Hollywood child star Betsy Gay dies aged 96 after decorated film career
American film star, Betsy Gay, who starred in a series of comedy films including Our Gang Comedies, has passed away at the age of 96.
Little Rascals star Betsy Gay has sadly died at the age of 96, a close friend confirmed. The actress's death was revealed by her friend Bob Satterfield on June 13. No additional details about her passing have yet been disclosed.
The Hollywood child star, who was born in 1929 in Connecticut, starred in a series of comedy films in the mid-1930s called Our Gang Comedies - which later became known as the Little Rascals. The late screen star performed in the film series before accepting the role of Alfafa's girlfriend, Effie.
Betsy made appearances in more than 40 feature films, including Tom Sawyer, Came the Brawn, Man of Conquest, A Day At The Circus, and Mystery Plane.
In 1941, the actress wowed viewers when she performed a yodelling scene in an Andy Clyde short, after performing the peculiar singing skill, marked by rapid alternation between the normal voice and falsetto, in a series of other moves.
She started singing with country music stars of the time such as Stuart Hamblen and his Lucky Stars as well as Tex Williams. Betsy was also California State Yodelling Champion two years in a row in the mid-1940s.
According to reports, Betsy was the youngest entertainer to sing and yodel for the Hollywood Victory Committee Shows during World War Two.
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Alongside her impressive music career, which involved touring and radio appearances on shows including The Jimmy Wakeley Show and The Don Amache Show, she continued to pursue acting in Hollywood.
At one point, she was a regular cast member of the ABC show Squeakin' Deacon's Country Store and in the 1960s she became a frequent guest on the Mike Douglas show, International Party Time, which ran for 13 weeks.
In 1954, she tied the kot to Thomas Cashen and welcomed five children together: twins Mimi and Gigi, son Tommy, and daughters Suzy and Cathy.
Although she stepped out of the spotlight for several decades, Betsy uploaded a brief YouTube clip in 2019 as she celebrated World Yodel Day. In the clip, she said: "Happy International Yodel Day from Betsy Gay, California."
After the news of her passing hit the headlines, fans flooded to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their sympathies online. One user wrote: "Gone too soon [praying emoji]" as another agreed: "This was such a great show."
A third praised the child star for her early acting career, saying: "Imagine living to 96 and you're remembered by something you did 90 years ago."
