Suspicious Facts About Robert Blake, The “Did He Or Didn’t He” Actor
Robert Blake was a child star that stood the test of time. However, his dark personal life transformed his status from famous to downright infamous. In 2001, the LAPD accused Blake of taking his wife's life. What followed was a media circus that finally saw its conclusion on the stage of the 2023 Academy Awards.
The question still remains: Did he, or didn’t he? Let these facts help make up your own mind.
1. He Began Performing At A Young Age
Robert Blake had a much longer name when he was born on September 18, 1933, in New Jersey. It was Michael James Gubitosi.
For a while, his father worked at a car manufacturing factory, that is, until both of his parents found a surprising way to bring home the bacon.
They started a song-and-dance act—and this changed Blake's life forever.
2. He Was A Little Hillbilly
In 1936—when Blake was just a three-year-old kid—his parents got him and his two siblings onto the stage and called them “The Three Little Hillbillies”.
When the act saw some success, Blake's parents pulled up the tent stakes and moved to Hollywood. It seemed like a fresh beginning—but there were darker times in store for him.
3. He Had Enemies
In 1938, Blake and his siblings landed their first jobs in Hollywood as extras. However, when he wasn’t hanging around film sets, Blake faced some chilling adversaries.
He didn’t begin school until he was 10 years old, so the other kids made fun of him. This led to Blake getting involved in fighting and eventually getting kicked out. Life at school was rough, but at home, it was so much worse.
4. His Parents Were Cruel
Blake’s parents had some particularly cruel punishments for Blake. When he misbehaved, they threw him in a closet and locked the door. They also made him eat his meals straight off the floor.
But believe it or not, these punishments were not the worst part of Blake’s childhood.