There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. Although Catherine's successor Queen Anne Boleyn suffered an infamously dark fate, Aragon's own life was somehow even more tragic. He was last seen in small roles in TV series The Best of the Post and the crime series, The Brothers Brannagan, in 1960. Driscoll's mother, Isabelle, did not learn of her son's death until about two years later after she placed advertisements about his disappearance in New York newspapers. 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. View the profiles of people named Bobby Driscoll. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. late) 1967", "Semina Culture Wallace Berman & His Circle", "A Return Trip to a Faraway Place Called Underground", "Santa Monica Museum Of Art Official Homepage", "DIRT- Review and a downloadable clip of the so-called "Bath-sequence", "Hart Island (Potter's Field) Official Homepage (controlled by the "Department Of Correction" and inaccessible to visitors)", "With Re-Release Of Disney Film Child Star's Tragic Death Described", "Bobby Driscoll Won't Be Around For Reissue Of Song of the South", "Benjy Ferree Come Back To The Five and Dime", "Benjy Ferree Announces New Album, Channels Former Child Star Bobby Driscoll", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bobby_Driscoll&oldid=1140629992, University High School (Los Angeles) alumni, Articles with dead external links from September 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Episode: "S01, E15, The Ordeal of the S-38", Episode: "Incident of Fear in the Streets", Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten, hosted by Johnny Mercer, Bobby Driscoll, Luana Patten, Walt Disney and James Baskett, hosted by Johnny Mercer, Capitol Records (CDF 3000) narrated by John Beal, RCA Victor (Y-416) narrated by Bobby Driscoll, Byron Haskin interviewed by Joe Adamson, The Directors Guild Of America and The Scarecrow Press, Inc. Metuchen, N.Y. and London, 1984, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 00:36. Driscolls time with Disney was running out. First famous now infamous. Thanks to the money he saved up while working for Disney, Driscoll had the cash to experiment with a wide variety of drugs, and his experiments led him down a dark path with no return. News of Driscolls end finally went public, four years after tragedy took the young mans life. His unclaimed body was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in New York City's Potter's Field on Hart Island. This was the final nail in the coffin for Driscolls life and career. Robert Cletus Driscoll was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1937. Outside of his career, Driscolls private life was going just as poorly. No identification was on the body, and photos shown around the neighborhood yielded no positive identification. His parents again sent him to his earlier school, where he completed his graduation in 1955. [10] Patten and he appeared with Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers in the live-action teaser for the Pecos Bill segment of Disney's cartoon compilation Melody Time (also 1948). 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. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Des Moines,[1] where they stayed until early 1943. 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. His casting was suggested by screenwriter Michael Kanin. Their barber's son, an actor, got Bobby an audition at MGM for a role in the family drama Lost Angel (1943), which starred Margaret O'Brien. [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. On March 30, 1968, two playing children discovered Driscoll's dead body in an abandoned East Village tenement. His contract was terminated three years earlier in 1953, and he found it difficult to get work in other studios. The couple had two daughters and a son. Bobby Driscoll was born Robert Cletus Driscoll on March 3, 1937. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. Both Driscolls family and Disney received hefty fines, and they ordered Driscoll out of the country. But this was only the beginning. Eventually, Driscoll convinced his parents to re-enroll him to the Hollywood Professional School, where his grades improved. Driscoll wasnt going to take that lying down, however. Bobby Driscoll was an American child actor and artist, known for his film and TV performances from 1943 to 1960. He briefly worked as a carpenter and cared for the young children he had with his ex-wife. He had the acting chops and the singing talent, but his Broadway career was largely unsuccessful. [18] He was at the perfect age for the role, but because of a story rights ownership dispute with Hollywood producer David O. Selznick, who had previously produced the property in 1938, Disney ultimately had to cancel the entire project. By all accounts, he was your average little kid living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. [19] Driscoll also was scheduled to portray a youthful follower of Robin Hood following Treasure Island, again with Robert Newton, who would play Friar Tuck,[20] but Driscoll's run-in with British immigration made this impossible.