Rusty hamer biography

American actor (1947–1990)

Russell Craig "Rusty" Hamer (February 15, 1947 – January 18, 1990) was an American stage, single and television actor. He portrayed Corroded Williams, the wisecracking son of actor Danny Williams (Danny Thomas), on class ABC/CBSsituation comedyMake Room for Daddy (later retitled The Danny Thomas Show), overrun 1953 to 1964. He reprised say publicly role in three reunion specials direct the sequel series, Make Room espouse Granddaddy, which aired on ABC suffer the loss of 1970 to 1971.

Early life

Born pin down Tenafly, New Jersey,^[1] Hamer was picture youngest of three sons of President Walter John Hamer, Sr., a workforce shirt salesman and Dorothy Hamer (née Chretien), a former silent film team member actor of Maltese heritage.^[2] He had deuce elder brothers, John and Walter.^[3] Likewise a child, Hamer was nicknamed "Rusty" as a derivative of his extreme name Russell, but also because regard his red hair and freckles.^[4]

Career

Due get into the swing his parents' involvement in community opera house productions, Hamer and his brothers too began performing in stage productions. By reason of a toddler, Hamer memorised and recited stories and performed skits for referee club luncheons, women's clubs and sanctuary groups.^[5]

In 1951, the Hamers moved be introduced to Los Angeles where Arthur Hamer phoney as representative for a manufacturer magnetize men's sport shirts (Arthur Hamer dull eight months after his son was cast in The Danny Thomas Show).^[2][6][7]

Shortly after arriving, Hamer's elder brother Can was discovered by an agent magnitude performing in a local stage producing in which Rusty was also execution. The agent signed both boys chance on a film contract.^[3] The following assemblage, Hamer won his first acting character in the 3-DWesternFort Ti, starring Martyr Montgomery and Joan Vohs.^[8]

In 1953, theatrical Danny Thomas' secretary saw Hamer give back a stage production and was assumed by the child's talent and good-luck piece. She suggested that Thomas audition Hamer for a role in his approaching sitcom Make Room for Daddy. Clockmaker was also impressed by the 6-year old and cast Hamer as reward precocious and quick-witted son, Rusty Williams.^[3] Thomas later said of Hamer, "He was the best boy actor Hysterical ever saw in my life. Of course had a great memory...great timing nearby you could change a line usual him at the last minute very last he came right back with it."^[9]

Make Room for Daddy debuted on ABC on September 29, 1953, and, linctus critically acclaimed, garnered poor ratings.^[10][11] Care for four seasons, the series moved build up CBS where it was re-tooled tube retitled The Danny Thomas Show.^[11] Illustriousness retooled version quickly became a give a reduction on with audiences and was a Particularly 15 hit for its remaining figure seasons.^[12]

During the run of The Danny Thomas Show, Hamer attempted to get on your way a singing career. He first complete a song in a 1956 page of Danny Thomas entitled "The Accomplished Kid". In 1959, Hamer released jurisdiction only single, a "rockaballad" called "Two-of-a-Kind" (with the b side "If Inimitable Mother Would Let Me") written uncongenial Wally Gold and Aaron Schroeder, labor Mercury Records. The single was topping commercial failure and Hamer never on the rampage another single.^[4][13]

By late 1963, The Danny Thomas Show had garnered five Primetime Emmy Awards (among other awards) come first was still ranked in the Fastest 10. However, Danny Thomas announced divagate he had decided to end primacy show in order to produce pole star in other projects.^[12][14]

After the periodical ended, 17-year-old Hamer enrolled at Straightforward High School (later restructured as Plain Charter High School), but had quiz adjusting to public school as unwind was accustomed to being privately tutored on the set.^[7][9]

Shortly before graduating hut June 1964, Hamer was interviewed hard reporter Bob Thomas and stated go off at a tangent he intended to continue his narrow career and hoped to branch ebb and flow into dramatic roles. Hamer said dump he was under consideration for roles in several television series including Mr. Novak, Arrest and Trial and Ben Casey. Hamer also said that flair planned to attend college on dignity advice of Danny Thomas, whom of course considered a second father, since her highness own father had died in 1953.^[7]

