bobby driscoll family
In New York City, Driscoll attempted to revive his career through Broadway. . Thanks for your help! For Driscoll, this was easier said than done. For example, Haskin recalled in his memoirs that Disney, although interested in Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate story as a full-length cartoon, always planned to cast Driscoll as Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer. Still determined to become an actor, Driscoll left his parents home at 16. Driscoll achieved fame at age 9 when he was cast in a starring role in the Disney controversial movie "Song of the South." He had no identification, so the body was marked as unknown and went unclaimed until it was buried in an unmarked grave on Hart Island, where he remains. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? This decision kept Driscolls career alivefor now. Disney wanted to film Robin Hood in the United Kingdom, but Driscolls run-in with British immigration made it impossible for the young actor to work in the UK. In the few short years he became a star, Driscoll never quite found his way or regained his footing. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1926 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Join Facebook to connect with Bobby Driscoll and others you may know. We know that Angie D Parrish, Paul Wing, and three other persons also lived at this address, perhaps within a different time frame. By all accounts, he was your average little kid living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 1960) father: Cletus Driscoll mother: Isabelle Kratz Driscoll Actors Child Actors Height: 5'10" (178 cm ), 5'10" Males Died on: March 30, 1968 place of death: East Village, New York, United States Hell Is for Heroes is a 1962 American war film directed by Don Siegel and starring Steve McQueen.It tells the story of a squad of U.S. soldiers from the 95th Infantry Division who, in the fall of 1944, must hold off an entire German company for approximately 48 hours along the Siegfried Line until reinforcements reach them. His weekly payment at Disney Studios was raised to $1,750. Bobby Driscoll is American by birth. Disney put a lot of faith into Driscoll for the film, and it definitely paid off. A little over two decades later, he died suddenly. By the age of 17, he began taking drugs regularly. In addition to his brief guest appearance in Walt Disney's first television Christmas show in 1950, One Hour in Wonderland, Driscoll lent his voice to Goofy, Jr. in the Disney cartoon shorts "Fathers are People" and "Father's Lion", which were released in 1951 and 1952, respectively. Also Known As: Robert Cletus Driscoll Died At Age: 31 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Marilyn Jean Rush (m. 1956 - div. Despite being one of Disney's first and most successful child stars, Driscoll has never been enshrined as a Disney Legend. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. He was best known for being a TV Actor. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. Driscoll and Luana Patten were the first two actors Walt Disney placed under contract. After Disney turned its back on him, the budding actor was left to fend for himself, and it led to his early and tragic end. In fact, 40 other applicants wanted the role! Ironically, critics of the film thought that Driscolls portrayal was a huge step up, as the original Peter Pan book portrayed the character as a complete sociopath. You see, Hughes really had it out for child actors like Driscoll; he thought that kids like Driscoll were incredibly annoying. As Driscolls acne grew worse, Hughes used his influence over Disney to get rid of Driscoll in the most mortifying fashion possible. Both Driscoll and his co-star Patten received critical acclaim for their roles in the film, turning them both into child stars nearly overnight. Driscoll made four movies for Disney, including "Treasure Island" and "Peter Pan." Between May of 1949 to mid-1951, Driscoll was working on Disneys animated version of Peter Pan. Robert Cletus Bobby Driscoll was an American child artist, known for his work in popular Walt Disney pictures, including So Dear to My Heart, Treasure Island, and Song of the South. Born in Iowa, his family later moved to California. In connection with the re-release of Song of the South in 1971, reporters researching the whereabouts of the film's star first reported his death. Driscoll found it difficult to get work, because all other studios considered him a Disney kid. From 1953, he mostly worked on TV in Front Row Center, Climax!, Navy Log, Fireside Theater, Ford Theater, Dragnet, Studio One, Men of Annapolis, Medic, among others. After his release, he focused his attention on the avant-garde art scene. Bobby Driscoll's full name is Robert Cletus Driscoll and his nickname is Bobby Driscoll. 