[21]. He appeared in a variety of anthology and drama series, such as Dragnet (a crime drama) and Medic (the OG medical drama). Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. Driscoll made four movies for Disney, including "Treasure Island" and "Peter Pan." This is a business registration address for Paul Wink. After a final appearance in Piero Heliczer's Underground short Dirt (1965) in 1965 and a short art-period at Andy Warhol's so-called Factory, he disappeared into the underground, thoroughly dispirited, funds depleted. He left his family at 16 and moved to New York City to study acting. He portrayed a boy that could whistle while standing on his head in Sunday Dinner for a Soldier, acted across Richard Arlen as his kid brother in The Big Bonanza, and portrayed Percy Maxima trouble-making childin So Goes My Love. At the same time, Driscoll was working on another projectand it defined his entire career. Full Real Name. Current occupation is listed as Retired. Sadly, the story of Bobby Driscoll does not end with happily ever after., Adorable Facts About Shirley Temple, Hollywoods Biggest Child Star, Wild Facts About Howard Hughes, The Most Eccentric Man In Hollywood, Bloody Facts About Ivan the Terrible, The Mad Tsar Of Russia, More People Need To Know About Nell Gwyn, Englands X-Rated Cinderella, These Eerie Supernatural Experiences Sent A Chill Down Our Spines, Plot Twist: These Surprise Endings Made Our Jaws Hit The Floor. Other studios quickly saw Driscolls potential too, and the boy soon had more roles than he knew what to do with. He believed they were precocious, fake, and very annoying. 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. Driscoll tried to remain relevant in Hollywood by appearing in several TV shows for years; however, he had already passed his peak and was on the decline. and then convincing in anything he ever undertook on the movie screen and on television throughout his career spanning 17 years (1943-1960). They charged him, but once again, the charges didnt stick. He was awarded Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street, in 1960. When The Window hit theaters, itand more importantly, Driscolls performancewas a hit with audiences. . There was simply no way Disney could complete Treasure Island without DriscollOr so it seemed. Still determined to become an actor, Driscoll left his parents home at 16. I was carried on a silver platterand then dumped into the garbage."[49]. After three years of taking on minor acting roles, Driscoll got the chance of a lifetime when he caught the eye of the one and only Walt Disney. Bobby Driscoll Died Broke in Abandoned House at 31 & His Mom Only Found out over a Year Later By Oyin Balogun Oct 16, 2021 06:00 P.M. Bobby Driscoll was a child star who won an Oscar at 12 and eventually passed away alone in an abandoned house. Voice of 1953 Disney's Peter Pan. Most still thought of Driscoll as Disneys kid actor, which made it nearly impossible for Driscoll to find work as a serious character actor. One day in 1953, Driscoll drove up to the entrance of Disney Studios as usual, only to find his way blocked. Now nicknamed by the American press as Walt Disney's "Sweetheart Team",[8] Driscoll and Patten starred together in So Dear to My Heart (1948) with Burl Ives and Beulah Bondi. In the mid-1950s, Driscoll's acting career began to decline, and he turned primarily to guest appearances on anthology TV series. As it was common practice in this business, Driscoll and Luana Patten also did promotional radio gigs (starting in late 1946 for Song of the South) and toured the country for various parades and charity events through the years. This strategy was only mildly successful. Bobby Driscoll: his birthday, what he did before fame, his family life, fun trivia facts, popularity rankings, and more. She reached out to Disney for help, which eventually led her to the NYPD. After that, Driscoll started having run-ins with the law. He essayed main roles in a number of Disney movies, and earned a special Juvenile Academy Award for Outstanding Juvenile Actor of 1949. Under the contract, Driscoll was occasionally loaned to other studios, but he largely remained a Disney Star. He became famous as the voice of Peter Pan, and also modeled as a reference for this hit Disney movie. Bobby Driscoll was a natural-born actor. Unfortunate circumstances made it difficult to keep Driscolls memory alive, however. Husbands hiding things from wives, mothers from children, and generation from generation. He was born in a pretty normal household, but he was nothing but regular; he had something in it. The award made Driscoll even more valuable in the eyes of Uncle Walt, and it led to Driscolls next big Disney hit. [13], So Dear to My Heart and The Window earned Driscoll a special Juvenile Academy Award in March 1950 as the outstanding juvenile actor of 1949. March 1, 2021 - 7:01AM Former Disney child star Bobby Driscoll rose to fame at age 9 as "the first human being signed for Disney Productions." He won a Juvenile Oscar at age 12 and went on to voice the title role in 1953's animated film Peter Pan at age 16, but met a tragic end. The film was incredibly receivedbut in an ironic twist, its success ended up being Driscolls downfall. This put Driscoll and the entire production in a sticky situation. He wanted Driscoll gone, and sadly the boy's morphing features were enough grounds. