murphy's gesture carries a complex cultural history. Thomas was the original actor who portrayed the character in Our Gang shorts from 1934 to 1944. When Murphy joined Saturday Night Live in 1980, he introduced an adult version of the character that became one of his most popular parodies.
Murphy’s rendition, marked by his garbled singing and exaggerated look, was a smash hit with audiences, driving the show's resurgence in the 1980s. However, the character drew criticism from some who argued it leaned into harmful racial stereotypes that the original Our Gang shorts had already perpetuated decades earlier. The immense popularity of the character became so overwhelming that Murphy eventually requested his permanent exit from the show, staging the famous "Who Shot Buckwheat?" assassination sketch.
Further Acts of Private Generosity
The documentary reveals that Murphy’s private compassion extended beyond the former child actor. The segment details that the actor also personally covered the final expenses for two other industry giants who influenced him: comedian Redd Foxx and musician Rick James.
Murphy confirms the situation, revealing the gravity of the financial difficulties faced by these cultural trailblazers: “When Redd [Foxx] kicked out, I had to bury Redd,” he says in the film. “I had to bury Rick [James].”
Murphy and James were close friends and collaborators, most famously teaming up on the 1985 hit single “Party All the Time.” His connection to Foxx, the star of Sanford and Son, was rooted in comedy mentorship. The discovery that these influential figures died without adequate funds for burial bothered Murphy, prompting him to step in privately.
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