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A twelve-year-old wins an Oscar...
A little piece of trivia. Howard Hughes bought RKO in 1948. "The Window" was actually filmed in New York in the spring (March/April) of 1948 when Bobby was 11. Howard Hughes saw the film and predicted it was going to be a flop and ordered it shelved.
Someone finally convinced Mr. Hughes that it made more sense to release the movie, since it was already done and paid for. "The Window" was released in the summer of 1949. Howard Hughes ordered one last insult, the original poster was pulled and a new one produced which would focus on the adult characters, Arthur Kennedy, Barbara Hale, Ruth Roman and Paul Stewart, with Bobby shown only in silhoette from behind.
"The Window" cost $210,000.00 to make. When it was finally released it became a huge hit and almost all the credit went to Bobby. It made back 10 times the original investment. "The Window" created a sensation when it was released, and became the surprise hit of the year.
"Bobby Driscoll is a brilliant actor. “The Window” is Bobby Driscoll’s picture, make no mistake about it.” Bosley Crowther, The New York Times.
That's pretty good praise for a 12-year-old boy. But it was even better than that. Howard Hughes was forced to eat his words. The substitute posters were immediately recalled and the original poster, which focused on Bobby's character, was sent to all the theaters for display. Bobby won an Oscar on March 23, 1950 at the Pantages Theatre for his performance in "The Window". I guess Howard Hughes was wrong. Imagine that, one of the richest men in the world being outsmarted by a twelve-year-old boy.
It's funny, when you are writing a book about someone, you either really get to know them, or you don't. Success is when you are able to portray them as a living, breathing human being because that is the way you see them. Failure is when they remain words on a page, simply someone you heard about, and all you are doing is repeating what you heard.
Tommy Kirk gave an interview in Scarlet Street about his first acting job at the Pasadena Playhouse in Eugene O'Neill's "Ah Wilderness!" Three times in the space of a couple of paragraphs, Tommy speaks about how thoughtful and kind seventeen-year-old Bobby Driscoll was to him, a thirteen-year-old boy in his first acting job. Tommy had the jitters, but he was lucky that Bobby was there to help him through it. Just like an older brother would...
Bobby had a wife and three kids. I think that they would prefer people not remember Bobby for the way he died, but remember him for the way he lived...
Bobby Driscoll March 3, 1937- March 30, 1968
Bobby was among the best child actors ever. He won a Special Academy Award for his performance in the great film noir "The Window" (1949). He also starred in the best version of Treasure Island (1950) ever made. One of his last movie performances was as the voice of Peter in Peter Pan (1953) in the Walt Disney Classic. Two of his movies were #1 at the box office, “Song of the South” (1946) and “Peter Pan” (1953). “Peter Pan” was the second highest grossing movie of the entire 1950’s.
When he hit puberty, his voice changed and he developed a severe case of acne. After that he was only able to find bit parts, but, eventually, he couldn't even find those. One of his last starring roles was on the TV show Medic/Laughter is a Boy (1954, when he was 17). He was terrific in it. Whatever was wrong with Bobby’s career had nothing to do with him, or his acting.
Hollywood loves cute little kids, but has no use for them as adults. Where once Bobby had too many roles and not enough time, he came to a point where there were no roles and all he had was time. What a waste of talent and what a cruel way to treat someone. Bobby’s life was pure Shakespearean Tragedy after he turned 18. Hollywood should be ashamed of what happened to him, because no one ever doubted that he was a great actor. But, as "Fernando" once said on Saturday Night Live, “it is better to look good, than to be good.”
The cruel irony is that whenever anyone remembers
Bobby today, they always start the conversation talking about the fact that he died in a tenement on the lower east side of New York City, just like the setting of his best film “The Window.” That is the movie for which he won an Oscar when he was 12-years-old. They miss the point entirely. He was so much more than that, and the one role for which he deserved recognition, was as Bobby Driscoll, the son, the husband, and the father, but most of all as the friend. Everybody that knew Bob Driscoll liked him. The people who knew him best loved him.
When times were bad, he bore his problems and his pain alone. That is why he turned to drugs, and that was what destroyed him. Somebody should have told Bobby, friendship means that you share everything...
Bobby Driscoll lies buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in Potter's Field on Hart Island in New York.
The New York Department of Corrections runs Potter's Field, the Pauper's Cemetery on Hart Island; to save money they use prisoners for burial details. Just guards and prisoners, efficiently doing what they do.
There are no ceremonies or acts of remembrance with the burials. The only thing that matters is to bury these abandoned, unloved people 2/3/6/10 to a grave and move on as quickly as you can. One thing about which there is no argument: the prisoner burial details are very efficient.