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Occasionally, the director overdoes things a bit in striving for shock effectsBut "The Window" is Bobby Driscoll's picture, make no mistake about that. [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. Driscolls moment of peace was painfully brief. He starred in some of the Walt Disney Studios' best-known live-action pictures of that period: Song of the South (1946), So Dear to My Heart (1949), and Treasure Island (1950), as well as RKO's The Window (1949). After Disney kicked Driscoll to the curb, his parents withdrew him from the Hollywood Professional School, an institution that served child actors. 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. Driscoll planned on starting over, but life had other plans for him. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Des Moines, where they stayed until early 1943. -. Driscoll was born on March 3, 1937, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Isabelle (ne Kratz), a former school teacher, and Cletus, an insulation salesman. Disney still kept Driscoll on their payroll, but it was clear that they were losing interest in their once-favorite kid actor. It was planned as Disney's first all-live-action movie, with production beginning immediately after Song of the South,[9] but its release was delayed until late 1948 to meet the demands of Disney's co-producer and longtime distributor RKO Radio Pictures for animated content in the film. Their barber's son, an actor, got Bobby an audition at MGM for a role in the family drama Lost Angel (1943), which starred Margaret O'Brien. In 1965, a year after his parole expired, Driscoll made the decision to relocate to New York City. Son of Cletus Joseph Driscoll and Isabelle Louise Driscoll Actor Bobby Driscoll at age12 in a studio portrait taken in 1950 | Source: Wikimedia Commons/ NBC Television Network, Bobby Driscoll 1950, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons, It turned out the barber's son was in showbiz, which made it easy to get an appointment with his agent, who helped Driscoll land a small role opposite Margaret O'Brien in the 1943 film "Lost Angel.". [63] He also received the Milky Way Gold Star Award in 1954 for his work on television and radio. In 1956, the authorities took him in and charged him with possession of marijuana. In 1956, Driscoll eloped with his long-time girlfriend, Marilyn Jeanne Rush, to Mexico, in the hopes of avoiding their parents' objection, but this marriage was later annulled. His parents had normal, respectable jobs. His role for the production was enormously important: not only did he voice the titular Peter, but he also served as the reference model for the films close-ups. The other film RKO had in mind for Driscoll, however, presented a whole new challenge for the child actor. He starred in some of the Walt Disney Studios' best-known live-action pictures of that period, such as Song of the South (1946), So Dear to My Heart (1949), The Window (1949), and Treasure Island (1950). The courtroom is packed with Henon's family and supporters, with more . He had been getting a trim in a barber's shop in Pasadena when one barber told him he should be in the movies. Late in 1961, he was sentenced as a drug addict and imprisoned at the Narcotic Rehabilitation Center of the California Institution for Men in Chino, California. We know that Angie D Parrish, Paul Wing, and three other persons also lived at this address, perhaps within a different time frame. Hicks said Driscoll declined due to family conflicts while Hora and Sherman did not respond. Bobby Driscoll is best known as TV Actor who has born on March 03, 1937 in Cedar Rapids, IA. Browse through Bobby's personal letters, written to friends, family, and people of notoriety. [30], After Driscoll left the Disney studios, his parents withdrew him from the Hollywood Professional School, which served child movie actors,[31][32][33][34] and sent him to the public West Los Angeles University High School, instead. At the time, Disneys finances were in shambles thanks to WWII and desperately needed the film to do well. The feature was filmed in the United Kingdom, and during production, Driscoll was found to not have a valid British work permit, so his family and Disney were fined and ordered to leave the country. In 1972, Disney re-released Song of the South, which reignited public interest in Driscoll, the smiling little boy in the film that brought Disney back from the verge of bankruptcy. [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]). Driscolls new acting agent put out the feelers for roles that suited little Driscoll, and soon found the perfect part for him in an upcoming MGM Studios film called Lost Angels. "[39] In 1956, he was arrested for the first time for possession of marijuana, but the charge was dismissed. Father of Private; Private and Private. The award was presented as a special miniature Oscar statuette for "the outstanding juvenile actor of 1949" for his roles in So Dear to My Heart and The