Tommy Kirk was the quintessential Disney child actor from the mid-1950’s to the mid-1960’s. His first big claim to fame was his role in The Hardy Boys series as part of The Mickey Mouse Club when he played Joe Hardy in The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure (1956), and then followed it up with another Hardy Boys series called The Mystery of the Ghost Farm (1957). Later in 1957, he starred as Travis, the older of the brothers in the Disney classic Old Yeller.
From there, he went on to be featured in a succession of Disney films, some classic, some not-so-classic: The Shaggy Dog, Swiss Family Robinson, The Absent-Minded Professor, Babes in Toyland, Moon Pilot, Son of Flubber, and Savage Sam, to name just some of them. Then around 1965 as he began to outgrow teenage roles, his acting career naturally fell apart as he left the Disney studios and starred in a series of low-budget flubs…as recently as the late 1990’s in such forgettable movies such as Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold and Billy Frankenstein.
My friend Bob had picked me up a signed portrait (as seen above) of Tommy Kirk sometime in the mid-1990’s at one of the Hollowood Collectors Shows that he attended. I didn’t have a chance to actually meet Tommy Kirk until my visit to the show on October 4, 2008. Bob had warned me that Mr. Kirk might not pleasantly take to being photographed since I hadn’t purchased anything. As always I merely brought along the photo I already had signed and explained that when I had gotten it at another time, I simply didn’t have my camera with me.
However, he wasn’t unfriendly…nor was he friendly. Actually he may as well have been asleep, he appeared so unenthusiastic and deadpan. He looked like an average Joe on the street, whom I never would have recognized as Tommy Kirk. Either way, I was happy and appreciative to have met him and gotten a photo taken with someone who played such a huge role in Disney live-action films throughout the late 50’s and early 60’s.
Celebrity encounters from the 2008 HCS will continue…
Tim Considine (spelling?)was the really cool Hardy boy and Tommy Kirk seemed like the kind of kid that lucked into the part. I use to love to watch the show. I like the series Annette even better or even Spin and Marty.
Bev
December 13th, 2008