And then I immersed myself into his extensive collection of work. By the time Bobby Driscoll voiced Peter Pan at 16, however, he no longer had the adorable looks that kept him in demand. Bobby Driscoll Cause of Death, How did Bobby Driscoll Die? 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. In March of 1968, a pair of children playing in an abandoned, Greenwich Village tenement in New York City discovered a young man dead on a cot, surrounded by beer bottles and religious handouts . Bobby Driscoll wasnt really part of the hip New York City underground crowd. They bury him in a mass, unmark paupers grave on Hart Island in The Bronx, New York. Cause of Death. His drug use increased; in an interview years later, he stated, "I was 17 when I first experimented with the stuff. 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). Facts Verse In March of 1968, a pair of children playing in an abandoned, Greenwich Village tenement in New York City discovered a young man dead on a cot, surrounded by beer bottles and religious handouts. That said, other Twitter users felt the movie was doing a good thing for Driscolls legacygiving Driscolls story the exposure it deserves. [30], For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Driscoll received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street in 1960. He 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. A child actor's childhood is not a normal one. And if you know Driscolls story, it makes the jokes about Peter Pan in the new Chip n Dale movie a lot less funny. 30 Child Actors Who Died Young - Gallery | eBaum's World Check out what's clicking today in entertainment. Market data provided by Factset. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! (LMPC via Getty Images), "He had a drug problem," said Gray. [17], Treasure Island was an international hit, and several other film projects involving Driscoll were under discussion, but none materialized. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Love at First Kiss' on Netflix, a Spanish Rom-Com About a Man Gifted with 'Romantic Clairvoyance', Stream It Or Skip It: Tonight Youre Sleeping With Me on Netflix, a Dull, Passionless Polish Rom-Dram, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Disconnect: The Wedding Planner' on Netflix, A Nollywood Rom-Com, Stream It Or Skip It: 'A Sunday Affair' on Netflix, a Lukewarm Nollywood Love-Triangle Drama, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Marlon Wayans: God Loves Me' On HBO Max, Making The Oscars Slap All About Him, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Triangle of Sadness' on Hulu, Ruben Ostlund's Skewering of the Moneyed Elite. I later heard he was discovered overdosed in an abandoned building. [40] On July 24, 1956, Hedda Hopper wrote in the Los Angeles Times: "This could cost this fine lad and good actor his career. 'Yellowstone' Return Date Info, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Where Is Hoda Kotb? Since its release, Song of the South has been a lightning rod for controversy none of it is Driscolls fault. I'm not really sure why I started using narcotics. "He got into heroin. He thought they were precocious, werent real, and were incredibly annoying. 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. But such is the story of Bobby Driscoll. EXCLUSIVE: Billy Gray still has fond memories of his beloved pal Bobby Driscoll. 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. [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. Paperback mysteries usually end this way, not Disney fairy tales. [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]. So how to explain a former child star who worked alongside Tinseltown greats like Charles Boyer, Alan Ladd, Roy Rogers, and Joan Fontaine falling so far from a life of klieg lights and Academy awards to become just another indigent in an unmarked grave on Hart Island, where his body remains today? Then we just kind of lost touch after that. The boy on a silver platter thrown out like trash indeed https://t.co/EeBap3xbOQ, Bad Opinions Red Ranger in Another World (@SirBadOpinions) May 21, 2022. Bobby Driscoll died 27 days after his 31st birthday. He died from hardened arteries, a side effect of heroin use. It really blew me away. Over the credits, as a cheery pop cover of the Rescue Rangers theme song plays, we see a fake ad for a documentary titled The Boy Who Grew Up, featuring a distraught, disfigured Peter Pan on the movies poster. As a child, starting at the age of 10, he was one of the first child actors to land a Disney contract. She was 12. Driscoll's remains were unclaimed and he was eventually buried in a mass, unmarked grave on Hart Island alongside other unidentified bodies. He was responsible for one of the real high points of my life. Oak Island is a privately owned island that sits off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada. He just never found his way and made that choice.". 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]. A New Jersey woman who prefers to remain anonymous quietly maintains a website devoted to Driscoll's life and career. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Des Moines,[1] where they stayed until early 1943. In 1972, the matriarch described to Movie Digest how drugs changed her son. First he headed east to New York City to study acting. 1,686, This story has been shared 1,509 times. The public didn't learn about Driscoll's death for a few years, as word of his passing only came to light during the 1972 re-release of Song of the South. Alcohol abuse, drug overdose, violent fits, and severe depression. Unlike the celebrity missteps that are chronicled hourly on news sites and social media today, Driscoll's demise happened in complete and total silence. Then I got older. 