tommy kirk/tom tryon/roddy mcdowall

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justcuttinhair
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tommy kirk/tom tryon/roddy mcdowall

Post by justcuttinhair »

ok
so, rumors have run rampant about tommy kirk's expulsion from the disney studio back in 1964. some say that it was because kirk was caught having a relationship with a 15 year old( when he was 23), kirk and some others claim it was simply a homophobic stance by disney himself. i am kinda on the fence about what i "believe". tom tryon was the leading man in the "texas john slaughter" series that was showcased on the anthology show for years...he also starred in "moon pilot". roddy mcdowall starred in 2 films made during walt's lifetime( and 3 afterward). there is video, online, of parties roddy and his partner held at their malibu bungalow in the mid 60's...you can see both Suzanne Pleshette and Hayley Mills visiting. so.....it would have been known that he was homosexual....so, it just makes me believe that the studio had a "dont ask, dont tell" policy back then...which is understandable due to the social norms back then. i think it would be so interesting if someone would write a book, about the "other" side of Disney....supposedly, there are other controversies the studio kept hush-hush back then.
carolinakid
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Post by carolinakid »

I'd read that book!

Tommy Kirk and today's Disney seem to have an OK relationship.
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Post by chadhobbick »

I agree, it would make for an interesting study of the Walt Disney Studios back then. It had to be a don't ask, don't tell situation as i'm sure Tommy Kirk was the only homosexual on the staff/payroll back then. I think a documentary would go very well, if a book didn't pan out.

If the story goes as it has been said, he was in some sort of relationship w/the younger boy after meeting him at a public pool, and the boys mother was the one who went to Walt Disney, not sure if personally or just made an open complaint to the studio about the goings on b/t her son and Mr. Kirk which lead to the dismissal of Tommy Kirk from the Walt Disney Studios. Walt Disney had to bring Tommy back onto the payroll to make the Monkey's Uncle b/c of the popularity of the Merlin Jones series.
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justcuttinhair
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Post by justcuttinhair »

well as i stated

both roddy mcdowall and tom tryon were gay also..and made several productions with disney as well.
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The_Iceflash
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Post by The_Iceflash »

If the allegations of Kirk's affair were true, and there seems to be plenty of evidence supporting it, then Disney would be in the right to see him as a liability and let him go, IMO.

chadhobbick wrote:If the story goes as it has been said, he was in some sort of relationship w/the younger boy after meeting him at a public pool, and the boys mother was the one who went to Walt Disney, not sure if personally or just made an open complaint to the studio about the goings on b/t her son and Mr. Kirk which lead to the dismissal of Tommy Kirk from the Walt Disney Studios. Walt Disney had to bring Tommy back onto the payroll to make the Monkey's Uncle b/c of the popularity of the Merlin Jones series.
More about it. Apparently there were drug issues involved as well.

http://www.originalmmc.com/tomkirk.html
Last edited by The_Iceflash on Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
justcuttinhair
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Post by justcuttinhair »

i totally agree!! that is why i asked..if anyone knew about how the studio treated the other two openly gay actors
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Post by chadhobbick »

that is why i asked..if anyone knew about how the studio treated the other two openly gay actors
Well, and granted I don't know their backstories personally of course, Tom Tryon's history shows he was married back when he was making the the Disney series/anthology and after that time is when he was known to be in a gay relationship. Roddy McDowell was never really on staff for Walt Disney Studios, he was more of a hired for individual work, so that is different. I think their work situations were much different than Tommy Kirk who was on the payroll for many years w/the studio. He basically grew up at that studio. We will never know of course b/c both McDowell and Tryon have passed on, but I think Tryon either kept a low profile b/c he was married at the time to give that image, and for McDowell, I don't think it was a secret but I don't think he flaunted it and made press about it either like Tommy did when he dated the 15 yr old and angered the boys mother.
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Post by Disney Guru »

Tommy Kirk has since admitted that he killed his own career, that he did get hooked on drugs for a while he was able to clean himself up and start a successful carpet/upholstery business. But he did ruin his own movie career and he is the first person to admit it.
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Re: tommy kirk/tom tryon/roddy mcdowall

Post by blackcauldron85 »

I just found out about this. RIP, Mr. Kirk.

Tommy Kirk, Young Disney Actor in ‘Old Yeller’ and ‘The Shaggy Dog,’ Dies at 79
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie ... 235022775/
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Re: tommy kirk/tom tryon/roddy mcdowall

Post by thedisneyspirit »

OMG I only found out yesterday that he died. So tragic. But for all the people lionizing him and attacking Walt for firing him they need to get their woke agenda prioritized. Tommy Kirk wasn't fired for being gay. He was fired for having relations with a minor. Completely different issue. God bless Tommy Kirk AND Walt Disney and all their loved ones.

:( :( :(
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Re: tommy kirk/tom tryon/roddy mcdowall

Post by Disney Duster »

R.I.P Tommy. May you and Walt be happy together making movies in Heaven.
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Re: tommy kirk/tom tryon/roddy mcdowall

Post by blackcauldron85 »

Tim Considine Dies: ‘My Three Sons’, ‘The Shaggy Dog’, ‘Patton’ Actor Was 81
https://deadline.com/2022/03/tim-consid ... 234971353/

Rest in peace, Mr. Considine.
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Re: tommy kirk/tom tryon/roddy mcdowall

Post by carolinakid »

I had such a crush on him when I was a little boy. Rest In Peace.
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