On Thursday, March 9, 2023, American actor Robert Blake passed away from heart disease at the age of 89. His niece, Noreen Austin, stated that he was at his house in New York at the time of death and was surrounded by his family.
Humanitarian, author, and music producer David Harrison Levi expressed his grief on Facebook by sharing a picture. In the caption, he wrote:
"Died: March 9, 2023 my love thoughts prayers condolences and sympathy to family friends and fans everywhere. David Harrison Levi."
Casting director Dori Zuckerman also paid tribute on Facebook by saying that she had known Blake since 1998, and they suffered the same fate when they were kids. Dori said that she was in the courtroom during the trial with his kids and even visited him in jail. She added:
"Before he was arrested, he told me what had happened that night, and who was responsible for killing Bonny. The ABC special that aired years later about the murder was close to the truth proving he didn't do it. They touched on the right person responsible, but in the end pointed the finger at the wrong person. He never told the story to any press."
Robert Blake played the role of Mickey Gubitosi in The Little Rascals
Robert Blake gained recognition for his performance as Mickey Gubitosi in a series of comedy short films, The Little Rascals. The character is a late member of Little Rascals and becomes a replacement for Porky as the tag-along kid and Spanky's best friend.
Following Gubitosi's father's death, his mother operates a coffee shop and remarries Bill Henry, a gas station owner. Bill loves her coffee, and when Mickey learns that they are set to become parents, he realizes that every fourth child born is Chinese.
Mickey and his gang join the Adams Street Grammar School, where Miss Pipps is their favorite teacher, and when she faces problems celebrating Mickey's birthday during school hours, the gang goes to help her. Mickey later became the president of the One For All And All For One Club.
The Little Rascals was produced by Hal Roach from 1922 to 1944 and featured 220 short films. More than 41 child actors were cast in all the films.
Who was Robert Blake?
The New Jersey native started his film career with a long lineup of short films, starting with Bridal Suite in the 30s. He continued to appear in various other films and TV shows throughout the 90s.
Robert Blake was mostly known for playing the lead role of Perry Smith in the 1967 crime film, In Cold Blood. Directed by Richard Brooks, the film was successful at the box office and received various accolades. He also appeared as Anthony Vincenzo "Tony" Baretta in the ABC detective television series Baretta.
His final role as an actor was in the 1997 horror film Lost Highway. He was also known for his performances in TV shows like Fireside Theatre, The Roy Rogers Show, Official Detective, Black Saddle, Bat Masterson, The Richard Boone Show, Saturday Night Live, Blood Feud, Hell Town, and more.