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. But contemporary actors like Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez willingly left the Mouse House; Driscoll didn't have a choice when the studio unexpectedly dropped its golden child in 1953. "He turned me on to Bach when I was 15," he chuckled. Still perceived as "Disney's kid actor",[28] he was unable to get movie roles as a serious character actor. It's the exact same story.". He starred in some of The Walt Disney Company's most popular live-action pictures of that period, such as Song of the South, So Dear to My Heart, and Treasure Island.He served as animation model and provided the voice for the title role in Peter Pan. Visiting Famous Graves - NO HAPPY ENDING For Disney Star Bobby Driscoll His own mother didnt know he had died until a year-and-a-half after he was found, and the public wasnt alerted to his death until the re-release of Song of the South in 1972. He was the only child to parents Cletus, an insulation salesman, and Isabelle, a former schoolteacher. "People make mistakes. Bobby Driscoll was arrested multiple times for drug possession, assault, burglary, and writing bad checks, before he ended up in Chino State Prison in 1961. Despite being . And guess what? Gray said Driscoll eventually resorted to heroin. And I never listened to any other music after that. And I guess Disney thought he was no longer useful for them.". The agent starts working, landing Bobby Driscoll a bit role opposite Margaret OBrien in the 1943 film Lost Angel. 12,187, This story has been shared 6,086 times. 'Next In Fashion' Season 2 on Netflix: Follow the Designers on Instagram, Is 'Yellowstone' On Tonight? Former Child Stars Who Met Tragic Fates - NickiSwift.com ", The only son of an insulation salesman and former schoolteacher, Driscoll was discovered at the age of 5 while getting a trim. [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. Facts Verse The tv actor Bobby Driscoll died at the age of 31. Hot Family, friends, and fans were left to ponder how a boy who seemingly had it all could fall so far. Thats how he found out he was fired. From Riches to Rags: The Tragic Life of Peter Pan's Bobby Driscoll This story has been shared 12,187 times. But that hasn't stopped her from encouraging Driscoll's children to visit the island, which for now is open only to next of kin. It was only a bit role opposite Margaret O'Brien in the 1943 film Lost Angel, but it led to a succession of movies that capitalized on Driscoll's pert nose and freckled face. The . Driscoll attempted to maintain steady work in several TV shows and guest appearances over the years, but he never achieved the same stardom he once had as a sought-after actor. Afterward, he was crying all the time. [29], In 1947, he recorded a special version of "So Dear to My Heart" at Capitol Records. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. Legal Statement. Keep watching to learn more about this classic Hollywood rise and fall. Offers may be subject to change without notice. When Howard Hughes bought RKO, he essentially became head of Disney. Oscar-winner at the age of 12. He would end up having to fight an even tougher battle [] More, What could be more mysterious than an island filled with buried treasure? January 27, 2023, 7:28 pm, by Nobody came to his rescue. In todays world, its a familiar story the star who began his or her career on the Disney lot, growing up and out of the white-washed, antiseptic confines of the studio. "I heard that he was informed that he was no longer under contract through them by driving up to the entrance and being refused entrance into the studio. The striking force and terrifying impact of this RKO melodrama is chiefly due to Bobby's brilliant acting, for the whole effect would have been lost were there any suspicion of doubt about the credibility of this pivotal character. 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. Discover at 5, while getting a haircut, Bobby Driscoll is the son of an insulation salesman and former schoolteacher. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Tragic Child Star Gets a Surprise Spotlight in - Vanity Fair The cause of death for the penniless 31-year-old was hardening of the arteries, a common side effect of longtime heroin use, Entertainment Weekly reported. Prison sentences were the kiss of death for Hollywood actors in those days, so after briefly working as a carpenter, Driscoll left his young children behind and moved to New York City in 1965,. "He liked heroin. He thought they were precocious, weren't real, and were incredibly annoying. While on a tour across the studio lot, five-year-old Driscoll noticed a mock-up ship and asked where the water was. 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. It was incredible. When Driscoll left Chino in early 1962, he was unable to find acting work. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Eliot said, When Howard Hughes bought RKO, he, in effect, became the owner of the Disney studio. Its an unambiguously tragic story. Start Time, How To Watch, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, I Want to See the Aunt-Man Movie Paul Rudd Pitched in His Chip n Dale Cameo, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers' on Disney+, A Half-Toon, Half-Live Romp With More References Than A Library, The Ugly Sonic Scene in Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers Was Not Easy, Says Director, How to Watch Donald Trump's 2023 CPAC Speech: Live Stream Information, Kids' Choice Awards 2023 Live Stream: Time, How To Watch Live on Nickelodeon, 11 Best New Movies on Netflix: March 2023's Freshest Films to Watch, Will There Be A 'Sex/Life' Season 3 on Netflix? 