Bobs Watson

Bobs Watson

1930-11-16 – 1999-06-27 (age 68) Los Angeles, California, USA
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Biography

Watson was a member of the Watson Family, famous in the early days of Hollywood as being a houseful of child actors. He was brother to Coy Watson Jr., Harry, Billy, Delmar, Garry, Vivian, Gloria, and Louise, all of whom acted in motion pictures.

The family, known as "the first family of Hollywood", lived by the Echo Park area of Los Angeles and Bobs attended nearby Belmont High School.

They were honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce by placing the Watson family star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 6674 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, California.

Watson was best known for his role as "Pee Wee" in the 1938 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Boys Town and its sequel Men of Boys Town (1941), both starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney. Tracy and Watson became good friends during the making of the first film, and Watson was reportedly Tracy's last visitor before his death in 1967. In 1939, Watson delivered a fine, tear-jerking performance as Pud, Lionel Barrymore's grandson, in the MGM film, On Borrowed Time. Watson later made guest appearances in many television programs, including The Twilight Zone, Lou Grant, The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and The Fugitive.

In addition to working in the motion pictures business, Watson went to Claremont School of Theology to become a Methodist minister, inspired from the movie Boys Town. He retired after 30 years of serving in Burbank and La Cañada, California.

He died of prostate cancer in 1999 at Laguna Beach, California.

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Known For

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

1962

as Clerk in Newspaper Department

Boys Town
Boys Town

1938

as Pee Wee

Libeled Lady
Libeled Lady

1936

as Waif (uncredited)

Dodge City
Dodge City

1939

as Harry Cole

In Old Chicago
In Old Chicago

1938

as Bob O'Leary (as a boy)

Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto

1977

as Minister

Show Boat
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
Calling Dr. Kildare
Calling Dr. Kildare

1939

as Tommy Benson (uncredited)

Take Her, She's Mine
Take Her, She's Mine

1963

as Western Union Messenger (uncredited)

Go Chase Yourself
Go Chase Yourself

1938

as Junior (uncredited)

Men of Boys Town
Men of Boys Town

1941

as Pee Wee

On Borrowed Time
On Borrowed Time

1939

as Pud Northrup

Life Begins
Life Begins

1932

as Edgar, Harry’s Son (uncredited)

Hi, Buddy
Hi, Buddy

1943

as Tim Martin

The Great O'Malley
The Great O'Malley

1937

as Boy (uncredited)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Wicked Wives
First to Fight
First to Fight

1967

as Sergeant Maypole

Life Begins at Forty
Life Begins at Forty

1935

as Meriwhether Son

The Bold and the Brave