[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). Father of Private; Private and Private. Driscoll wasnt going to take that lying down, however. Website about Disney child actor Bobby Driscoll. For the next two years, Driscoll continued to find work in film, television, and voice acting. Also Known As: Robert Cletus Driscoll Died At Age: 31 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Marilyn Jean Rush (m. 1956 - div. He left his family at 16 and moved to New York City to study acting. [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]). After his release, he focused his attention on the avant-garde art scene. The film was incredibly receivedbut in an ironic twist, its success ended up being Driscolls downfall. On March 23, 1950, Driscoll won a Special Juvenile Academy Award as the Outstanding Juvenile Actor of 1949 for his performances in So Dear to My Heart, and The Window., In Walt Disneys all-live-action picture Treasure Island (based on Robert Louis Stevensons 1883 novel), Driscoll played Jim Hawkins.. He won awards and also befriended his castmates along the way. Sadly, these small successes were not enough to turn Driscolls life aroundand for one devastating reason. 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. When a doctor . In December 1956, Driscoll eloped with his girlfriend Marilyn Jean Rush to Mexico and they got married. The news was absolutely devastating. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. 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. [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. Driscoll, an insulation salesman, and Isabelle Kratz Driscoll, a former schoolteacher. [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]. [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. Driscoll still had Robin Hood to look forward to, at leastRight? In December of 1956, Driscoll made the decision to elope with his longtime girlfriend, Marilyn Jean Rush. A post mortem examination determined that he had died from heart failure caused by advanced atherosclerosis[57] from his drug use. At the same time, Driscoll was working on another projectand it defined his entire career. 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. When his face was no longer charming and his voice not smooth enough to be used for voice-over jobs, his last big movie hit was the voice of animated Peter Pan (1953), for which he was also the live-action model. 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. On March 30, 1968, two playing children found his dead body in an abandoned East Village tenement. This was already sad enough, but it wasnt even the most tragic fact about his end. Occasionally, the director overdoes things a bit in striving for shock effectsBut "The Window" is Bobby Driscoll's picture, make no mistake about that. 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. Unfortunate circumstances made it difficult to keep Driscolls memory alive, however. with Alan Ladd (all 1946). Thanks for your help! Bobby Driscoll pictured in 1949. Driscoll's parents were encouraged to help their son become a child performer in films. They separated, then divorced in 1960. He and his co-star Luana Patten became child-stars and the media dubbed them as Walt Disneys Sweetheart Team.. Discovered by chance at the age of five-and-a-half in a barber shop in Altadena, CA. Hughes was not a big fan of Driscoll and Hollywood kids in general. Hicks said Driscoll declined due to family conflicts while Hora and Sherman did not respond. Although Driscoll had a troubled life, he attempted to push forward. 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. He was awarded Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street, in 1960. 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. Both Driscoll and his co-star Patten received critical acclaim for their roles in the film, turning them both into child stars nearly overnight. He was discovered in a barbershop when he was 5 years old, and cast in films including Song of the South and So . 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. When they rejected me, I fought back, became belligerent and cockyand was afraid all the time. He had previously been encouraged to do so by artist and poet Wallace Berman, whom he had befriended after joining Berman's art circle (now also known as Semina Culture) in Los Angeles in 1956. 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. There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. 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. 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. At the time, Disneys finances were in shambles thanks to WWII and desperately needed the film to do well. 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. When she's not writing, Rebecca can be found buried under too many blankets with a hot cup of tea. Believed to be an unclaimed and homeless person, he was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave on Hart Island, where he remains. Bobby Driscoll was born on the 3rd of March, 1937. Despite the obstacles presented to Driscoll during production, Treasure Island was an international smash hit. 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. While on a tour on the studio lot, Driscoll noticed a mock-up ship and curiously asked where the water was. He was last seen in small roles in TV series The Best of the Post and the crime series, The Brothers Brannagan, in 1960. 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. They managed to identify Driscoll through his fingerprints, which led them to Hart Island. On the surface, this sounded like an enormously successful marriage, but for Driscoll, this wasnt the case. The family moved to Los Angeles when a doctor advised the father to relocate to California because he was suffering from work-related handling of asbestos. [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. Embittered by this, he said, "I have found that memories are not very useful. Eventually, Driscoll convinced his parents to re-enroll him to the Hollywood Professional School, where his grades improved. Driscoll lucked out this time, but his luck ran out the following year. . He became addicted to narcotics, and was sentenced to prison for illicit drug use. