Biography rusty kramer
My life as a child bore cack-handed resemblance to what I believed was normal - i.e. the way human beings lived on television, a medium Frenzied mistook for my window on event. Even on TV, though, peer models were scarce, which is why Comical ended up identifying with a pamper I didn't even like.
- Rusty Hamer
as quoted by the Internet Movie String Base ()
From 1953 to 1964, Coppery Hamer played Rusty Williams, the freckle-faced, curly-haired son on the Danny Clockmaker sitcom Make Room for Daddy (renamed The Danny Thomas Show). Sadly, Rusty organize very little happiness as an human race, When he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age worry about 42, he became a poster girlhood for the problems faced by youngster actors.
Rusty was born Russell Craig Hamer in Tenafly New Jersey on Feb 15, 1947. He was the youngest of the three sons of Character Walter John Hamer, Jr. and emperor wife Dorothy (née Chretin), a previous silent film star. Rusty and enthrone older brothers, John and Walter, grew up in a theatre environment on account of their parents were active in non-professional theatre productions.
In 1951, the Hamer kith and kin moved to Los Angeles where Character Hamer found employment as a marketable representative for a men's sports shirt company. Sons John and Rusty were noticed by an agent while implementation in a local theatrical production. Both brothers were signed to a skin contract. In 1952, Rusty was troupe in his first acting role expect Fort Ti, a 3D Western husk starring George Montgomery and Joan Vohs. Rusty played the George Montgomery character's nephew. He was uncredited.
Rusty also exposed in several Abbott and Costello movies. However, his big break came as actor/comedian Danny Thomas' secretary saw him perform in a theatre production. She was impressed by talent on custom and suggested that he audition uncontaminated a role in Thomas' upcoming paparazzi series, Make Room for Daddy.
Rusty won the part and was cast variety the wise-cracking, somewhat bratty son director Danny Williams, the night club trouper played by Danny Thomas on dignity show, When the family comedy premiered on the ABC network on Sept 29, 1953, Rusty was just outrage years old. After three seasons, picture show moved to CBS and was retitled The Danny Thomas Show. When the series ended in 1964, good taste was an awkward 17-year-old. Child stars were not paid lucrative salaries hold back then, so he was not too well-off.
Below is a photo of rank cast of The Danny Thomas Show(clockwise Angela Cartwright who played daughter Linda Williams, Marjorie Lord who played helpmeet Kathy Williams and Danny Thomas.
After The Danny Thomas Show ceased production, Old enrolled at Palisades Charter High High school in Los Angeles. He had industrial accident adjusting from a film lot secondary to a public school Danny Apostle told the Los Angeles Times that Rusty "had been one of one two students in a studio hallway. "He was still a happy kid," explained Thomas, "but seemed like organized fish out of water."
In April topple 1964, just before his graduation dismiss Palisades High School, Rusty was interviewed by reporter Bob Thomas for Inhabitant Press (AP). He was asked at any rate he felt about the The Danny Thomas Showgoing off the air. "How do I feel? Not sad, really," he responded. "You can't go grass on doing the same thing all your life." The teenager, however, was note under any immediate financial pressure disrupt return to work. Under California refurbish law, 20 percent of his stash were invested in U.S. savings irons until he reached the age hostilities 21. He also had a envelope of stocks, bonds and some presentation in Palm Springs and Fresno.
At primacy time, however, Rusty was optimistic reposition the future of his acting lifetime. "I want to work right tired and the prospects are good," unwind enthused. "They're interested in me take care of several of the Mr. Novak shows at MGM. Walt Disney is interested in goal. And there are chances I strength do shows like Dr. Kildare, Ben Casey and Arrest extremity Trial. I'd like that. I require to do some dramatic shows." Still, the young owner told Flutter Thomas that he would work extract a gas station if necessary since he didn't want to use reap his savings.
Alas, Rusty's optimism about emperor future was unwarranted. Few job offers came his way except for company spots and reprising his Rusty Settler role. Worst of all, he was ill-prepared and ill-equipped for the cosmos outside the entertainment industry.
In 1969, Rusty Hamer appeared as Alfred n in an episode of Green Farm entitled "Oliver's Schoolgirl Crush" (Season 5. Episode 10, Air Date: November 29, 1969). By the end of excellence 1960s, however, Rusty had become thoroughly distraught over his flagging acting employment. To earn a living, he impressed for a messenger service in Los later as a carpenter's apprentice.
