During production, the big wigs of RKO pictures were so impressed by Driscolls talent that they borrowed him for two vastly different films. We know that Angie D Parrish, Paul Wing, and three other persons also lived at this address, perhaps within a different time frame. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. 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. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. As a child,. Five-year-old Driscoll was getting a trim when the barber remarked to his parents that Driscoll should be in the movies. The barber then connected them to his son, who was an actor himself. With little choice, Driscoll tried to fit in with the other kids at the West Los Angeles University High School, and the results were utterly heartbreaking. In 1965, a year after his parole expired, Driscoll made the decision to relocate to New York City. Rebecca had her start in writing in elementary school, when a short story she wrote was published in her school's yearbook; she's been chasing the thrill of having her works published ever since. 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. [56], On March 30, 1968, two boys playing in a deserted East Village tenement at 371 East 10th St. found Driscoll's body lying on a cot, with two empty beer bottles and religious pamphlets scattered on the ground. The best revenge might be living well, but that doesn't mean we can always turn the other cheek. Born In: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States, Spouse/Ex-: Marilyn Jean Rush (m. 1956 - div. Bobby Driscoll was Disney's first fallen child star whose rejection and eventual self-sabotage led him to a bizarre and unfortunate early death. With puberty came a severe case of acne, whichthrough no fault of his ownmarred the boys flawless face. His last big movie hit was from his voice-over of animated "Peter Pan" in 1953. [54][55], In 1965, early in his tenure at the Factory, Driscoll gave his last known film performance, in experimental filmmaker Piero Heliczer's underground movie Dirt. It was so popular that Driscoll reprised his role the following year for a radio adaption of the movie. He tried to seek serious acting roles. View final resting place and family links here. 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. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. His parents had normal, respectable jobs. The two had two daughters and one son. At one point, Bobby became part of The Factory, Andy Warhol's art collective in Greenwich Village, New York. [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. 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. He and his co-star Luana Patten became child-stars and the media dubbed them as Walt Disneys Sweetheart Team.. In ill health from his substance abuse, and with his funds depleted, his body was discovered on March 30, 1968, in an abandoned building in the East Village of Manhattan. Driscoll and his wife separated, then officially divorced in 1960. Bobby Driscoll pictured in 1949. At the time, Disneys finances were in shambles thanks to WWII and desperately needed the film to do well. 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. The agent starts working, landing Bobby Driscoll a bit role opposite Margaret O'Brien in the 1943 film Lost Angel. The courtroom is packed with Henon's family and supporters, with more . Bobby Driscoll was a natural-born actor. What Driscoll did was simple, but revealed a curiosity for the world around him which deeply impressed the director for Lost Angels. A post mortem examination determined that he had died from heart failure caused by advanced atherosclerosis[57] from his drug use. In the mid-1950s, Driscoll's acting career began to decline, and he turned primarily to guest appearances on anthology TV series. Age (2022) Update Soon. The young actors days of taking on small movie roles were officially overbut this new life would eventually lead him down a dark and dangerous path. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. Believed to be an unclaimed and homeless person, he was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave on Hart Island, where he remains. 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. There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. 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. 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. As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure. Bobby Driscoll was an American child actor known for a large body of cinema and TV performances from 1943 to 1960. In his biography on Disney, Marc Elliot described Driscoll as the producer's favorite "live action" child star: "Walt often referred to Driscoll with great affection as the living embodiment of his own youth". Although the charges were dismissed, this event marked the beginning of Driscolls many future encounters with the law. The film turned Driscoll and his co-star Luana Patten into child stars, and they were discussed for a special Academy Award as the best child actors of the year, but for the year of its release, no juvenile awards were presented at all.[7]. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Cast with Charles Boyer, Marsha Hunt, Louis Jourdan, and Kurt Kasznar, he played the juvenile offspring of a patriarch in Quebec of the 1920s, the character upon whom the plot centered. He lent his voice to Goofy Jr.s character in Disneys Fathers are People (1951) and Fathers Lion (1952). But all the more tragic, then, was his fruitless struggle to find a place in a pitiless adolescent world after severe acne had stalled his acting career at 16. . The Fighting Sullivans (1944), 20th Century Fox. It took even longer for news of Driscolls passing to reach the public. First famous now infamous. He took on the double role of Danny/Josh Reed in When I Grow Upand made a brief guest appearance in Disneys first televised Christmas show, One Hour in Wonderland. [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. An examination revealed that Driscoll passed from heart failure directly related to his drug usage. Also Known As: Robert Cletus Driscoll Died At Age: 31 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Marilyn Jean Rush (m. 1956 - div. 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. Academy Award-winning actor of Disney films in the 40s and early 50s who died from a drug overdose. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. [25] During a project meeting following the completion of Peter Pan, though, Disney stated that he now saw Driscoll as best suited for roles as a young bully rather than a likeable protagonist. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. His casting was suggested by screenwriter Michael Kanin. Via Wikimedia Commons at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bobby_Driscoll_1950.jpg, Cause of death: Heart failure, Myocardial infarction - Mar 30 1968 - East Village, Mar 3 1937 - Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, United States, Cletus Joseph Driscoll, Isabella Isabelle Louise Driscoll, Mar 3 1937 - Cedar Rapids, Linn, Iowa, United States, Mar 30 1968 - New York City, New York, United States, Mar 30 1968 - East Village, United States, Apr 1 1950 - Tley, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States, Mar 3 1937 - Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, United States of America, Mar 30 1968 - New York, New York County (Manhattan), New York, United States of America, Driscoll, Driscoll, Driscoll, Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, United States, 371 East 10th Street, East Village, Manhattan, New York County, New York, United States, Hart Island, Bronx County, New York, United States, U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007. But Bobby Driscollwho was the voice and the animation model for the studio's 1953 animated classic Peter Pan had an experience with the company that was particularly bleak. Father of Private; Private and Private. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Des Moines,[1] where they stayed until early 1943. [40] On July 24, 1956, Hedda Hopper wrote in the Los Angeles Times: "This could cost this fine lad and good actor his career. 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. On top of that, the head honchos at Disney planned more film projects involving Driscoll. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. On March 30, 1968, two boys found his body in an abandoned East Village tenement. Bobby Driscoll starred in Song of the South, Melody Time, Treasure Island, and most notably was the voice and reference model for Peter Pan. Son of Cletus Joseph Driscoll and Isabelle Louise Driscoll 22nd Academy Award Ceremony of March 23, 1950 excerpt, Donald O'Connor presenting Bobby Driscoll his Oscar, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, "Hot-Rod Stage Shares Affections of Bobby Driscoll", "Lost Angel Bobby's very first filmrole", "That Little Girl in 'Song of the South' a Big Girl Now", "So Dear to My Heart actual production dates", "The Window, "Depicting Terror of Boy in Fear of His Life", "British Court Upholds Bobby Driscoll Fine", "Walt Disney Will Follow Up 'Treasure Island', "Disney Again to Wed Cartoons, Live Action", "Memorablia & Collectibles (signed production photographs with detailed captions", "$300-A-Week Smile There Is a Film Santa", "New Contract For Boy Film Actor Approved". In 1968, his body was found in a desolate building, just after his 31st birthday. [29], In 1947, he recorded a special version of "So Dear to My Heart" at Capitol Records. Bobby Driscoll: his birthday, what he did before fame, his family life, fun trivia facts, popularity rankings, and more. Instead, Driscoll found a place beside an extremely unlikely and eccentric individual: the artist Andy Warhol. 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. [42] They had two daughters and one son, but the relationship did not last. He was discovered in a barbershop when he was 5 years old, and cast in films including Song of the South and So . 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. and then convincing in anything he ever undertook on the movie screen and on television throughout his career spanning 17 years (1943-1960). Although Driscoll did much to bolster Disney during a time of crisis, he is still, to this day, not a part of Disney Legends, the Disney equivalent of a Hall of Fame. Things came to a head when Driscoll hit puberty. No identification was on the body, and photos shown around the neighborhood yielded no positive identification. After filming wrapped up for The Window, Driscolls career hit a major snag. Driscoll even had the honor of voicing Goofy Jr. in two Disney cartoon shorts, Fathers are People and Fathers Lion. I tried desperately to be one of the gang. He was born Robert Cletus Driscoll in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the only child of Cletus (19011969), an insulation salesman, and Isabelle (ne Kratz; 19041981), a former schoolteacher. In no time I was using whatever was available mostly heroin, because I had the money to pay for it. It's also the final resting place of Bobby Driscoll, who became a household name at the age of 9 with a starring role in Disney's controversial Song of the South. His grades dropped and he began taking drugs. 