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? On March 30, 1968, two playing children discovered Driscoll's dead body in an abandoned East Village tenement. His parents again sent him to his earlier school, where he completed his graduation in 1955. Critics praised Driscolls work, with some of his art even being temporarily displayed in Los Angeles in the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Bobby Driscoll was an American child actor and artist, known for his film and TV performances from 1943 to 1960. By all accounts, he was your average little kid living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When Driscoll left Chino in early 1962, he was unable to find acting work. 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. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. While those roles got Driscolls acting career rolling, it was his next role that took the little boys career to the next level. 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 Gray, Driscoll eventually turned to drugs for the validation he couldn't get in reality, and according to what his friend Gray told Fox News, he never found his way back. First famous now infamous. The song soon became a popular and much-recorded jazz standard, described as "without doubt one of the finest songs the composer ever wrote The first Disney film, Song of the South, was re-released in 1971-1972. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. In 1950, Driscollat just 13 years oldreceived a very special Academy Award that recognized his work in So Dear to My Heart and The Window. Robert Cletus Driscoll was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1937. One that his friend, Gray, thinks was caused by his inability to deal with getting abandoned by Hollywood. Driscoll's parents were encouraged to help their son become a child performer in films. Disney put a lot of faith into Driscoll for the film, and it definitely paid off. 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. News of Driscolls end finally went public, four years after tragedy took the young mans life. Thanks for your time! Driscoll's parents were encouraged to help their son become a child performer. 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. Some of his works were considered outstanding,[52][53] and a few of his surviving collages and cardboard mailers were temporarily exhibited in Los Angeles at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. 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. In a project meeting held after the completion of Peter Pan, Walt Disney stated that Driscoll was better suited for roles as a young bully, and stopped giving Driscoll roles as the likeable protagonist. Soon, Driscoll began butting heads with the law. Driscolls time with Disney was running out. Audiences warmly received Driscoll and his pert nose and freckled face, leading to even more film roles for the seven-year-old actor. 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. The former Disney child star who rose to fame at age 9 as "the first human being signed for Disney Productions,". According to him, his personality took a turn for the worse during his marriage, and his dwindling career soon followed suit. One day in 1953, Driscoll drove up to the entrance of Disney Studios as usual, only to find his way blocked. His contract was terminated three years earlier in 1953, and he found it difficult to get work in other studios. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. 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. Not only did it give Driscoll another chance at a starring role, but Disney planned on filming in the United Kingdom. Here are details about the life he lived. BobbyDriscoll.com. Nationality. Driscoll appeared in The Scarlet Coat in 1955, and then The Party Crashers (1958). [66], (This is not necessarily a complete list; it displays all those that could be located and verified. . "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 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. [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. 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 an incredibly sad twist, Driscolls work with Disney made it incredibly difficult for the young actor to find roles. Even more amazingly, Driscoll became the first male to portray Peter on film. 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. Includes such notable movie screen appearances as The Fighting Sullivans (1944), Song of the . 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. Although Catherine's successor Queen Anne Boleyn suffered an infamously dark fate, Aragon's own life was somehow even more tragic. The story of this child actor, who starred in films like Song of the South and Peter Pan, is a heart-wrenching one. She asked for help from Disney Studio officials and a fingerprint match led to Driscolls grave on Hart Island. Voice of 1953 Disney's Peter Pan. He landed two final screen roles: with Cornel Wilde in The Scarlet Coat (1955) and opposite Mark Damon, Connie Stevens, and Frances Farmer in The Party Crashers (1958). Billy Gray, who also got an early start in showbiz, said that "he was devastated and didn't take the news well.". When media tried to find the films main cast, they came to know about his death from his mother. The first Disney film that Driscoll ever acted in was Song of the South in 1946, in which Driscoll took on the starring role as Johnny. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. Bobby was born March 3rd, 1937 in Iowa. Films: Song of the South, Treasure Island After a few years of experimenting with drugs, Driscoll became a full-blown addict. Immediate Family Marilyn Verna Driscoll ex-wife Private child Private child Private child Cletus Joseph Driscoll father Isabelle Louise Driscoll mother About Bobby Driscoll Bobby Driscoll was an American child actor and artist, known for his film and TV performances from 1943 to 1960. 1957 - m. 1957 - div. [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. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories. 30, 1968, two playing children found his dead body in an incredibly sad twist, Driscolls work Disney! He and his dwindling career soon followed suit came to know about his end because all other studios acting! Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few know... Butting heads with the law top stories Driscoll noticed a mock-up ship curiously! 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