The New York Department of Corrections generally forbids visitors. If you persist, and can you can justify your visit according to NY/DOC logic, they may make an exception, but it will always be as an exception. They will attempt to discourage you. It won't be easy. Most families and friends just give up. I'll give you an example:
In one breath the Department of Corrections tells you what great records they keep, and that they can find anyone's grave. It is on their webpage. That is as long as your only looking for generic information, but if you ask about a specific request about a specific burial, suddenly it is a different story. Then they say they can't find the person. That is what I have been told. Whether it is policy or an act of convience is another question.
It is the strangest graveyard I have heard of in my life: a place with no love, no compassion and no humanity. It is a place populated by prisoners and guards, the unwanted and the unloved. No one who works there cares about the people buried there: to them it is cost effective use of an inmate population, and refuse disposal.
Nobody connected with Hart Island wants to talk about Hart Island. It is a well kept secret, but shouldn't be. I can imagine that Bobby's Mom, his wife and his kids have inquired about Bobby. I don't know how anyone could deal with it if the people had an uncooperative attitude. No one wants to deal with that, but especially because of the pain they felt, and still feel.
Suddenly it makes sense why the State of New York has let the Department of Corrections run Hart Island: Hart Island is a prison for the dead.
The more I think about it, the more I feel Hart Island should be a graveyard with no graves. There are no tears on Hart Island, but never doubt that there is a torrent of tears because of Hart Island.
Anyone buried on Hart Island should be allowed to Rest In Peace, because they've earned it. No one deserves a say about the fate of those buried there until they too have earned it.
To me, this is a much bigger question than one person's fate. To me, it is a question about the meaning of life and love.
If the family and/or friends of someone buried there wants to take them home, I would be glad to help them: to do whatever was necessary to return them to the people who love them. What the family and friends want is the only thing that matters; and what they want shoud be done.
What I would do about Hart Island;
If I could have my way, I would turn Hart Island into a park. I would run a ferry there and never charge anyone to go there. I would welcome all who are willing to come and visit. Having never gotten enough love during their lifetimes, the people buried there should receive all the love we have to share. And all of our love would still not be enough. Like Oliver Twist, they deserve more... They deserve paradise, because they have already been to hell.
My opinion is irrelevant because I don't count, The Department of Corrections opinion is irrelevant because they don't care; and The State of New York is irrelevant because to them it is a question of money.
It should be a question of love. I believe that the only people who have earned the right to decide the fate of the people buried on Hart Island are the people who loved them. Bobby deserves that much, anyone does.........everyone does.
Remember Me
Remember me with smiles and laughter,
Because that is the way I will remember you all.
If you can only remember me with tears,
Then don't remember me at all.
An Irish Poem of Remembrance...
A little piece of trivia. Howard Hughes bought RKO in 1948. "The Window" was actually filmed in New York in the spring (March/April) of 1948 when Bobby was 11. Howard Hughes saw the film and predicted it was going to be a flop and ordered it shelved.
Someone finally convinced Mr. Hughes that it made more sense to release the movie, since it was already done and paid for. "The Window" was released in the summer of 1949. Howard Hughes ordered one last insult, the original poster was pulled and a new one produced which would focus on the adult characters, Arthur Kennedy, Barbara Hale, Ruth Roman and Paul Stewart, with Bobby shown only in silhoette from behind.
"The Window" cost $210,000.00 to make. When it was finally released it became a huge hit and almost all the credit went to Bobby. It made back 10 times the original investment. "The Window" created a sensation when it was released, and became the surprise hit of the year.
"Bobby Driscoll is a brilliant actor. “The Window” is Bobby Driscoll’s picture, make no mistake about it.” Bosley Crowther, The New York Times.
That's pretty good praise for a 12-year-old boy. But it was even better than that. Howard Hughes was forced to eat his words. The substitute posters were immediately recalled and the original poster, which focused on Bobby's character, was sent to all the theaters for display. Bobby won an Oscar on March 23, 1950 at the Pantages Theatre for his performance in "The Window". I guess Howard Hughes was wrong. Imagine that, one of the richest men in the world being outsmarted by a twelve-year-old boy.
It's funny, when you are writing a book about someone, you either really get to know them, or you don't. Success is when you are able to portray them as a living, breathing human being because that is the way you see them. Failure is when they remain words on a page, simply someone you heard about, and all you are doing is repeating what you heard.
Tommy Kirk gave an interview in Scarlet Street about his first acting job at the Pasadena Playhouse in Eugene O'Neill's "Ah Wilderness!" Three times in the space of a couple of paragraphs, Tommy speaks about how thoughtful and kind seventeen-year-old Bobby Driscoll was to him, a thirteen-year-old boy in his first acting job. Tommy had the jitters, but he was lucky that Bobby was there to help him through it. Just like an older brother would...
Bobby had a wife and three kids. I think that they would prefer people not remember Bobby for the way he died, but remember him for the way he lived...
