Robert Blake was born Michael James Vincenzo Gubitosi on September 13, 1933, in Nutley, New Jersey. He entered the acting world shortly after he learned to walk. At the age of only three years old, Robert and his two siblings began performing, using the name The Three Little Hillbillies. In 1938, sensing that their children might have something special, the family moved to Los Angeles, where the children began working as movie extras.
Blake’s first on screen role was in 1939 in the film Bridal Suite, which starred Annabella Young and Robert Young. He then began appearing in Our Gang, a series of short films depicting the lives of a group of children in a poor neighborhood. He replaced fellow child actor Eugene "Porky" Lee, eventually taking over the lead role in the series. Other early film appearances include those in Humoresque, starring Joan Crawford, John Garfield, and Oscar Levant; and The Treasure of Sierra Madre, starring Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, and Tim Holt. Although it appeared as though Robert was living every boy’s dream, he reportedly describes his childhood as unhappy. His father was an abusive alcoholic, and the boy star had trouble making friends at school.
At the age of seventeen, Robert entered the army, taking a lengthy break from film. After honing his acting skills by attending classes, he began to use the name Robert Blake in 1956. His film appearances as Robert Blake include those in The Greatest Story Ever Told, starring Max von Sydow and Charlton Heston; In Cold Blood, the film adaptation of Truman Capote’s novel starring Scott Wilson, John Forsythe, and Paul Stewart; and Tell Them Willie Boy is Here, also featuring Robert Redford and Katharine Ross.
Aside from his film appearances, Blake is also well known for his role as Detective Tony Baretta in the series Baretta. He remained with the series for three seasons, taking home an Emmy Award for his efforts.
While Blake is a prolific actor, it is his personal troubles for which he is arguably best known. After marrying Sondra Kerr in 1964 and having children Noah and Delinah, the couple divorced in 1983. In 1999, Robert’s troubles began when he met Bonnie Lee Bakley, a woman reportedly known as a gold digger who liked to target older men. During their relationship, Bakley cheated on Blake with Christian Brando, the son of Marlon Brando. When Bakley had a baby, and Robert determined through DNA testing that he was the father, the pair married. It was number two for Blake, number ten for Bonnie.
On May 4, 2001, Bonnie was shot in the head while sitting in the couple’s car. The pair had been out for dinner, and Blake said he was absent because he went back to the restaurant to retrieve a gun he had forgotten there. Almost a year later, Blake was arrested after a retired stuntman reported that Blake had tried to hire him to kill Bakley. After an intense legal battle, Blake was acquitted of the murder charges. However, he was found guilty in a civil suit filed by Bakley’s children, and was ordered to pay thirty million dollars. It was a judgment that would ruin the actor financially. He filed for bankruptcy, and currently works as a ranch hand. He hopes to eventually rebuild both his career and his life in the coming years.
YUDDY