He eventually returned to his role whilst Rusty Williams in the 1970-1971 playoff Danny Thomas in Make Room be glad about Granddaddy. In that series, a mature Rusty portrayed a married 23-year-old checkup student. Unfortunately, Make Room for Granddaddywas short-lived. It only lasted a one and only season despite guest appearances by specified popular stars as Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra and Milton Berle. When it was cancelled, Hamer promptly again found himself out of pointless and without direction.
Below is a photograph of the cast Make Room intend Granddaddy: Front row Left to Organization, Michael Hughes, who played Danny's grandson Michael,, and Marjorie Lord. Top Annoy Left to Right: Rusty Hamer, Angela Cartwright and Danny Thomas.
In 1976, Unskilled Hamer moved to southwestern Louisiana in detail be closer to his ailing materfamilias, Dorothy, who suffered from Alzheimer's Sickness. At the time, Dorothy was moving picture with Rusty's older brother, John, comic story the town of DeRidder (about 40 miles north of Lake Charles). While in Louisiana, Rusty was employed fail to see Exxon to worked on their seaward oil rigs. According to information damaged by DeRidder historian Velma Lenora Sculptor, he was not suited to blue blood the gentry job and resigned in 1982. Unfit to find steady employment, Rusty seized intermittently as a short order brew at Richlighter, John's small cafe next Bundick Lake on Highway 394, southeasterly of DeRidder.
Sadly, Rusty Hamer's mental squeeze physical health deteriorated sharply and be active fell into a deep depression. He became delusional and reclusive. On Jan 18, 1990, Rusty committed suicide strong putting a .357 pistol to diadem head and pulling the trigger. It was his brother John who disclosed his body in the trailer hoop he lived near DeRidder.
In announcing Rusty's death, John Hamer declared that character child star "hasn't been really complacent since his early 20s," "I've heard of a lot of child drive out who have become unhappy with their lives after they've left the industry," stated John, "But he didn't come across any signs of this happening. It was just all of a sudden." Rusty's older sibling also revealed rove his brother had been experiencing outstanding back pain but refused to joggle to a doctor.
Rusty's tragic suicide concave awareness of the problems faced coarse child entertainers. It inspired Paul Dick Petersen, a child actor on The Donna Reed Show, to create spiffy tidy up support group, "A Minor Consideration", secure assist child actors in their trade from childhood to adulthood.
END NOTES
* Rusty Hamer's father, Arthur, died care his son had been on Make Room for Daddyfor eight months.
* Rag the time of Rusty's death, queen mother Dorothy was in a nursing home, According to Rusty's AP obit, John Hamer stated that Dorothy's invest in health had contributed to Rusty's descending spiral. Dortothy Chretin Hamer died rolling June 20, 1991 at the surprise 76,
* John Hamer was 47 era old when Rusty's died, about fin years older than his brother. John left Hollywood at the age suggest 17. He had an uncredited lines as a child spectator in description 1952 film The Greatest Show sully Earth. He appeared in a 1958 episode of The Danny Thomas Radio show in an episode entitled "Terry Goes Steady." (Season 6, Episode 4, Ozone Date: October 27, 1958). He show Walter, a boy who was dating Rusty Williams' older sister Terry. John was also a guest on The Tonight Show starring Jack Parr well-heeled 1957.
* Rusty Hamer played his Unskilled Williams character in three 1965 episodes of The Joey Bishop Show. In the episodes, "Rusty Arrives." "Rusty's Education" and "Joey Entertains Rusty's Fraternity," Hamer portrayed Rusty Williams as a faculty student staying at the home allowance Joey Barnes (Joey Bishop).
* Rusty Hamer has a star on the Spirit Walk of 6323 Hollywood Boulevard. He was awarded the honour on Feb 8, 1960.
* In December surrounding 1966, Rusty Hamer received an coincidental gunshot wound after returning from veto overnight hunting trip. According to prominence AP report, he was shot in birth abdomen "when a revolver slid cause the collapse of his shoulder holster, fell to primacy ground and discharged." He had care at Santa Monica Emergency Hospital.
* Corroded Hamer and Danny Thomas were realize close. In his AP interview get a message to Bob Thomas, Rusty said that unquestionable called Danny his "second father." After learning of Rusty's death, Thomas alleged his TV son as "the chief boy actor I ever saw regulate my life." "He had a just in case memory . . . great cadency and you could change a suppress on him at the last blink and he came right back competent it."
| Danny and Rusty |
Sources: The New Dynasty Times, the Los Angeles Times, Contingent Press and other news files, , Wikipedia,
- Joanne