Bobby Driscoll March 3, 1937- March 30, 1968
Bobby was among the best child actors ever. He won a Special Academy Award for his performance in the great film noir "The Window" (1949). He also starred in the best version of Treasure Island (1950) ever made. One of his last movie performances was as the voice of Peter in Peter Pan (1953) in the Walt Disney Classic. Two of his movies were #1 at the box office, “Song of the South” (1946) and “Peter Pan” (1953). “Peter Pan” was the second highest grossing movie of the entire 1950’s.
When he hit puberty, his voice changed and he developed a severe case of acne. After that he was only able to find bit parts, but, eventually, he couldn't even find those. One of his last starring roles was on the TV show Medic/Laughter is a Boy (1954, when he was 17). He was terrific in it. Whatever was wrong with Bobby’s career had nothing to do with him, or his acting.
Hollywood loves cute little kids, but has no use for them as adults. Where once Bobby had too many roles and not enough time, he came to a point where there were no roles and all he had was time. What a waste of talent and what a cruel way to treat someone. Bobby’s life was pure Shakespearean Tragedy after he turned 18. Hollywood should be ashamed of what happened to him, because no one ever doubted that he was a great actor. But, as "Fernando" once said on Saturday Night Live, “it is better to look good, than to be good.”
The cruel irony is that whenever anyone remembers
Bobby today, they always start the conversation talking about the fact that he died in a tenement on the lower east side of New York City, just like the setting of his best film “The Window.” That is the movie for which he won an Oscar when he was 12-years-old. They miss the point entirely. He was so much more than that, and the one role for which he deserved recognition, was as Bobby Driscoll, the son, the husband, and the father, but most of all as the friend. Everybody that knew Bob Driscoll liked him. The people who knew him best loved him.
When times were bad, he bore his problems and his pain alone. That is why he turned to drugs, and that was what destroyed him. Somebody should have told Bobby, friendship means that you share everything...
Bobby Driscoll lies buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in Potter's Field on Hart Island in New York.
The New York Department of Corrections runs Potter's Field, the Pauper's Cemetery on Hart Island; to save money they use prisoners for burial details. Just guards and prisoners, efficiently doing what they do.
There are no ceremonies or acts of remembrance with the burials. The only thing that matters is to bury these abandoned, unloved people 2/3/6/10 to a grave and move on as quickly as you can. One thing about which there is no argument: the prisoner burial details are very efficient.
The New York Department of Corrections generally forbids visitors. If you persist, and can you can justify your visit according to NY/DOC logic, they may make an exception, but it will always be as an exception. They will attempt to discourage you. It won't be easy. Most families and friends just give up. I'll give you an example:
In one breath the Department of Corrections tells you what great records they keep, and that they can find anyone's grave. It is on their webpage. That is as long as your only looking for generic information, but if you ask about a specific request about a specific burial, suddenly it is a different story. Then they say they can't find the person. That is what I have been told. Whether it is policy or an act of convience is another question.
It is the strangest graveyard I have heard of in my life: a place with no love, no compassion and no humanity. It is a place populated by prisoners and guards, the unwanted and the unloved. No one who works there cares about the people buried there: to them it is cost effective use of an inmate population, and refuse disposal.
Nobody connected with Hart Island wants to talk about Hart Island. It is a well kept secret, but shouldn't be. I can imagine that Bobby's Mom, his wife and his kids have inquired about Bobby. I don't know how anyone could deal with it if the people had an uncooperative attitude. No one wants to deal with that, but especially because of the pain they felt, and still feel.
Suddenly it makes sense why the State of New York has let the Department of Corrections run Hart Island: Hart Island is a prison for the dead.
The more I think about it, the more I feel Hart Island should be a graveyard with no graves. There are no tears on Hart Island, but never doubt that there is a torrent of tears because of Hart Island.
Anyone buried on Hart Island should be allowed to Rest In Peace, because they've earned it. No one deserves a say about the fate of those buried there until they too have earned it.
To me, this is a much bigger question than one person's fate. To me, it is a question about the meaning of life and love.
If the family and/or friends of someone buried there wants to take them home, I would be glad to help them: to do whatever was necessary to return them to the people who love them. What the family and friends want is the only thing that matters; and what they want shoud be done.
What I would do about Hart Island;
If I could have my way, I would turn Hart Island into a park. I would run a ferry there and never charge anyone to go there. I would welcome all who are willing to come and visit. Having never gotten enough love during their lifetimes, the people buried there should receive all the love we have to share. And all of our love would still not be enough. Like Oliver Twist, they deserve more... They deserve paradise, because they have already been to hell.
My opinion is irrelevant because I don't count, The Department of Corrections opinion is irrelevant because they don't care; and The State of New York is irrelevant because to them it is a question of money.
It should be a question of love. I believe that the only people who have earned the right to decide the fate of the people buried on Hart Island are the people who loved them. Bobby deserves that much, anyone does.........everyone does.
Remember Me
Remember me with smiles and laughter,
Because that is the way I will remember you all.
If you can only remember me with tears,
Then don't remember me at all.
An Irish Poem of Remembrance...