Английская Википедия:Douglas Croft

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Douglas Croft (born Douglas Malcom Wheatcroft, August 12, 1926 – October 24, 1963) was an American child actor who is best remembered for being the first person to portray the DC Comics character Robin, the Boy Wonder, as well as his secret identity Dick Grayson, in the 1943 serial Batman when he was 16 years old.

Early life

Croft was born Douglas Malcolm Wheatcroft on August 12, 1926, in Seattle, Washington. His mother, Beatrice Hayden, married the silent film actor Stanhope Nelson Wheatcroft. They divorced in 1922, and his mother moved to San Francisco. His parents' divorce was a bitter one, and about the time he was born in August 1926, Stanhope Wheatcroft attempted to have Beatrice declared dead so that he could stop paying alimony.

Acting career

Croft was living with his mother in Los Angeles in 1941. Fascinated by movie stars, a talent agent spotted him loitering near a studio and signed him up. About September 1941, he began using the stage name "Douglas Croft". He also shaved several years off his age, claiming in July 1941 and again in March 1942 that he was 11 years old. A December 1941 newspaper report listed his age as 12, when he was by then actually 15.

His first role was as the pet pupil of teacher Claudette Colbert in Remember the Day. His second role was a small part in the 1942 film Kings Row, with his first major part and notable performance coming the same year in Not a Ladies' Man.

His breakout role was that of the young George M. Cohan in 1942's Oscar-winning Yankee Doodle Dandy. The year 1942 also saw Croft in a substantial role as the young Lou Gehrig in The Pride of the Yankees and as Raymond in George Washington Slept Here. then as Skip in Harrigan's Kid and as Davey in Presenting Lily Mars.

Croft was the first actor to play the comic book character Dick Grayson/Robin in a movie, doing so in the 1943 15-chapter movie serial Batman. As of 2013, Croft remains the youngest person (aged 16) to portray Robin, who at that time was depicted in comic books as being a young teenager. The producers made one change to the character, and that was to give Croft a wig of untamed curly hair.

Later life

Croft served in the United States armed forces during World War II.Шаблон:Citation needed

In February 1947, he was critically injured in a motorcycle accident which killed 19-year-old driver John J. Masterson.

His final movie role in 1947's Killer McCoy was filmed in June or July 1947.

Death

Croft died on October 24, 1963, in Los Angeles of acute alcohol intoxication and liver disease, aged 37. He was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery near San Diego, California.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1941	Remember the Day	Dewey Roberts as a Boy	film debut
1942	Kings Row	Drake McHugh as a Boy
	Not A Ladies' Man	Bill Bruce
	Yankee Doodle Dandy	George M. Cohan as a boy at age 13
	Flight Lieutenant	Danny Doyle as a Boy	uncredited
	The Pride of the Yankees	Lou Gehrig as a Boy
	George Washington Slept Here	Raymond
1943	Harrigan's Kid	Skip
	Presenting Lily Mars	Davey
	Batman	Robin/Dick Grayson	serial
1945	River Gang	Slug
1947	Killer McCoy	Danny Burns, Newsboy

External links

• Шаблон:IMDb name
• Шаблон:Find a Grave Memorial