Bobby Breen

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Bobby Breen
Bobby Breen.jpg
Bobby Breen
Born (1927-11-04) November 4, 1927 (age 97)
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Occupation Actor, singer
Years active 1936–1964

Bobby Breen (born November 4, 1927) is a Canadian-born former actor and singer who reached major popularity as a child star in the 1930s.

Life and career

He made his professional debut at age four in a night club in Toronto and was an immediate sensation. He made his radio debut soon after. He played in vaudeville and his sister paid for his musical education. Breen went to Hollywood in 1935. His first major appearance was on Eddie Cantor's weekly radio show in 1936, and he soon became the leading child star at RKO Radio Pictures. He is best remembered today for his films, and for the fact that he was a boy soprano. His first film was Let's Sing Again (1936), followed by eight more, including Rainbow on the River (1936), Make a Wish (1937), Hawaii Calls (1938), Way Down South (1939), and his last film, Johnny Doughboy (1942). He was RKO's biggest child star at this time and, while he played the leading part, his co-stars included famous actors like Basil Rathbone, Alan Mowbray, Charlie Ruggles, May Robson and Dolores Costello.

He continued working as a singer in nightclubs and a musical performer in stock theatre, later serving as a guest pianist for the NBC Symphony Orchestra on radio, and hosting a local TV show in New York. He also recorded briefly for the Motown label, singing on two singles and an unreleased album in 1964.[1][2] In 1953, Breen appeared on ABC's reality show, The Comeback Story, to explain how his career nose-dived as he entered his teen years and how he fought to recover.

Bobby married Jocelyn Lesh and had a son, Hunter Keith Breen in 1954. They divorced and he later married Audrey Howard. Hunter, who goes by his middle name Keith, had his first daughter, Beth Anne, in 1984 and his second daughter Sarah Rebecca in 1987.

Breen lives today with his family in Tamarac, Florida and works as the owner/operator of Bobby Breen Enterprises, a local talent agency. As of 2002, he even appeared sometimes as a singer at smaller concerts.[3]

Filmography

Bobby Breen with Louise Beavers in his second film Rainbow on the River
Year Title Role
1936 Let's Sing Again Billy Gordon
Rainbow on the River Philip Ainsworth
1937 Make a Wish Chip Winters
1938 Hawaii Calls Billy Coulter
Breaking the Ice Tommy Martin
1939 Fisherman's Wharf Tony Roma
Way Down South Timothy Reid Jr
Escape to Paradise Roberto Ramos
1942 Johnny Doughboy Bobby Breen (himself)

In popular culture

References

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External links

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  1. beautiful-records.com, "Discography, Motown (1-1099)". Retrieved April 28, 2008[dead link]
  2. Callahan, Mike and Edwards, David, "Motown Album Discography, Part 1 (1961-1981)". Retrieved April 28, 2008
  3. Once Upon a Time in Paradise: Canadians in the Golden Age of Hollywood, p. 53, at Google Books
  4. "Where's Brando?", Boston Globe, March 24, 2007