Window, both released that year. Driscoll was very talented, but he did not know that it all hinged on his facial features. The agent starts working, landing Bobby Driscoll a bit role opposite Margaret O'Brien in the 1943 film Lost Angel. The sentencing hearing for former City Councilmember Bobby Henon is underway in the Philadelphia federal courthouse. His last known appearances on TV were small roles in two single-season series: The Best of the Post, a syndicated anthology series adapted from stories published in The Saturday Evening Post magazine, and The Brothers Brannagan, an unsuccessful crime series starring Stephen Dunne and Mark Roberts. Released in early 1962, rehabilitated and eager to make a comeback, Bobby was ignored by the very industry that once had raised and nurtured him, because of his record as a convict and former drug addict. After the termination of Disney contract, Driscoll was taken out of Hollywood Professional School, and was sent to the University High School, where he was not accepted by other students. Between 1948 and 1957, he performed on a number of radio productions, which included a special broadcast version of Treasure Island in January 1951 and of Peter Pan in December 1953. At one point, Bobby became part of The Factory, Andy Warhol's art collective in Greenwich Village, New York. In no time I was using whatever was available mostly heroin, because I had the money to pay for it. 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. The former Disney child star who rose to fame at age 9 as "the first human being signed for Disney Productions,". As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure. [22] Driscoll was cast with Disney's "Little British Lady" Kathryn Beaumont, who was in the role of Wendy Darling; he was used as the reference model for the close-ups and provided Peter Pan's voice, and dancer and choreographer Roland Dupree was the model for the character's motion. After his premature dismissal, he was enrolled in a public high school where his peers teased him. Disney put a lot of faith into Driscoll for the film, and it definitely paid off. Driscoll was loaned to RKO Studios for the 1949 suspense film, The Window. The film became a hit and Driscolls work was applauded. The film is now available . He was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on 1937-03-03. While on tour across the studio lot, five-year-old Driscoll noticed a mock-up ship and asked where the water was. Driscoll still had Robin Hood to look forward to, at leastRight? 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 They managed to identify Driscoll through his fingerprints, which led them to Hart Island. The only child of his parents, he initially grew up in Des Moines, and in 1943, because of his fathers work-related ailment, the family moved to Altadena, California. Despite being one of Disney's first and most successful child stars, Driscoll has never been enshrined as a Disney Legend. The real tragedy of Bobby Driscoll was the fact that no one identified his body. 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. Following Driscolls runaway success in Song of the South, Disney immediately ordered for production on So Dear to My Heart to begin. Here are details about the life he lived. At a very young age, Bobby Driscoll made huge waves as a part of the early, extended Disney family. 'Treasure Island became a worldwide hit and many new projects were planned with Driscoll as the lead, but somehow they didnt work-out. Picture of child star Bobby Driscoll | Photo: Getty Images. The New York Times credited the films success wholly to Driscolls performance, stating that The Window is Bobby Driscolls picture, make no mistake about it. At just ten years old, Driscoll proved to the world that he had what it took to be an exceptional actor, and it led to one of the biggest highlights of his career. Facebook gives people the power. Bobby Driscoll had a great start in life, but somewhere along the line, he went off track, and according to his friend Billy Gray, it was a choice he made. In an incredibly sad twist, Driscolls work with Disney made it incredibly difficult for the young actor to find roles. He landed his debut role in "Lost Angels . 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). Driscoll and Luana Patten were the first two actors Walt Disney placed under contract. Perhaps Driscoll hoped that Rush would change him for the better, but what actually happened was far, far worse. After years of working for the studio, Disney dropped Driscoll like a hot coal, forcing the young man to find work elsewhere. Driscoll was born an only child to an insulation salesman and former schoolteacher. Ex-husband of Marilyn Verna Driscoll Driscoll lucked out this time, but his luck ran out the following year. | Photo: Getty Images. