| Bobby Breen | |
|---|---|
Bobby Breen |
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| Born | November 4, 1927 Montréal, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 1936–1964 |
Bobby Breen (born November 4, 1927) is a Canadian-born actor and singer of the 1930s. He made his professional debut at age four in a night club in Toronto and was an immediate sensation. He made his radio debut soon after. He played in vaudeville and his sister paid for his musical education. Breen went to Hollywood in 1935. His first major appearance was on Eddie Cantor's weekly radio show in 1936, and he soon became the leading child star at RKO Studios. He is best remembered today for his films, and for the fact that he was a boy soprano. His first film was Let's Sing Again (1936), followed by eight more, including Rainbow on the River (1936), Make a Wish (1937), Way Down South (1939), and his last film, Johnny Doughboy (1942).
He continued working as a singer in nightclubs and a musical performer in stock theatre, later serving as a guest pianist for the NBC Symphony Orchestra on radio, and hosting a local TV show in New York. He also recorded briefly for the Motown label, singing on two singles and an unreleased album in 1964.[1][2]In 1953, Breen appeared on ABC's reality show, The Comeback Story, to explain how his career nose-dived as he entered his teen years and how he fought to recover.
As of 2002[update], Breen was living in Tamarac, Florida, as owner/operator of Bobby Breen Enterprises, a talent agency.