There are 14 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 1,690 times. The latest Post () was by MichaelHarrison.
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Born September 21, 1932 in Waukegan, Illinois, USA
Died November 20, 2022 in Naples, Florida, USA
Birth Name Theodore Matthew Michael Kuhn Jr.
One of Hollywood's staple child actors during the 30s and 40s, Mickey Kuhn played alongside many a top Hollywood star from Leslie Howard and Conrad Nagel's son to playing Dick Tracy's ward. Once he reached the "awkward teens" stage, however, he found himself primarily unemployed or in unbilled parts and looked elsewhere for career satisfaction.
Born Theodore Matthew Michael Kuhn, Jr. on September 21, 1932 in Waukegan, Illinois, he was the younger of two children born to Theodore Sr. and the former Pearl Hicks. The family moved to Hollywood during the Depression where his father found reliable work as a meat cutter. Mickey added to the family income at age 2 when, by chance, he was cast by Fox Studios for the movie Change of Heart (1934) starring the preeminent movie couple at the time, Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. Attending kindergarten at the Mark-Ken School for professional children, he returned to films as a 5-year-old in A Doctor's Diary (1937) made by Paramount. His devoted mother oversaw and protected him throughout most of his young career. 1939 was a banner year for Mickey as it was for Hollywood itself, appearing as Crown Prince Augustin in the "A" picture Juarez (1939) starring Paul Muni and Bette Davis, and as Ashley Wilkes' son Beau in the Civil War classic Gone with the Wind (1939).
While he did not rise to moppet stardom, the boy proved quite dependable and a fast learner, and was actively involved in a few prestigious pictures during the 1940s, including One Foot in Heaven (1941), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) and Red River (1948). He particularly enjoyed horses and participating in such action fare as S.O.S. Tidal Wave (1939), _Roaring Rangers (1946) and Broken Arrow (1950).
His attention also turned to the stage as a teenager, performing at the Pasadena Playhouse and other Los Angeles-based theaters in between film shoots. Fewer roles came his way, however, and in 1951 he decided to enlist in the Navy. After a four-year term of duty, he returned to films and TV in 1955 but without much fanfare. He married around this time and had two children. Preferring a steadier source of income, he attended L.A. Valley College and Cal State Northridge on his G.I. Bill majoring in Theater Arts while holding an assortment of odd jobs.
In 1965 he was hired by American Airlines and subsequently served as a supervisor to flight attendants. He later became an administrative manager at a Boston airport. Divorced, he remarried in 1984 and retired from the airlines in 1995. More recently he has spent his time conducting historical tours around and about the city of Boston and has appeared at various film festivals. He received the Golden Boot Award for his work in westerns in 2005.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh
Sad news today of the death of Mickey Kuhn, Duke’s co-star in ‘Red River’. He also appeared in, amongst other films, ‘Broken Arrow’ with James Stewart and Jeff Chandler. But perhaps he is best remembered as the last of the cast of ‘Gone With the Wind’.
RIP.
Sadly none of those films could be made now.
We don't need those films made today. It seems they are having trouble making anything good today.
Mark
We don't need those films made today. It seems they are having trouble making anything good today.
Mark
"Broken Arrow" is considered racist due to the casting of white actors as native Americans.
"Broken Arrow" is considered racist due to the casting of white actors as native Americans.
Do you consider the movie Hondo racist? Using that claim, you would have to consider most westerns made in the 50's racist. While not being an historian of old Hollywood, I know that studios had actors and actresses under contract, so they used them where needed. Their stars played the major Indian rolls and I know that stuntmen were occasionally used for minor rolls. Maybe there were not many Indian actors under contract. That may have been racism at work, but that doesn't make a film racist, just the time and environment it was made in.
Mark
The baby from GWTW is still alive as far as i know.
Using the "racist" insult when it's not at all truthful reveals the accuser to be just that. I'm not saying there haven't been movies that had racist overtones or outright messages...that's due to the intent of the producers or directors. But when it comes to casting...these are actors...they're by profession and by contract paid to be someone they aren't. Was it sexist for Robin Williams to play "Mrs. Doubtfire"? Or for Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon to play women in "Some Like It Hot"...or Dustin Hoffman in "Tootise" or an Indian in "Little Big Man"?
Henry Brandon who played Scar in "The Searchers" was a German-born American actor...Michael Pate who played many Indians through his film career was Australian. I don't hear any racist names thrown at them.
Too many people who throw the "racist" insult around so cavalierly have a political (and/or a financial) agenda and should look in the mirror whenever they think of the word.
Henry Brandon who played Scar in "The Searchers" was a German-born American actor...Michael Pate who played many Indians through his film career was Australian. I don't hear any racist names thrown at them.
"The Searchers" is often considered one of the worst offenders nowadays.
"Broken Arrow" is considered racist due to the casting of white actors as native Americans.
Let's stay on topic. This is a thread for Mickey Kuhn.
Do you consider the movie Hondo racist? Using that claim, you would have to consider most westerns made in the 50's racist. While not being an historian of old Hollywood, I know that studios had actors and actresses under contract, so they used them where needed. Their stars played the major Indian rolls and I know that stuntmen were occasionally used for minor rolls. Maybe there were not many Indian actors under contract. That may have been racism at work, but that doesn't make a film racist, just the time and environment it was made in.
Mark
I didn't think "Hondo" was racist, but I was disappointed it only lasted for about an hour and a quarter. However there are people who consider the old westerns to be racist. The late Marlon Brando said Hollywood westerns defamed native Americans.
Who cares what Brando thinks. Lol
*hugs* and care to anyone who wishes for them.
Who cares what Brando thinks. Lol
There was a documentary on about him last night, using recordings of his voice. I had to turn it off because it was so boring.
