After Stymie's departure from the series later in 1935, the Buckwheat character slowly morphed into a boy, first referred to definitively as a "he" in 1936's The Pinch Singer. Despite Thomas being a male, the Buckwheat character remained a female-dressed as a Topsy-esque image of the African-American " pickaninny" stereotype with bowed pigtails, a large hand-me-down sweater and oversized boots. Thomas began appearing as "Buckwheat" with 1935's Mama's Little Pirate. The "Buckwheat" character was a female at this time, portrayed by Our Gang kid Matthew "Stymie" Beard's younger sister Carlena in For Pete's Sake!, and by Willie Mae Walton in three other shorts. Billie Thomas first appeared in the 1934 Our Gang shorts For Pete's Sake!, The First Round-Up, and Washee Ironee as a background player.
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