Also Known As: Robert Cletus Driscoll Died At Age: 31 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Marilyn Jean Rush (m. 1956 - div. Bobby Driscoll pictured in 1949. 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. The best revenge might be living well, but that doesn't mean we can always turn the other cheek. He was best known for being a TV Actor. [6] Driscoll then played the lead character in Song of the South (1946), which introduced live action into the producer's films in conjunction with extensive animated footage. In December 1956, Driscoll and his longtime girlfriend, Marilyn Jean Rush (occasionally misspelled as "Brush"), eloped to Mexico to marry despite their parents' objections. After a few years of experimenting with drugs, Driscoll became a full-blown addict. While Driscoll was the perfect age for the role of Tom Sawyer, legal disputes over the Tom Sawyer story forced Disney to cancel the project altogether, leaving Driscoll high and dry. His parents had normal, respectable jobs. 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. When a doctor . She asked for help from Disney Studio officials and a fingerprint match led to Driscolls grave on Hart Island. "[36][37] At his request, Driscoll's parents returned him the next year to Hollywood Professional School, where in May 1955 he graduated.[38]. This was the final nail in the coffin for Driscolls life and career. The New York Times credited Driscoll with the film's success:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, The mounting terror of a young boy who lives in mortal fear of his life is projected with remarkable verisimilitude by 12-year-old Bobby Driscoll in "The Window," which opened on Saturday at the Victoria. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. However, this wasnt the end of the humiliation that Driscoll had to face. It took even longer for news of Driscolls passing to reach the public. "[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. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. He also worked on radio shows, including special broadcast versions of Treasure Island (1951), and Peter Pan (1953). 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. 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 appeared in The Scarlet Coat in 1955, and then The Party Crashers (1958). 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. 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. 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. With Charles Boyer, Louis Jourdan, Marsha Hunt, Bobby Driscoll. Critics praised Driscolls work, with some of his art even being temporarily displayed in Los Angeles in the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Nothing about his early childhood indicated a future career with Walt Disney. He had reportedly been on a cot surrounded by beer bottles and religious handouts. 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. Instead of doing that, however, Driscoll took the sneaky route: He used the six-week buffer he had to hastily film all his close-ups. In New York City, Driscoll attempted to revive his career through Broadway. Bobby Driscoll. In the mid-1950s, Driscoll's acting career began to decline, and he turned primarily to guest appearances on anthology TV series. She reached out to Disney for help, which eventually led her to the NYPD. Hughes dismissed Driscoll later in 1953, and he did so in a terrible manner by denying Driscoll entry into the studio. [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. Later, he worked mainly in TV series and radio shows. By. -. He and his co-star Luana Patten became child-stars and the media dubbed them as Walt Disneys Sweetheart Team.. In some special star-focusing series, Driscoll appeared with Loretta Young, Gloria Swanson, and Jane Wyman. The teaser of the Pecos Bill section of Disneys 1948 cartoon collection Melody Time featured Driscoll and Patten. By Julie Miller May 23, 2022 "This. Driscoll was elected to Henon's Council seat in a special election following his conviction in 2021. In 1954, he was awarded a Milky Way Gold Star Award, chosen in a nationwide poll for his work on television and radio. After his dismissal, the now teenaged Driscoll looked to other Hollywood studios for work. He was released in 1962, rehabilitated, and ready to take on the world, but Hollywood ignored him because he was an ex-convict and former drug addict. The authorities in the United Kingdom allowed Driscoll six weeks to prepare an appeal. Following Driscolls runaway success in Song of the South, Disney immediately ordered for production on So Dear to My Heart to begin. 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. Between 1967 and the beginning of 1968, Driscoll left The Factory in a miserable state. The role was minor, but it was the start of many movies that capitalized on Driscoll's features, including his pert nose and freckled face. He left his family at 16 and moved to New York City to study acting. Discovered by chance at the age of five-and-a-half in a barber shop in Altadena, CA. An acquaintance helped the 5 year-old Driscoll with an audition at MGM for a minor role in 1943s Lost Angel. He overcame 40 aspirants to bag the role. When media tried to find the films main cast, they came to know about his death from his mother. Bobby Driscoll was a child star who won an Oscar at 12 and eventually passed away alone in an abandoned house. After his premature dismissal, he was enrolled in a public high school where his peers teased him. 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. His casting was suggested by screenwriter Michael Kanin. By early 1962, Driscolls prison sentence ended, but it utterly destroyed his chances of becoming an actor ever again. 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. His grades dropped and he began taking drugs. Remember Howard Hughes, the guy that initially dismissed Driscolls acting ability? When she's not writing, Rebecca can be found buried under too many blankets with a hot cup of tea. 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 Driscolls moment of peace was painfully brief. Driscoll found work as an artist in The Factory, Warhols New York City art studio. 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. He briefly worked as a carpenter and cared for the young children he had with his ex-wife. Father of Private; Private and Private. [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]. After years of working for the studio, Disney dropped Driscoll like a hot coal, forcing the young man to find work elsewhere. Whatever Warhols reasons were, Driscoll produced some outstanding pieces of art while working at The Factory, and for a short while, Driscolls life took a positive turn. 