Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Happy Birthday Bobby Driscoll
Because I am still somewhat of a young punk, this name did not ring a bell at first. Once I looked up reference photos, I immediately recognized him as the kid who in the opening sequence of Song of the South is on a carriage ride to a plantation, hears frogs, and with a demonic grin creepily mimmicks them with a "Ribbit! Ribbit!"
I was interested in knowing a little more about Driscoll, so I did a little research, thanks to imdb.com, one of the best sites in the WORLD. And what a sad story it is...
He was the first actor to sign a long-term deal with Disney's animation department. He was the voice of Peter Pan, and the first boy to ever play that character. At the age of 12 he won an Academy Award for "outstanding juvenile actor" in 1949. Disney ended up terminating his contract 3 years early, largely speculated by the fact that he had become a severely acne-ridden teenager.
He eventually became a drug addict, and even after rehab in 1962, his determination to make a comeback was ingnored. At the age of 31 his body was found by 2 kids playing in an abandoned building in Greenwich Village. He was believed to be a homeless person, and was buried as "John Doe" until his true identity was discovered a year later.
"I have found that memories are not very useful. I was carried on a silver platter and then dumped into the garbage can."
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