
Teddy blake series#
He did appear that year as Tobe Hackett in the episode "Trade Me Deadly" of the syndicated western series 26 Men, which dramatized true stories of the Arizona Rangers. In 1959, Blake turned down the role of Little Joe Cartwright, a character ultimately portrayed by Michael Landon, in NBC's western television series Bonanza. Paul Burke and Blake in Naked City (1961) In 1956, he was billed as Robert Blake for the first time. He eventually became a seasoned Hollywood actor, playing notable dramatic roles in movies and on television.
Teddy blake professional#
Blake entered Jeff Corey's acting class and began working on improving his personal and professional life. This led to a two-year addiction to heroin and cocaine. Upon leaving at the age of 21, he found himself without any job prospects and fell into a deep depression. In 1950, Blake was drafted into the United States Army. In 1950, at age 17, Blake appeared as Mahmoud in The Black Rose and as Enrico, Naples Bus Boy (uncredited) in Black Hand. movies Humoresque (1946), playing John Garfield's character as a child, and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), playing the Mexican boy who sells Humphrey Bogart a winning lottery ticket and gets a glass of water thrown in his face by Bogart in the process. He also had roles in one of Laurel and Hardy's later films The Big Noise (1944), and the Warner Bros. In 1944, Blake began playing a Native American boy, "Little Beaver," in the Red Ryder western series at the studios of Republic Pictures (now CBS Radford Studios), appearing in twenty-three of the movies until 1947. In 1942, Blake appeared as "Tooky" Stedman in Andy Hardy's Double Life. In 1995, Blake was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award for his role in Our Gang. In 1942, he acquired the stage name "Bobby Blake" and his character in the series was renamed "Mickey Blake." In 1944, MGM discontinued Our Gang, releasing the final short in the series, Dancing Romeo. He was also criticized for being obnoxious and whiny. In Our Gang, Blake's character, Mickey, was often called upon to cry, for which he was criticized for being unconvincing. Blake's parents also made appearances in the series as extras. He appeared in 40 of the shorts between 19, eventually becoming the series' final lead character. The Little Rascals) under his real name, replacing Eugene "Porky" Lee.

Blake then began appearing in MGM's Our Gang short subjects (a.k.a.
Teddy blake movie#
Then known as "Mickey Gubitosi", Blake began his acting career as Toto in the MGM movie Bridal Suite (1939), starring Annabella and Robert Young. He's "Mexican lottery boy selling tickets" in Treasure of the Sierra Madre in scenes with Huphrey Bogart.

Teddy blake serial#
Child actor īlake as "Little Beaver" in a Red Ryder film serial chapter, ca. At age 14, he ran away from home, leading to several more difficult years. Blake stated that he was physically and sexually abused by both of his parents while growing up and was frequently locked in a closet and forced to eat off the floor as punishment. When he entered public school at age 10, he was bullied and had fights with other students, which led to his expulsion. īlake had an unhappy childhood in which he was abused by his alcoholic father. In 1936, their three children began performing, billed as "The Three Little Hillbillies." They moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1938, where their children began working as movie extras. Eventually, Blake's parents began a song-and-dance act. In 1930, James worked as a die setter for a can manufacturer. His parents were Giacomo (James) Gubitosi and his wife, Elizabeth Cafone. Robert Blake was born Michael James Gubitosi in Nutley, New Jersey, on September 18, 1933. In November 2005, he was found liable in a California civil court for her wrongful death. In March 2005, Blake was tried and acquitted of the 2001 murder of his second wife, Bonny Lee Bakley. Owing to Blake becoming one of the first child actors to successfully transition to mature roles as an adult, author Michael Newton called his career "one of the longest in Hollywood history." Blake continued acting until 1997's Lost Highway. After a stint in the United States Army, Blake returned to acting in both television and movie roles. In the Red Ryder series and in many of his adult roles, the Italian-American actor was often cast as an American Indian or Latino character. He also appeared as a child actor in 22 entries of the Red Ryder film franchise. īlake began acting as a child, with a lead role in the final years of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Our Gang ( Little Rascals) short film series from 1939 to 1944. Robert Blake (born Michael James Gubitosi September 18, 1933) is an American retired actor known for his roles in the 1967 film In Cold Blood and the 1970s U.S.
