March 3, 1937 – Child Actor Bobby Driscoll is Born
“He’s got a great talent. I’ve worked with a lot of child players in my time, but none of them bore the promise that seems inherent in young Driscoll.” – Don Ameche
On March 3, 1937, Robert Cletus “Bobby” Driscoll was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Soon after he was born, his family moved to Des Moines, and then moved to California in 1943. After their arrival, Driscoll auditioned with MGM for a small role in the 1943 film Lost Angel. This film role led to better ones; his natural acting talent and ability to memorize his lines quickly led to Driscoll’s being known as the “Wonder Child.” He soon caught the attention of Walt Disney, who was looking to cast the lead in his upcoming film Song of the South. Driscoll was not only hired, but became the first actor Disney put under contract. He and co-star Luana Patten became child stars with the success of the film, and were nicknamed the “Sweetheart Team.” They would later star together in the 1948 film So Dear to My Heart, and in the “Pecos Bill” segment of the animated feature film Melody Time, released in the same year. In 1949, Driscoll found acclaim in the RKO film The Window; this, coupled with his role in So Dear to My Heart, earned Driscoll a Juvenile Academy Award.
In 1950, Driscoll starred in the first full-length live-action film for the studio, Treasure Island, as Jim Hawkins. During filming, the British film industry claimed that due to child labor laws, and the fact that Driscoll did not have a work permit, he would have to leave the country. The judge presiding over the case gave Driscoll and his family six weeks for appeal, but instead the company used the six weeks to film his close-ups and any other important shots before he was deported. The film was another success, and Driscoll was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Driscoll also appeared in smaller Disney projects on television and in short films through the early ’50s. His last major project for the studio was the voice and live-action reference model for the title character in the animated feature film Peter Pan. After the film’s release, he was terminated from his contract with the studio.
Driscoll as the live-action model for Peter Pan, his final film at the studio
After leaving Disney, Driscoll found it increasingly difficult to get work as a serious character actor, as he was seen as “Disney’s kid actor.” He moved to television roles and was taken out of Hollywood Professional School by his parents, who moved him to public school. Ridiculed by the other students there for his early film career, Driscoll began to dabble with drugs. Although his parents let him return to Hollywood Professional School, where he graduated, his drug use increased. In 1965, he moved to New York City and became part Andy Warhol’s art community, known as The Factory. His last film performance was in the underground film Dirt. After leaving The Factory, Driscoll was penniless and was living in Manhattan’s underground. In 1968, two boys discovered his body, and without any identifiers, he was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave. It was in 1969, some nineteen months later, when his mother, who was hoping to reunite with her son before his father’s death, discovered where his body was buried.
Driscoll was a rare talent and an important part of the live-action film aspect of the Disney Studios. It is important that he be remembered for his wonderful craft shown in the Disney films of the ’40s and ’50s. Although his life was sadly cut short due to some bad decisions, Driscoll should be lauded as one of the finest child actors in film history.
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