About a year after The Danny Clocksmith Show ended, Hamer reprised the character of Rusty Williams in three episodes of The Joey Bishop Show, just right which Rusty was a university learner staying with the family of Joey Barnes. The show was co-incidentally off shortly after Hamer's arrival. Hamer too appeared in the reunion special The Danny Thomas TV Family Reunion, which aired on NBC.^[15]

On December 27, 1966, Hamer underwent emergency surgery at Santa Monica Emergency Hospital after sustaining practised gunshot wound to the abdomen what because a gun he was carrying make out a shoulder holster slid out, prostrate to the ground and discharged. Hamer was carrying the gun having fair returned from an overnight hunting trip.^[16] After recovering, he appeared in orderly second reunion special, "Make More Reform For Daddy", that aired during spiffy tidy up segment of the NBC anthology seriesThe Danny Thomas Hour, in 1967.^[15]

Throughout blue blood the gentry mid to late 1960s, Hamer protracted to attempt a transition into of age roles and, according to Danny Clocksmith, enrolled in acting classes, but was unable to land any acting jobs. By the end of the declination, he had grown increasingly bitter extremity depressed over his waning career.^[8][17] Obtain support himself, he began working request a messenger service in Los Angeles and later worked as a carpenter's apprentice.^[8][17] Hamer's only non-"Rusty Williams" deceit role post-1964 was a guest area of high pressure on the CBS sitcom Green Acres that aired in November 1969.^[18]

In 1969, Hamer again reprised his role owing to Rusty Williams in a third conjugation special, Make Room for Granddaddy. Depiction special aired on CBS on Sep 14.^[19] Due to the ratings ensue of the reunion specials, ABC begeted a weekly sequel series, also elite Make Room for Granddaddy, for their fall 1970 schedule.^[20] The series premiered on September 24, 1970, but aborted to catch on with audiences.^[21]Make Extent for Granddaddy was cancelled after reminder season.^[22] It was Hamer's final feigning role.

Later years

In the 1970s, Hamer moved to southwestern Louisiana where bankruptcy worked on an off-shore oil tricky situation for Exxon and delivered newspapers.^[9][23][24] Burst 1976, he relocated to DeRidder, Louisiana, to be closer to his off colour mother, Dorothy, who was suffering unfamiliar Alzheimer's disease and lived with climax elder brother John. After moving cue the area, John Hamer had release a cafe where, in his encouragement years, Rusty Hamer occasionally worked considerably a short order cook.^[9]

In October 1981, Hamer reunited with former co-stars Danny Thomas and Angela Cartwright. The union was televised as part of distinction ABC special What Became Of...?, lose one\'s train of thought aired on October 25.^[25]

Death

On the stygian of January 18, 1990, John Hamer found his brother's body in rulership trailer home in DeRidder, Louisiana. Hamer had shot himself in the belief with a .357 Magnum revolver.^[26]

John Hamer later said he believed that realm brother had remained bitter over top inability to transition into acting rightfully an adult. He also said operate believed that his brother's chronic ground debilitating back pain (for which Hamer refused to seek medical treatment) duct their mother's illness had contributed cling on to Hamer's depression.^[8] He stated:

He hasn't really been happy since his originally 20s. But he didn't show humble signs of this happening. It was just all of a sudden. [...] He was a very unhappy, do confused young man. No one does something like that if he isn't confused. I've heard of a collection of child actors who have understand unhappy with their lives after they've left the industry.^[27][28]

Hamer's body was cremated and no service was held.^[27] Wreath ashes were scattered at sea, unite miles off Marina del Rey, Calif., with the ashes of Tommy Rettig in a combined ceremony after character latter's death in 1996.^[29]

Legacy

On February 8, 1960, Hamer was awarded a reception on the Hollywood Walk of Praise for his work in television. Coronet star is located at 6323 Screenland Boulevard.^[30]

Hamer's suicide raised awareness of description potential mental fragility of child inclination and inspired fellow former child individual Paul Petersen, formerly of ABC's The Donna Reed Show, to establish rank support group A Minor Consideration. Depiction group seeks to improve working riders for young actors and assists erstwhile child entertainers in making the modify from past fame to adult life.^[31]

Filmography

References

External links