Who was Betsy Gay? 'Little Rascals' actress and yodeling champion dies at 96

Actress Betsy Gay, known for her role in Little Rascals and as a renowned yodeler, passed away in Bakersfield, California, on June 13, 2025. She was 96.

According to multiple reports, her friend, Robert Satterfield, confirmed the news of her demise on Facebook. She wrote:

“I am so sorry to report my friend Elizabeth Cashen passed away yesterday in Bakersfield, CA. Elizabeth, was better known as child actress and singer Betsy Gay (February 2, 1929-June 13, 2025).”

Betsy Gay was a former child actress who rose to prominence in the 1930s. At the age of six, she starred in the Our Gang Comedies series, which was later dubbed as Little Rascals. Sharing about her work credits in her long career, Cashen added in her post:

“She appeared in “The Pinch Singer”, “Arbor Day”, “Our Gang Follies of 1938” and “Came the Brawn” with the Our Gang Comedies. Other projects included: “The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer” (1938); “Mystery Plane” (1939); “At The Circus “(1939); “Bachelor Daddy” (1941); “What's Buzzin', Cousin” (1943) and “The Spike Jones Show” TV-Series (1954).”

She concluded her post by adding that Gay “will be deeply missed”. Let us learn more about the famous actress, Betsy Gay.

Exploring details about Betsy Gay, who passed away at the age of 96

Betsy Gay was born on February 2, 1929, in Waterford, Connecticut, USA. Her birth name was Elizabeth Ann Gunst.

Her biography in Hillybilly music indicated that she started performing at the tender age of 3. Her parents, Prof. Charles and Helen Gay, had a music school and were known as accomplished musicians at that time. Her mother played the piano, and her dad played guitar, fiddle, steel, and banjo.

Betsy Gay began her acting career as a child artist when her family moved to Hollywood in 1935. According to Variety, in addition to making a career in acting, Gay was also a yodeling champion. She started her career in yodeling at the age of 12 in 1941, per her biography. It stated:

“Betsy was asked to sing in an Andy Clyde movie short for Columbia Pictures. They also wanted her to yodel in the movie. Betsy quickly learned to yodel by listening to Wesley Tuttle who at that time was on the Stuart Hamblen Radio Show.”

From 1940 to 1943, Betsy Gay took to stage performances at the Pasadena Playhouse when it came to acting. She had roles in Quality Street (1940), A Kiss For Cinderella (1940), and Heroes Unlimited (1941).

Her IMDb profile stated that by 1944, she started performing with country music artist Stuart Hamblen and his Lucky Stars. In 1945, Gay won the California State Yodeling Championship at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

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She won the title again in 1946. According to TV Insider, she performed on Hank Penny, Jimmy Wakely, and Don Ameche’s radio shows, where she sang songs such as: Belle of the Old Barn Dance and I Want to be a Cowboy’s Dream Girl.

Gay was married to Thomas Cashen, who passed away in 2005. The couple reportedly tied the knot in 1954. They shared five children - twins Mimi and Gigi, Tommy, Suzy, and Cathy, per her IMDb profile.

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