1957 - m. 1957 - div. | Photo: Getty Images. Instead, they sent Driscoll to West Los Angeles University High School. Critics praised Driscolls work, with some of his art even being temporarily displayed in Los Angeles in the Santa Monica Museum of Art. During the middle of production, authorities discovered that Driscoll did not have a valid British work permit. By early 1962, Driscolls prison sentence ended, but it utterly destroyed his chances of becoming an actor ever again. At the same time, Driscoll was working on another projectand it defined his entire career. He wanted Driscoll gone, and sadly the boy's morphing features were enough grounds. The first film they needed Driscoll for was If You Knew Susie, a comedy musical that was right up Driscolls alley. 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. Advertisement At just five and a half, Robert Cletus Driscoll was discovered in a Los Angeles barbershop as he was getting his haircut. When they rejected me, I fought back, became belligerent and cockyand was afraid all the time. Bobby Driscoll's full name is Robert Cletus Driscoll and his nickname is Bobby Driscoll. 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. Unfortunately, Driscoll's fans had no idea about his sad fate until 1972 when the Disney film "Song of the South," featured in, was re-released. According to him, his personality took a turn for the worse during his marriage, and his dwindling career soon followed suit. Driscoll and Luana Patten were the first two actors Walt Disney placed under contract. One year after his parole got over, he moved to New York in 1965, where he tried but didnt find work in Broadway. He began working at Andy Warhols The Factory. Some of his art was displayed at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. His last film performance was in the 1965 movie Dirt by Piero Heliczer. His drug use increased; in an interview years later, he stated, "I was 17 when I first experimented with the stuff. One day in 1953, Driscoll drove up to the entrance of Disney Studios as usual, only to find his way blocked. 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. By all accounts, he was your average little kid living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Sadly, these small successes were not enough to turn Driscolls life aroundand for one devastating reason. Driscoll wasnt going to take that lying down, however. In 1960, Driscolls life fell apart all at once. The authorities in the United Kingdom allowed Driscoll six weeks to prepare an appeal. The real tragedy of Bobby Driscoll was the fact that no one identified his body. [58][59], Late in 1969, Driscoll's mother sought the help of officials at Disney studios to contact him, for a hoped-for reunion with his father, who was nearing death. . After Disney kicked Driscoll to the curb, his parents withdrew him from the Hollywood Professional School, an institution that served child actors. He became addicted to narcotics, and was sentenced to prison for illicit drug use. He served as the animation model and provided the voice for the title role in Peter Pan (1953). Driscoll was born on March 3, 1937, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Isabelle (ne Kratz), a former school teacher, and Cletus, an insulation salesman. Beginning in 1953 and for most of the next three years, the bulk of his work was on television, on such anthology and drama series as Fireside Theater, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Front Row Center, Navy Log, TV Reader's Digest, Climax!, Ford Theatre, Studio One, Dragnet, Medic, and Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre. They managed to identify Driscoll through his fingerprints, which led them to Hart Island. By all accounts, he was your average little kid living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 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. 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. Thanks for your time! 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. 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. Ex-husband of Marilyn Verna Driscoll He appeared in a variety of anthology and drama series, such as Dragnet (a crime drama) and Medic (the OG medical drama). It wasnt until one year later that Driscolls family learned of his passing, and the results were agonizingly tragic. Driscoll was loaned to RKO Studios for the 1949 suspense film, The Window. The film became a hit and Driscolls work was applauded. Occasionally, the director overdoes things a bit in striving for shock effectsBut "The Window" is Bobby Driscoll's picture, make no mistake about that. 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. The story of this child actor, who starred in films like Song of the South and Peter Pan, is a heart-wrenching one. They took him in for drug possession, battery, burglary, check kiting, and more. Over the next year, Driscoll ran into trouble with the authorities again and again. I was carried on a silver platterand then dumped into the garbage."