Bobby Buntrock

Robert Willard "Bobby" Buntrock (August 4, 1952 – April 7, 1974)[2] was an American child actor. Buntrock is best known for playing the character of Harold "Sport" Baxter on the 1960s sitcom Hazel.

Bobby Buntrock
Buntrock as Harold Baxter c. 1960s
Born
Robert W. Buntrock

(1952-08-04)August 4, 1952
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
DiedApril 7, 1974(1974-04-07) (aged 21)
Keystone, South Dakota, U.S.
Cause of deathAutomobile accident
Resting placeKeystone Cemetery
NationalityAmerican
EducationSturgis High School[1]
OccupationActor
Years active1959–1967

Career

Buntrock was born in Denver, Colorado to Robert E. and Maxine Buntrock.[1] He had two sisters, Stella and Deanne. When he was three, the family moved to Whittier, California, where neighbors urged Buntrock's parents to get their son into acting. After submitting Buntrock's picture to various agents, he was signed by Marcella Belle Rinehart. Buntrock soon landed his first role, on an episode of Wagon Train at the age of seven. He also appeared in guest spots on Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, Mister Ed, and The Donna Reed Show.[3][4]

In 1961, Buntrock won the role of Harold "Sport" Baxter on the sitcom Hazel, starring Shirley Booth. The series aired for five seasons, first on NBC with Don DeFore and Whitney Blake in the role of Harold's parents, George and Dorothy Baxter. In the fifth and final season (1965-1966) shown on CBS, the series was retooled after DeFore and Blake were dismissed and Harold lived with his Uncle Steve Baxter (Ray Fulmer), Aunt Barbara (Lynn Borden), and cousin Susie (Julia Benjamin).[5][6] During the run of Hazel, Buntrock was tutored on the set and attended Lake Marie Public School[7] in Whittier when the show was on hiatus.[3]

After Hazel ended its run in 1966, Buntrock appeared in two guest spots on The Virginian in 1967 after which he retired from acting.

Personal life and death

After he finished acting, Buntrock moved with his family to Keystone, South Dakota, where he graduated from Sturgis High School in 1970 and lived for the last five years of his life. On April 7, 1974, Buntrock died at age 21 in an automobile accident when his car veered off a bridge under construction into Battle Creek, drowning him in the submerged car.[1][8][9] He is buried in Keystone Cemetery in Keystone.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1959 Wagon Train Bo Lindstrom Episode: "The Ella Lindstrom Story"
1960 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Buddy Episode: "Dr. Kate"
1961 Mister Ed Small boy Episode: "Kiddy Park"
1961 The Donna Reed Show Crying child Episode: "Mary's Little Lambs"
1961 Bus Stop Johnathon Episode: "Afternoon of a Cowboy"
1961–1966 Hazel Harold Baxter 154 episodes
1963 Burke's Law Scout Hendricks Episode: "Who Killed Eleanora Davis?"
1963 The Virginian Various 2 episodes
1967 The Virginian Tim Bates Episode: “Doctor Pat”
1967 The Virginian Tim Messinger Episode: "The Masquerade", (final television appearance)
gollark: That would be IA, not IB.
gollark: Invigorating bananas?
gollark: Institutional beehives?
gollark: This is worrying, as I receive GCSE results in 3 days.
gollark: Apparently the government is making an announcement about GCSEs soon.

References
  1. "Robert W. Buntrock". Rapid City Journal. April 8, 1974. p. 7. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  2. Rapid City Society for Genealogical Research (1996). Black Hills Nuggets. University of Wisconsin - Madison. p. 25.
  3. "Neighbor Did It For Young Bobby". Lewiston Evening Journal. October 14, 1961. pp. 4–A. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  4. "Hazel's Favorite Veteran At Eight". The Deseret News. September 25, 1963. p. T7. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  5. Pack, Harvey (November 17, 1968). "'Hazel's' Former Lucky Boss Returning As Sports Reporter". The Victoria Advocate. p. 8. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  6. Win, Fanning (August 25, 1965). "Hazel's New Family Are Baxters, Too". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 33. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  7. Official website
  8. Bloom, Ken; Vlastnik, Frank (2007). Sitcoms: The 101 Greatest TV Comedies of All Time (1 ed.). Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. p. 156. ISBN 1-579-12752-5.
  9. Madden, Joanne (February 17, 2015). "Bobby Buntrock: The tragic death of Hazel's Harold". TV Banter. Retrieved April 16, 2017.

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