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. "I was carried on a silver platter and then dumped into the garbage can. February 19, 2023, 6:17 am, by How can a former child star who works with Hollywood greats like Alan Ladd, Roy Rogers, and Joan Fontaine fall so far from the bright lights and big screen? "He sounds like a baseball player to me," offers a patrolling police officer with a shrug. I was 17 when I first experimented with the stuff. In the mid-1950s, Driscoll's acting career began to decline, and he turned primarily to guest appearances on anthology TV series. 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. So, it shouldnt really be that big of a surprise that, with numbers like those, celebrities would face the same risk of dying [] More, The Shocking Life & Death of Bobby Driscoll, Judge Judy is Quitting Heres Her New Show, Scientists Discovered Evidence That Exposes An Ancient Lie About Woolly Mammoths, Handlers Thought This Owl Was Male For 23 Years Then He Laid An Egg, This Baby Elephant Decided To Spend His Last Days Alongside This Creature, Woman Adpots Tiny, Adorable Puppy. When he died of natural causes at age 93 in 2014, he had only $18,000 as well as medical bills and back taxes. All rights reserved. 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. Bobby Driscoll was born in Cedar Rapids. He said his childhood wasnt a happy one, and that he was lonely most of the time. The cause of his death was later determined to have been brought on by his addiction to heroin. When it comes time to declare Bobby Driscoll's cause of death, authorities mention the hardening of the arteries. He tried to escape, but the force of the water prevented him from prying the door open, and he drowned. Decider reached out to Disney for comment as to whether the Peter Pan reference in the Chip n Dale movie was an intentional nod to Bobby Driscoll, but did not hear back before the time of publication. His casting was suggested by screenwriter Michael Kanin. The Shocking Life & Death of Bobby Driscoll - Facts Verse Dawber has married to NCIS star Mark Harmon for more than three [] More, Jan Smithers is a former television actress that is best known for her portrayal of the character Bailey Quarters on the television series WKRP in Cincinnati. The cast and crew of the crime drama were understandably "devastated" by his death, releasing a statement. with Alan Ladd (all 1946). 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. Let us know in the comments. 'The Mandalorian' Season 3 Episode Guide: How Many Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Will There Be on Disney+? 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. He was a heroin addict. That was his notification that he was no longer needed there. Driscoll's last major success, Peter Pan (1953), was produced largely between May 1949 and mid-1951. He also reportedly enrolled in UCLA and Stanford but dropped out. The reason for Bobby Driscoll death was stated that Bobby Driscoll died due to Heart failure. They bury him in a mass, unmark paupers' grave on Hart Island in The Bronx, New York. "What's the point of poking at it?" His unclaimed body was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in New York City's Potter's Field on Hart Island. Bobby Driscolls journey from child star to troubles adult includes a stint in jail. Driscoll's name has long faded from mainstream recognition, but there have been attempts to keep his memory alive in the decades since his death. His agent took me out to a part.". Fairly recent Disney stars like Miley Cyrus, Justin Timberlake, and Britney Spears were able to leave Disney on their own terms Bobby Driscoll had no such choice when the studio unexpectedly dropped him in 1953. In 1968, the actors body was discovered by children playing in an abandoned New York City tenement. It worked. [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. He spent most of his time hanging out on Los Angeles beaches, where he befriended a group of young Hollywood actors like Robert Blake (Baretta), Dean Stockwell (Quantum Leap), and Russ Tamblyn (West Side Story). Hassan It's the first Sunday after Thanksgiving and a family is busy setting up chairs on the 1500 block of Vine Street in Hollywood. Driscoll's remains were unclaimed. Theirs was clearly a complicated and volatile relationship, as they split up three years, two marriages, and two divorces later! Bobby Driscoll - Wikipedia In some special star-focusing series, Driscoll appeared with Loretta Young, Gloria Swanson, and Jane Wyman. [1] Scala is interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. Someone who becomes friends with Driscoll later says: He didnt really recover from abandoning by Hollywoodit hit him hard. He was devastated. He received an Academy Juvenile Award for outstanding performances in So Dear to My Heart and The Window. Who was this man, and what happened? In 1968, Driscoll's body was discovered in Greenwich Village by children playing in an abandoned tenement building. At one point, Bobby became part of The Factory, Andy Warhol's art collective in Greenwich Village, New York. After eloping to Mexico five months after they met, the young couple had one son and two daughters before splitting for good three years, two marriages, and two divorces later. And so [] More, Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. ", "Memories are not very useful," he later reflected about his child stardom. "Was earning $50,000 a yearworking steadily with good parts.