[49]. His life became more and more a roller coaster ride that included several encounters with the law and his eventual sentencing as a drug addict in October 1961. [14][15], Driscoll was cast to play Jim Hawkins in Walt Disney's version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island (1950), with British actor Robert Newton as Long John Silver, the studio's first all-live-action picture. At a very young age, Bobby Driscoll made huge waves as a part of the early, extended Disney family. 202 Sharp Drv, Gadsden, AL 35903-1448 is the residential address for Bobby. He became addicted to narcotics, and was sentenced to prison for illicit drug use. Driscoll still had Robin Hood to look forward to, at leastRight? Although his name appears on his father's gravestone at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside, California, his remains are still on 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). Bobby Driscoll was a natural-born actor. Picture of child star Bobby Driscoll | Photo: Getty Images. In December 1956, Driscoll eloped with his girlfriend Marilyn Jean Rush to Mexico and they got married. David Derks. Not only did it turn him into a certified child star, but it also made him the first male actor to secure a contract with Disney. Reporters looking into Driscoll discovered the ghastly tale of Driscolls career and his end. The film was incredibly receivedbut in an ironic twist, its success ended up being Driscolls downfall. Films: Song of the South, Treasure Island. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Actor: Peter Pan. Bobby Driscoll is American by birth. He was last seen in small roles in TV series The Best of the Post and the crime series, The Brothers Brannagan, in 1960. [63] He also received the Milky Way Gold Star Award in 1954 for his work on television and radio. Audiences warmly received Driscoll and his pert nose and freckled face, leading to even more film roles for the seven-year-old actor. "The Bobby Henon I know is an individual who cares very deeply about making life better for our most vulnerable citizens and creating opportunity for the people who never had any before," Rendell wrote to the judge, adding that he knows . The former Disney child star who rose to fame at age 9 as "the first human being signed for Disney Productions,". He portrayed a young version of Al Sullivan, one of five close-knit brothers growing up in Iowa during the dark days of the Great Depression. Hughes was not a big fan of Driscoll and Hollywood kids in general. While on a tour on the studio lot, Driscoll noticed a mock-up ship and curiously asked where the water was. Were always looking for your input! 'Treasure Island became a worldwide hit and many new projects were planned with Driscoll as the lead, but somehow they didnt work-out. | Photo: Getty Images. A severe case of acne accompanying the onset of puberty,[27] explaining why it was necessary for Driscoll to use heavy makeup for his performances on dozens of TV shows, was officially provided as the final reason for the termination of his connection with the Disney Studios. He also worked on radio shows, including special broadcast versions of Treasure Island (1951), and Peter Pan (1953). Discovered by chance at the age of five-and-a-half in a barber shop in Altadena, CA. His weekly payment at Disney Studios was raised to $1,750. It certainly wasnt the best experience Driscoll had with a production, but it barely put a dent in Driscolls success. Other studios quickly saw Driscolls potential too, and the boy soon had more roles than he knew what to do with. Here are details about the life he lived. In the 1952 comedy, The Happy Time, based on a Broadway play, Driscoll played the role of Robert Bibi Bonnard. In Walt Disneys animated Peter Pan, he lent his voice to Peter Pan and worked as reference model for close-ups. 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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-2lkEFwiL0. Nationality. This decision kept Driscolls career alivefor now. [23][24] Scenes were played on an almost empty sound stage, with only the most essential props, and filmed for use by the animators. Bobby Driscoll posed in costume during filming of the film "Treasure Island" in England in December 1949. While those roles got Driscolls acting career rolling, it was his next role that took the little boys career to the next level. Hughes dismissed Driscoll later in 1953, and he did so in a terrible manner by denying Driscoll entry into the studio. Driscoll planned on starting over, but life had other plans for him. Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. [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. They treated me as one apart. Driscoll, an insulation salesman, and Isabelle Kratz Driscoll, a former schoolteacher. 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. 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. "A barber in Pasadena told me I should be in the movies, so one. Driscoll and Rush eloped in Mexico, although both sets of parents objected to their union. April 26, 2020. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? Unfortunate circumstances made it difficult to keep Driscolls memory alive, however. 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. Was 5 years old, and Peter Pan, is a heart-wrenching one all accounts he... When they rejected me, I fought back, became belligerent and cockyand was afraid all time. Denying Driscoll entry into the garbage. `` [ 49 ] beloved.... Small successes were not enough to turn Driscolls life fell apart all at once dent Driscolls... 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