Blake Robert

American actor, a child star in the "Our Gang" film comedies at the age of six who rounded out the ‘40s as the plucky Indian boy in the popular western movie series "Red Ryder." Starting out as Mickey Gubitosi, he took the stage name of Bobby Blake in 1940, though he continued to use his birth name in the "Our Gang" series for another three years. He was an adult star of "In Cold Blood," 1967, "Tell Them Willie Boy is Here," 1969 and the "Baretta" TV series; a career marked by ups and downs. With a difficult, hard working childhood, Blake’s first exposure in show business was at age two. He relates that he was abused physically, emotionally and sexually as a child by his folks, a once-time song and dance team, and spent much of his life in a rage. He and his brother, sister and mother were all victims of a drunken, violent step-father who would beat them mercilessly. After being expelled from five schools, he was drafted in 1950, a "has-been" by the time he was 17. Rebellious, with periods of deep depression, he was compulsively resistant to authority and incapable of delegating authority. He spent time in the army stockade, and managed to get involved with heroin. Through his years he tried many of the various forms of self-destruct; drugs, alcohol and fights. When he returned to Hollywood in 1952, Blake worked as a stuntman, and in 1953 began to get TV roles. "Baretta" debuted mid-season in January, 1975 and was an immediate hit with a subsequent Emmy win that year that put Robert Blake on top of the world. From 1975-1978, "Baretta" held a top spot on TV, a set that often resembled a war zone in which Blake was accused of being "unprofessional" and tyrannical. He had his wife Sondra cast as a frequent guest-star and began ignoring directors he didnt like, effectively directing the show himself. "Baretta" was canceled in 1978 and Blakes marriage ended soon after that. Finding himself persona non grata, he became a "walking nervous breakdown," holding himself together with uppers and downers. Prior to "Baretta" he had been strung out on heroin for two years during which time he stole, smashed motorcycles into trees, boozed and ate pills by the handful. "Self Destruction?" Blake told a reporter, "I could write a book." After the series finished, he drifted aimlessly back into an aggressive down-hill run. His 13-year marriage folded in 1980 before he stopped long enough to take a long hard look and take charge of his own life with some drastic changes. He had custody of both of his kids, Noah and Delinah. Hollywood was not convinced that Blake was housebroken and it was a long period of unemployment before a turnaround. In 1981, Robert Blake roared back with five TV-movies that year, three in the role of detective Joe Dancer. He hosted Saturday Night Live in 1982, starred as Joe Dancer again in 1983 and as Jimmy Hoffa in the miniseries "Blood Feud." He put himself on the line, signing a contract that his entire salary was in escrow subject to forfeit if he failed to conduct himself in a properly professional manner. On the last day of shooting, Blake collected the proudest wages of his career for his comeback. In 1986 he was working on a series, "Hell Town," when he walked away from show business into his own private wilderness for seven years. He dredged out his years of being hurt, how deeply and how long as a child, and looked at his years of tantrums at work, his drinking bouts, his fights and 30 years of therapy Read less