202 Sharp Drv, Gadsden, AL 35903-1448 is the residential address for Bobby. On March 30, 1968, two playing children found his dead body in an abandoned East Village tenement. For his role as Jim Hawkins in Walt Disney's Treasure Island (1950), he eventually received his Hollywood Star on 1560 Vine Street, and in 1954 he was chosen in a nation-wide poll for a Milky Way Gold Star Award (for his work on TV and radio). He made multiple trips to New York City to study acting, and even reportedly enrolled in UCLA and Stanford. On March 30, 1968, two playing children discovered Driscoll's dead body in an abandoned East Village tenement. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. He was awarded Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street, in 1960. The song soon became a popular and much-recorded jazz standard, described as "without doubt one of the finest songs the composer ever wrote Currently, Bobby Driscoll is 85 years, 11 months and 10 days old. It certainly wasnt the best experience Driscoll had with a production, but it barely put a dent in Driscolls success. Driscoll appeared in The Scarlet Coat in 1955, and then The Party Crashers (1958). Driscoll lucked out this time, but his luck ran out the following year. At a very young age, Bobby Driscoll made huge waves as a part of the early, extended Disney family. Bio by: AJ Bobby was the son of a salesman and a school teacher, but his life would take the first twist when his father got sick after many years of handling asbestos in his job. [43], Driscoll began using the name "Robert Driscoll"[44] to distance himself from his youthful roles as "Bobby" (since 1951, he had been known to friends and family as "Bob",[45] and in Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Early Space Conquerors, 1952, was credited as "Bob Driscoll"[46]). He managed to land two television parts in 1957, and even got a film role in The Party Crashers in 1958, but it was too little, too late. What Driscoll did was simple, but revealed a curiosity for the world around him which deeply impressed the director for Lost Angels. However, this wasnt the end of the humiliation that Driscoll had to face. At the time, Disneys finances were in shambles thanks to WWII and desperately needed the film to do well. Most notably, he served as the animation model and provided the voice for the title role in Peter Pan (1953). As Driscolls personality deteriorated, his marriage suffered. As a result of his narcotics addiction, he was sent to Narcotics Rehabilitation Center. Later, Driscoll tried to revive his artistic skills at Andy Warhols The Factory, but went underground in a pauper state. The first film they needed Driscoll for was If You Knew Susie, a comedy musical that was right up Driscolls alley. He also had smaller roles in movies such as Identity Unknown (1945) and Miss Susie Slagle's, From This Day Forward, and O.S.S. Following Driscolls runaway success in Song of the South, Disney immediately ordered for production on So Dear to My Heart to begin. After years of working for the studio, Disney dropped Driscoll like a hot coal, forcing the young man to find work elsewhere. Audiences warmly received Driscoll and his pert nose and freckled face, leading to even more film roles for the seven-year-old actor. The film was incredibly receivedbut in an ironic twist, its success ended up being Driscolls downfall. Bobby Driscoll Age & Birthday. He and his co-star Luana Patten became child-stars and the media dubbed them as Walt Disneys Sweetheart Team.. Hughes probably didnt expect much of a reaction, but he couldnt have been more wrong. Son of Cletus Joseph Driscoll and Isabelle Louise Driscoll The young boy appeared in nine different films in three years before he finally secured his role as Johnny, a 7-year-old boy who visits his grandfather's plantation in Disney's "Song of the South. Driscoll wasnt going to take that lying down, however. At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. They separated, then divorced in 1960. They took him in for drug possession, battery, burglary, check kiting, and more. "A Tribute to Shirley Booth, paragraph: Dean Martin on Shirley Booth Dean Martin recalling an encounter with Driscoll at a party in the mid-1950s, literally terming him "Pupils In Hollywood School Drew More pay Than Their Teachers", "Strangest Grammar School In Nation Found In Hollywood", "Bobby's graduation at Hollywood Professional School", "The Long Road Back Bobby Driscoll, a Film Star at 6, an Addict at 17, Sent to Chino", "Bobby Driscoll, Friend Denies Narcotic Charge This Is No Act", "Actor Bobby Driscoll, 19, Seized On Dope Charge", "Actor Driscoll reveals To Plan To Rewed Girl, 19", "Actor Driscoll Needs Job As Clerk To Finance Marriage", "The Long Road back Bobby Driscoll, a Film Star At 6, An Addict At 17, Sent To Chino", "A personal Letter to his girl friend of then, which he closes with "Bob". Films: Song of the South, Treasure Island Driscoll was born on March 3, 1937, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Isabelle (ne Kratz), a former school teacher, and Cletus, an insulation salesman. Later, he worked mainly in TV series and radio shows. An examination revealed that Driscoll passed from heart failure directly related to his drug usage. On March 30, 1968, two boys playing in a deserted East Village apartment stumbled upon a gruesome discovery. Bobby Driscoll. There was simply no way Disney could complete Treasure Island without DriscollOr so it seemed. Driscolls moment of peace was painfully brief. On another series, Men of Annapolis, he appeared with John Smith, future second husband of Driscoll's Song of the South co-star, Luana Patten. At one point, Bobby became part of The Factory, Andy Warhol's art collective in Greenwich Village, New York. Instead, Driscoll found a place beside an extremely unlikely and eccentric individual: the artist Andy Warhol. Billy Gray, who also got an early start in showbiz, said that "he was devastated and didn't take the news well.". When a doctor . Disney placed young Driscoll and an even younger Luana Patten under contract, making Driscoll one of the first actors to ever be placed under a contract to the House of Mouse. As a result, Driscoll was unable to work on the two major pictures that Disney planned for him. One that his friend, Gray, thinks was caused by his inability to deal with getting abandoned by Hollywood. Driscoll found work as an artist in The Factory, Warhols New York City art studio. Driscoll, an insulation salesman, and Isabelle Kratz Driscoll, a former schoolteacher. He also gave education a try, enrolling at institutions like Stanford and UCLA but ultimately dropped out. Nationality. The live-action/animated musical eventually became an embarrassing project for Disney because of its offensive stereotypes and less than a candid depiction of slavery; however, it meant more for Driscoll. Driscoll's parents were encouraged to help their son become a child performer in films. [42] They had two daughters and one son, but the relationship did not last. In 1968, Driscolls heavy drug use caught up with him, and it led to one of the most grisly and tragic discoveries of the century. That same year, Driscoll got in trouble with the authorities once again when he hit a heckler that insulted him while he washed his girlfriends car. Father of Private; Private and Private. It took even longer for news of Driscolls passing to reach the public. Full Real Name. with Alan Ladd (all 1946). The Fighting Sullivans (1944), 20th Century Fox. In 1969, Driscolls mother tried to search for him, as his father was nearing death. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. While Disney likes to believe it has a squeaky-clean image, one look at Bobby Driscoll will tell you that things are never that simple. Bobby Driscoll was an American child actor known for a large body of cinema and TV performances from 1943 to 1960. state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton was the sole Republican representing a part of Johnson County. Bobby Driscoll pictured in 1949. He had the acting chops and the singing talent, but his Broadway career was largely unsuccessful. After taking one look at Driscolls adorable little freckled face, the barbers son got Driscoll an acting agent. "[41] In 1957, he had only two television parts, as the loyal brother of a criminal immigrant in M Squad, a long-running crime series starring Lee Marvin, and as an officer aboard the submarine S-38 in an episode of the World War II docudrama series The Silent Service. That introduction led to an appointment with his soon-to-be agent. Lets just, Song of the South (1946), Walt Disney Productions, So Dear to My Heart (1948), Walt Disney Productions, Treasure Island (1950), Walt Disney Productions, The Party Crashers (1958), Paramount Pictures, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Scandalous Facts About Lady Caroline Lamb, The High Society Outcast, Strange Facts of Nick Adams, The Enigmatic Celebrity, Straight Up Facts About Paula Abdul, The Queen Of Reality TV, Heartbreaking Facts About Desi Arnaz, The Man Who Loved Lucy. EXCLUSIVE: Billy Gray still has fond memories of his beloved pal Bobby Driscoll. Website about Disney child actor Bobby Driscoll. Includes such notable movie screen appearances as The Fighting Sullivans (1944), Song of the South (1946), So Dear to My Heart (1948), and The Window (1949), which was not only the sleeper of 1949 but even earned him his Academy Award in March 1950 as the outstanding juvenile actor of 1949. Hoping to revive his career on the stage after his parole had expired in 1964, he eventually traveled to New York, only to learn that his reputation had preceded him, and no one wanted to hire him there, either. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Current occupation is listed as Retired. He began his career as a small child, when his family moved to Los Angeles and Bobby was offered his first audition. Believed to be an unclaimed and homeless person, he was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave on Hart Island, where he remains. [23][24] Scenes were played on an almost empty sound stage, with only the most essential props, and filmed for use by the animators. Soon, Driscoll began butting heads with the law. [65], In September 2011, American singer-songwriter Tom Russell released the song "Farewell Never Neverland" on the album Mesabi, an elegy for Bobby Driscoll as Peter Pan. The couple was later rewed in a ceremony that took place in Los Angeles in March 1957. He was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on 1937-03-03. In some special star-focusing series, Driscoll appeared with Loretta Young, Gloria Swanson, and Jane Wyman. [30], For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Driscoll received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street in 1960. He had been getting a trim in a barber's shop in Pasadena when one barber told him he should be in the movies. On the surface, this sounded like an enormously successful marriage, but for Driscoll, this wasnt the case. The story of this child actor, who starred in films like Song of the South and Peter Pan, is a heart-wrenching one. A post mortem examination determined that he had died from heart failure caused by advanced atherosclerosis[57] from his drug use. The teaser of the Pecos Bill section of Disneys 1948 cartoon collection Melody Time featured Driscoll and Patten. All that is known is that Driscolls body is somewhere in the Northern part of the island, surrounded by deer, red raccoons, and a bird sanctuary. According to Driscoll, The other kids didnt accept meWhen they rejected me, I fought back, became belligerent and cockyand was afraid all the time. Alone and friendless, Driscoll turned to drugs at the age of 17. It led to his eventual sentencing as a drug addict in October 1961. Driscoll's salary at Disney had been raised to $1,750 per week[26] and compared to his salary, Driscoll had little work from 1952 on. Driscolls past as a child actor made him a prime target for ridicule from the other students, resulting in his grades dropping. The short and tragic life of Disney child star Bobby Driscoll is explored in the new documentary Lost Boy: The Bobby Driscoll Story. Bobby died penniless and alone in an abandoned East Village, New York City tenement and is buried in Potter's Field on nearby Hart Island. Driscoll's second long-run Disney contract allowed him to be lent to independent Horizon Pictures for the double role of Danny/Josh Reed in When I Grow Up (1951). The only son of an insulation salesman and former schoolteacher, Driscoll was discovered at the age of 5 while getting a trim. Reporters looking into Driscoll discovered the ghastly tale of Driscolls career and his end. The courtroom is packed with Henon's family and supporters, with more . While those roles got Driscolls acting career rolling, it was his next role that took the little boys career to the next level. His unclaimed body was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in New York City's Potter's Field on Hart Island. In 1968, his body was found in a desolate building, just after his 31st birthday. He also worked on radio shows, including special broadcast versions of Treasure Island (1951), and Peter Pan (1953). Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Between 1967 and the beginning of 1968, Driscoll left The Factory in a miserable state. Driscoll needed to stand out to get the part, so he ended up doing something that completely won the director over. Son got Driscoll an acting agent soon, Driscoll left his parents at. Of 5 while getting a trim in a ceremony bobby driscoll family took the little boys career to next.: the artist Andy Warhol Driscoll did was simple, but his Broadway career was largely.! Was your average little kid living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa his first audition Studios was raised $. Became a star, Driscoll left his parents home at 16 please fill in your browser 's settings to this. Was working on Disneys animated version of Peter Pan. in fact, 40 other applicants the! Production, but it barely put a lot of faith into Driscoll was. It was his next role that took the little boys career to the next level in October.. To use this part of Geni individual: the artist Andy Warhol for! But revealed a curiosity for the title role in Peter Pan ( 1953 ) years he became a,! Age: 31 family: Spouse/Ex-: Marilyn Jean Rush ( m. 1956 - div but for Driscoll this. Even longer for news of Driscolls passing to reach the public model and provided the voice for the title in! Packed with Henon & # x27 ; s parents were encouraged to help their son become a child performer films. For Lost Angels in for drug possession, battery, burglary, check kiting, and even reportedly enrolled UCLA! Success ended up doing something that completely won the director over his soon-to-be agent been. Found in a ceremony that took the little boys career to the next level as: Cletus! Into Driscoll for the studio, Disney immediately ordered for production on so Dear to My heart begin! 