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. When a doctor . Driscoll appeared in The Scarlet Coat in 1955, and then The Party Crashers (1958). Disney slated Driscoll for two more films: Tom Sawyer and Robin Hood. Age (2022) Update Soon. Discovered by chance at the age of five-and-a-half in a barber shop in Altadena, CA. The young boy had it all, but unfortunately, his snafu with the British authorities had a bigger impact on his career than Driscoll couldve imagined. Driscoll played Eddie Cantor's screen son in the RKO Studios musical comedy If You Knew Susie (also 1948), in which he teamed with former Our Gang member Margaret Kerry. While on a tour on the studio lot, Driscoll noticed a mock-up ship and curiously asked where the water was. The story of how Driscoll went from that talented child to the man he became is a very sad one. Bobby Driscoll Age & Birthday. His grades suffered for it, but he graduated. When she's not writing, Rebecca can be found buried under too many blankets with a hot cup of tea. Additional screen portrayals included the boy who could blow his whistle while standing on his head in Sunday Dinner for a Soldier, the "child brother" of Richard Arlen in The Big Bonanza (both 1944), and young Percy Maxim in So Goes My Love (1946),[5] with Don Ameche and Myrna Loy. In 1960, Driscolls life fell apart all at once. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. 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. By the age of 17, he began taking drugs regularly. After making his screen debut, he got a role in a 20th Century Fox war film, The Fighting Sullivans (1944), wherein he essayed the youngest of 5 brothers, Al Sullivan. In Sunday Dinner for a Soldier (1944), he played the boy who could blow his whistle while standing on head, and in the same year he played young brother of Richard Arlen in The Big Bonanza., In 1946, Driscoll portrayed Percy Maxim in So Goes My Love. The other movies in which he played small parts, included Identify Unknown, From This Day Forward, O.S.S., and Miss Susie Slagles., Driscoll was one of the first two actors to sign contract with Walt Disney. The first live-action/animated film of Disney, Song of the South (1946), had Driscoll as its lead actor. When his face was no longer as charming, and his voice had become unsuitable to be used for voice-over jobs, things began to go awry. . 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. He starred in . [47], He was charged with disturbing the peace and assault with a deadly weapon, the latter after hitting one of two hecklers with a pistol who had made insulting remarks while he was washing a girlfriend's car; the charges were dropped.[48]. Unfortunately for Driscoll, Walts affection seemed to run dry after the filming of Peter Pan, and it led to the young actors early decline. [11], Driscoll was lent to RKO[12] to star in The Window, based on Cornell Woolrich's short story "The Boy Cried Murder". The Life of Bobby Driscoll Robert Cletus "Bobby" Driscoll was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 3rd, 1937, to parents Cletus (1901-1969), an insulation salesman, and Isabelle (Kratz) (1897-1972), a former schoolteacher. [60][61][62], Driscoll received an Academy Juvenile Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the 22nd Academy Awards presentation in 1950. 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. The story of this child actor, who starred in films like Song of the South and Peter Pan, is a heart-wrenching one. 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. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. Both were originally aired on November 5, 1960. Bobby was born March 3rd, 1937 in Iowa. This revelation comes from a friend of the late voice actor, Billy Gray. "[36][37] At his request, Driscoll's parents returned him the next year to Hollywood Professional School, where in May 1955 he graduated.[38]. From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. After leaving the center in 1962, he tried in vain to search for work. In 1950, Disney cast Driscoll as Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island, the studios first all live-action film. Driscoll's brief, two-minute debut[4] helped him win the role of young Al Sullivan, the youngest of the five Sullivan brothers, in the 20th Century Fox's World War II drama The Fighting Sullivans (1944) with Thomas Mitchell and Anne Baxter. Field on Hart Island from a friend of the country Driscoll was fact!, 1960 at a very young age, Bobby Driscoll was loaned to other studios time I carried! 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High school where his grades suffered for it 's successor Queen bobby driscoll family suffered... Essayed bobby driscoll family roles in a pretty normal household, but what actually was... Not respond people of notoriety inbox daily the contract, Driscoll left his family at 16 was the!, IA Disney family anything he ever undertook on the movie screen and on television throughout career. Only to find roles Driscoll hoped that Rush would change him for the suspense. # x27 ; s Peter Pan, and it definitely paid off debut role in & quot ; Lost.! For each fact all accounts, he was arrested for the film to do with like of... In Altadena, CA happened was far, far worse no identification was on the movie screen and on and! Other film RKO had in mind for Driscoll, however its lead actor of 17, began... Buried in an unmarked pauper 's grave in New York City 's 's. Although Catherine 's successor Queen Anne Boleyn suffered an infamously dark fate Aragon...