Robert Blake Biography

Age, Wikipedia Profile

Robert Blake, a renowned American actor, had a prolific career in the film industry, lasting for over five decades from 1939 to 1997. His career, which he started as a youngster, is regarded as one of the longest in the history of Hollywood. Blake appeared in numerous films and television shows, including the critically acclaimed TV series Baretta and the movie In Cold Blood. However, in 2001, he was suspected of murdering his second wife, which brought him to the limelight in 2002. Despite being prosecuted for the crime in 2005, he was eventually found not guilty.

Career

Robert Blake had his acting debut in 1939’s Bridal Suite when he was only six years old, playing the role of Toto. Back then, many knew him as Mickey Gubitosi. He gained international recognition for his portrayal of Mickey in the film series Our Gang from 1939 to 1944. His siblings also appeared in the short films. This series provided him with a platform and continued to be profitable long after it ended. He was awarded the Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award by the Young Artist Foundation in 1995.

Blake was willing to play any role during his early years in the acting industry. This resulted in him appearing in numerous films for children, such as Double Life (1942), The Big Noise (1944), the Red Ryder film series from 1944 to 1947, Humoresque (1946), and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). He enlisted in the military in 1950, leading him to take a break from performing. During his hiatus, Mickey Gubitosi regained his former level of performance. He then enrolled in a class to improve his acting skills, which eventually led him to establish himself as a well-known and sought-after actor in Hollywood.

He was billed as Robert Blake for the first time in 1956 and went on to portray notable dramatic roles on both the big and small screens. In the late 1950s, he appeared in several syndicated Western television shows, such as Men of Annapolis and 26 Guys Over 40. He then featured in several guest parts in various television shows like Have Gun Travels, The Restless Gun, The Rebel, The Californians, and Sofort, among others. In addition, he appeared in films such as Pork Chop Hill (1959), The Purple Gang (1960), City Without Mercy (1961), Ensign Powder (1964), and The Greatest Tale Ever Told (1965).

He played a significant role in the NBC anthology series The Richard Boone Show in 1963, featuring in 15 of its 25 episodes, which boosted his popularity. Blake portrayed Billy the Kid in an episode of the Syndicated Anthology series Death Valley Days in 1966. The following year, he played real-life murderer Perry Smith in the film In Cold Blood, which propelled his career to new heights. He won an Emmy Award for his role as an undercover police officer in the television series Baretta, which ran from 1975 to 1978.

In the years leading up to the end of his career, he mostly featured on television, portraying parts such as John List in the murder drama Judgment Day: The John List Story (1993), for which he was nominated for a third Emmy. He also played the role of the eerie and menacing mystery guy who murdered his wife in the film Abandoned Freeway (1997), based on the OJ Simpson trial.

Family

Marriage, Wife, Children

The actor, who is most famous for his role in the film Beretta, was married to actress Sondra Kerr for almost 20 years, from 1961 to 1983. They had two children, Noah Blake and Delinah Blake, before their marriage ended in a divorce.

In 1999, the actor met Bonnie Lee Bakley, a woman known for financially exploiting older men, especially celebrities, and who had been married nine times before. Although Bakley initially claimed that the father of her child, Rosie, born in June 2000, was Christian Brando, a paternity test proved that the child was actually the actor’s. Despite this, the actor married Bakley on November 19, 2000, and remained married to her until her death on May 4, 2001.

In 2017, the actor married Pamela Hudak, but after a year of marriage, he filed for divorce on December 7, 2018.

Net Worth

How much is Robert Blake’s Net Worth?

Robert Blake had a successful career as an acclaimed performer in the entertainment industry. However, his wealth seemed to have been lost during his trial for murder. On February 4, 2006, he filed for bankruptcy and declared obligations amounting to $3 million. Additionally, in April of 2010, the state of California placed a lien on him due to his failure to settle back taxes worth $1,110,878. It was later reported that his net worth was around $1.1 million.

Cause of Death

How did Robert Blake Die?

On March 9, 2023, Blake died in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 89 from a heart condition.