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. Bobby Driscoll and Connie Stevens in The Party Crashers (1958) After his appearance in The Party Crashers, the party truly started crashing around Driscoll. In 1969, Driscolls mother tried to search for him, as his father was nearing death. Driscoll lucked out this time, but his luck ran out the following year. Age (2022) Update Soon. 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. Driscolls past as a child actor made him a prime target for ridicule from the other students, resulting in his grades dropping. [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. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Des Moines,[1] where they stayed until early 1943. When it was released in May 1949, it became a surprise hit. Join Facebook to connect with Bobby Driscoll and others you may know. state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton was the sole Republican representing a part of Johnson County. 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. Bobby was born March 3rd, 1937 in Iowa. This was already sad enough, but it wasnt even the most tragic fact about his end. This decision kept Driscolls career alivefor now. Hughes was not a big fan of Driscoll and Hollywood kids in general. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from Life to Compact Cars and Trucks to A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius. Well get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics youre interested in. There was simply no way Disney could complete Treasure Island without DriscollOr so it seemed. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Des Moines, where they stayed until early 1943. Driscoll achieved fame at age 9 when he was cast in a starring role in the Disney controversial movie "Song of the South." Making distraction rewarding since 2017. While on tour across the studio lot, five-year-old Driscoll noticed a mock-up ship and asked where the water was. The other film RKO had in mind for Driscoll, however, presented a whole new challenge for the child actor. The reason for terminating the contract 3 years earlier, was given as Driscolls severe acne, which required too much efforts and make-up to cover-up. Fatal addiction to drugs destroyed Bobby Driscoll's brilliant career as a child star and left him for dead in an abandoned New York City tenement at age 31. 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. EXCLUSIVE: Billy Gray still has fond memories of his beloved pal Bobby Driscoll. The award Driscoll received was the Juvenile Academy Award, which is only awarded at the discretion of the Academys Board of Governors. 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. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. At the end of his six weeks, the authorities booted Driscoll and his family out of the country, and Disney filmed the rest of Driscolls scenes with a stand-in. With puberty came a severe case of acne, whichthrough no fault of his ownmarred the boys flawless face. Audiences warmly received Driscoll and his pert nose and freckled face, leading to even more film roles for the seven-year-old actor. From 1944 to 1946, Driscoll found work in films that needed a cute, gifted little boy. After that, Driscoll started having run-ins with the law. In an incredibly sad twist, Driscolls work with Disney made it incredibly difficult for the young actor to find roles. Full Real Name. In 1950, Disney cast Driscoll as Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island, the studios first all live-action film. Embittered by this, he said, "I have found that memories are not very useful. Believed to be an unclaimed and homeless person, he was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave on Hart Island, where he remains. "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". 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. Howard Hughes, an American investor that bought out RKO, thought the film was unworthy of release. To make things worse, he completely dismissed Driscoll, and thought of the young boy as not much of an actor. As a result, Driscolls film wasnt released until the following year, in May of 1949. During the middle of production, authorities discovered that Driscoll did not have a valid British work permit. To make matters worse, Disney distanced itself from Song of the South, as well as Peter Pan to a lesser degree, both films in which Driscoll played a pivotal role. This put Driscoll and the entire production in a sticky situation. For Driscoll, this was easier said than done. In the few short years he became a star, Driscoll never quite found his way or regained his footing. | Photo: Getty Images. While So Dear to My Heart didnt put quite as much pressure on Driscoll to perform well, the plot of the film closely mirrored Walt Disneys childhood, giving the filmand Driscolls role as young Jeremiaha special meaning to Walt. 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. 'Treasure Island became a worldwide hit and many new projects were planned with Driscoll as the lead, but somehow they didnt work-out. He believed they were precocious, fake, and very annoying. There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. Husbands hiding things from wives, mothers from children, and generation from generation. Driscoll was loaned to RKO Studios for the 1949 suspense film, The Window. The film became a hit and Driscolls work was applauded. Spring inspires lessons in love and life for a French family in 1920s Ottawa, especially for teenage Robert, who's blind to the attentions of an American neighbor girl, because he's infatuated with the beautiful new maid, fleeing life as a magician's assistant. After filming wrapped up for The Window, Driscolls career hit a major snag. While on a tour across the studio lot, five-year-old Driscoll noticed a mock-up ship and asked where the water was. 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. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. 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. It was so popular that Driscoll reprised his role the following year for a radio adaption of the movie. 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). I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. This resulted in a fingerprint match at the New York City Police Department, which located his burial on Hart Island. The real tragedy of Bobby Driscoll was the fact that no one identified his body. Driscoll never forgot about his dream of being an actor, though. Films: Song of the South, Treasure Island Driscoll was very talented, but he did not know that it all hinged on his facial features. Nothing about his early childhood indicated a future career with Walt Disney. 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