Robert Blake (actor)

Robert Blake (born September 18 1933) is an American actor most famous for starring in the U.S. television series Baretta.

Film career

As a child actor

Mickey Gubitosi's acting career began when he appeared as Toto in the MGM movie Bridal Suite (1939) starring Annabella and Robert Young. Mickey then began appearing in MGM's Our Gang short subjects under his real name, replacing Eugene "Porky" Lee. He appeared in forty of the shorts between 1939 and 1944 and eventually becoming the series' final lead character. James and Jovanni Gubitosi also made appearances in the series as extras.

Related Topics:
Career - MGM - Bridal Suite - 1939 - Annabella - Robert Young - Our Gang - Short subjects - Eugene "Porky" Lee

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During his early Our Gang period, Gubitosi's character was often called upon to cry, and the young actor has been noted by some film critics as having been unsubtle and unconvincing (Maltin & Bann). 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, on April 29.

Related Topics:
1942 - Stage name - 1944 - Dancing Romeo - April 29

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In 1944, Blake began playing an Indian boy, "Little Beaver," in the Red Ryder Western series at Republic Pictures, appearing in twenty-three of the movies until 1947. He also had roles in the Warner Bros. 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.

Related Topics:
1944 - Western - 1947 - Warner Bros. - Humoresque - 1946 - John Garfield - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre - 1948 - Mexican - Humphrey Bogart

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According to Blake, he had an unhappy childhood with a miserable home life and was abused by an alcoholic father. When he entered public school at age ten, he could not understand why the other children were hostile to him. He had fights, which led to his expulsion. When he was fourteen, he ran away from home. The next few years were a reportedly difficult period in his life.

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As an adult actor

In 1950, he went into the Army. When he returned to Southern California he entered Jeff Corey's acting class and began turning his life around, both personally and professionally. He matured and became a seasoned Hollywood actor, playing some choice dramatic roles in movies and television. In 1956, he was billed as Robert Blake for the first time.

Related Topics:
1950 - Army - Southern California - Jeff Corey - Hollywood - Television - 1956

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Blake performed in numerous theatrical motion pictures as an adult, including his starring role in The Purple Gang (1960), a gangster movie, and featured roles in such movies as Ensign Pulver (1964) and The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). In 1967, he starred in his acclaimed role of real-life mass murderer Perry Smith in In Cold Blood, which was directed by Richard Brooks, who also adapted the story for the screen from the Truman Capote novel. Blake also starred in the role of an Indian fugitive in Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969) and as a motorcycle highway patrolman in Electra Glide in Blue (1973).

Related Topics:
The Purple Gang - 1960 - Ensign Pulver - 1964 - The Greatest Story Ever Told - 1965 - 1967 - In Cold Blood - Richard Brooks - Truman Capote - Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here - 1969 - Electra Glide in Blue - 1973

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Blake is probably best known for his Emmy Award-winning role of Tony Baretta in the popular TV series Baretta (1975 to 1978), in which he played an undercover police detective who specialized in disguises. Trademarks of the show include his pet cockatoo and a memorable theme song ("Don't do the crime if you can't do the time..."), which was written and performed by Sammy Davis, Jr.

Related Topics:
Emmy Award - Baretta - 1975 - 1978 - Cockatoo - Sammy Davis, Jr.

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He continued to act through the 1980s and 1990s, mostly in television, including the role of Jimmy Hoffa in the miniseries Blood Feud (1983) and John List in the murder drama ' (1993), which he received another Emmy for. He had character parts in the theatrical movies The Money Train (1995) and Lost Highway (1997).

Related Topics:
1980s - 1990s - Jimmy Hoffa - Blood Feud - 1983 - John List - 1993 - The Money Train - 1995 - Lost Highway - 1997

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