Our Gang.
Red Ryder.
Hell Town.
Baretta.
"In Cold Blood".
"Electra Glide in Blue".
Emmy winner Robert Blake's career was undone when he was accused of killing his 2nd wife, Bonnie Bakley, only to be acquitted in 2005. He did, however, have to pay her family in a civil suit. A career that began at age 6 as Mickey Gubitosi as a member of Our Gang had been brought to a halt, and never really started again after acquittal.
Blake passed away on Thursday at 89 from heart disease, six months shy of his 90th birthday. He enjoyed his greatest television success with Baretta, which began as a mid-season replacement in the winter of 1975, and ran for 4 seasons (1975-8). It is said he threatened to quit if Universal or ABC suits didn't allow Sammy Davis, Jr.'s rendition of "Keep Your Eye on The Sparrow", the series' theme, to be used. Needless to say, Blake won out, and would call on Davis again for the theme to Hell Town, a 1985 series for NBC that lasted one season.
Edit, 4/10/23: Had to change the video as it was privatized. I've located a Blake appearance on Death Valley Days from the 60's, with Robert Taylor as host. "The Kid From Hell's Kitchen":
Rest in peace.
Robert Blake's second wife (and mother to his youngest daughter) was Bonnie Bakley.
ReplyDeleteRonee Blakely was a singer-actress who appeared in the movie Nashville; she had the makings of a career, but ran into problems of her own, well-documented elsewhere (and for the record, she had no connection to Robert Blake (that I know of, anyway)).
I'll correct it, Mike, and find another video.
ReplyDelete