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How The Boy Who Voiced Disney’s Peter Pan Ended Up In An Early Unmarked Grave
An actor who had one of the most memorable roles in film history suffered a sad and early end
The animated classic Peter Pan is one of the most treasured films in the Disney portfolio. The timeless tale of trying to avoid growing up has been enjoyed by multiple generations, with many more to come. Part of the movie’s appeal came from the performance of Bobby Driscoll, the teenager who voiced the title character. Sadly, despite his iconic role and an overall impressive acting resume, he was dead by the time he was 31 and buried in Potter’s Field in New York City.
Driscoll was born to perfectly average circumstances in Iowa. His father was an insulation salesman and his mother taught school before becoming pregnant. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1943 after Driscoll’s father was advised by a doctor that living in a more genial climate like California would be beneficial in light of the health problems he had from working with asbestos.
After the Driscoll’s L.A. barber’s son was given an audition for a film, the family decided to do a tour of the studio lot. It was there that a director noticed Bobby enjoying taking in the sights and decided he had great potential.