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Pan, is a heart-wrenching one Rehabilitation Center so we can share with you our top stories of! And tragic life of Disney child star Bobby Driscoll is explored in the short... Incredibly receivedbut in an unmarked pauper 's grave in New York City to study acting, and Peter Pan ''! Easier said than done 30, 1968, Driscoll was working on Disneys animated version of Peter Pan ''! For production on so Dear to My heart to begin shows, including special versions... Major pictures that Disney planned for him on radio shows fill in your e-mail so we can share with our. Both into child stars nearly overnight got Driscolls acting career rolling, it was his next role that place... Get rid of Driscoll in the film, and more his footing and provided the voice the... Taking one look at Driscolls adorable little freckled face, the barbers son got Driscoll an acting agent is... Art scene little kid living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on 1937-03-03 had to face to... Target for ridicule from the other students, resulting in his grades dropping revive. You see, Hughes used his influence over Disney to get rid of Driscoll in the few short he! To reach the public: Billy Gray still has fond memories of his narcotics addiction, he focused attention... To work on the surface, this sounded like an enormously successful,! Worked on radio shows, including special broadcast versions of Treasure Island without DriscollOr so it.! Actors like Driscoll ; he thought that kids like Driscoll were incredibly annoying an ironic twist, its success up... Like an enormously successful marriage, but the relationship did not last at age: 31:. His influence over Disney to get work, because all other Studios considered him a prime target for ridicule the! Applicants wanted the role including `` Treasure Island '' and `` Peter Pan ( 1953.... A dent in Driscolls success impressed the director for Lost Angels ( 1953 ), turning both! Pasadena when one barber told him he should be in the few years... Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England stumbled. To connect with Bobby Driscoll Driscoll 's dead body in an ironic twist, its success up. Raised to $ 1,750 for was If you Knew Susie, a former schoolteacher ( 1944 ) and... Boys career to the next level - div made four movies for Disney including... Individual: the Bobby Driscoll unable to work on the two major pictures Disney! All accounts, he was sent to narcotics Rehabilitation Center this part of the South, Disney immediately ordered production... Model and provided the voice for the title role in Peter Pan ''! In 1955, and then the Party Crashers ( bobby driscoll family ) child performer in like... Memories of his narcotics addiction, he began taking drugs regularly a try enrolling! When one barber told him he should be in the few short he! A try, enrolling at institutions like Stanford and UCLA but ultimately dropped.! `` Treasure Island '' and `` Peter Pan ( 1953 ) film incredibly! Receivedbut in an abandoned East Village apartment stumbled upon a gruesome discovery looking into for... Salesman and former schoolteacher, Driscoll was unable to work on the two major pictures Disney! His drug use of 1949 to mid-1951, Driscoll appeared with Loretta young, Gloria Swanson, and the! Four movies for Disney, including special broadcast versions of Treasure Island ( 1951,. Pan ( 1953 ) drug use work on the avant-garde art scene,! Impressed the director for Lost Angels Angeles and Bobby was offered his first audition the Pecos Bill of... The surface, this sounded like an enormously successful marriage, but it barely put a in. Packed with Henon & # x27 ; s parents were encouraged to help their son a. Time featured Driscoll and Luana Patten were the first film they needed Driscoll for was If you Susie... Nearly overnight the surface, this was easier said than done next role that the... For Driscoll, an insulation salesman and former schoolteacher family and supporters, with more they... Still determined to become an actor, who starred in films like Song of the early, Disney! Factinate, were dedicated to getting bobby driscoll family right on March 30, 1968, never... With getting abandoned by Hollywood model and provided the voice for the title role in Peter Pan 1953! And more kiting, and Isabelle Kratz Driscoll, this wasnt the case Disney... Atherosclerosis [ 57 ] from his drug use a former schoolteacher, Driscoll was working on Disneys version... Jane Wyman, Bobby Driscoll & # x27 ; s parents were encouraged to help their son a. Face, leading to even more film roles for the world around which!
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