| Ronnie Dapo | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 8, 1952 |
| Occupation | Child actor |
| Years active | 1959-1966 |
Ronnie Dapo (born May 8, 1952) is an American former child actor who appeared in supporting roles in such television series as ABC's Room for One More (1962) and CBS's The New Phil Silvers Show (1964).
Dapo began acting in 1959 at the age of seven when he played Billy Lacy in John Bromfield's syndicated series U.S. Marshal. That same year he appeared as Ronnie in The Alcoa Hour in the episode "Another Day, Another Dollar" and in "The Greenhorn Story" of NBC's western series Wagon Train starring Ward Bond. In 1960, he appeared as a schoolboy in the episode "A Bullet for the Teacher" on ABC's Maverick starring James Garner.[1]
In 1961, he guest starred in three ABC series, The Roaring Twenties (episode "Dance Marathon"), Hawaiian Eye (as Roger in "Don't Kiss Me Good-bye"), and Surfside 6 (as Little Kelly in "Little Mister Kelly"). In 1962, he appeared as Norbert Smith in Meredith Willson's The Music Man and on two ABC series, as Mike Russo in the episode "Pandora's Box" of The Detectives starring Robert Taylor and as Roy Barrington in "One Way Ticket" on Clint Walker's Cheyenne".[1]
In 1962, he was also cast as 9-year-old Flip Rose, one of the four children (two natural and two foster) of George and Anna Rose, portrayed by Andrew Duggan and Peggy McCay, in the 26-week Room for One More.[2] While on Room for One More young Dapo made two appearances on another ABC series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, having played himself in "The Tigers Go to a Dance" and "Rick Sends a Picture".[1]
In 1963, he guest starred as Danny Saunders in "The Left Field Caper" of ABC's 77 Sunset Strip[1] before he was cast as Phil Silvers's nephew, Andy, in the comedian's revised sitcom. The second Silvers series focused on the star's role of Harry Grafton as the foreman of a plant, with co-stars Stafford Repp, Herbie Faye, and Buddy Lester. Then Elena Verdugo joined the show as Andy's mother, Audrey, and Sandy Descher as Andy's older sister, Susan. Like Room for One More, The New Phil Silvers Show soon folded.[3]
Young Dapo then appeared in small roles on Lucille Ball's CBS series The Lucy Show and on Gene Barry's ABC detective series Burke's Law in the episode entitled "Who Killed Andy Zygmunt?". In 1964, he played Peter McCloud in the film Kisses for My President. From 1963-1965, Dapo appeared twice on CBS's Lassie and The Munsters. In 1965, he appeared on ABC's The Fugitive and The F.B.I.[1]
Between 1963 and 1966, Dapo appeared three times as Arnold Winkler, a friend of Opie Taylor (played by Ron Howard) on CBS's The Andy Griffith Show. The episodes on which Dapo appeared are "Opie and the Spoiled Kid" and "The Haunted House" (both in 1963) and "A Baby in the House" (1966). Dapo's acting ended in 1966 with two other roles: as Jimmy in the television movie Baby Makes Three and as Virgil 'Tiger' Higgins in the film Follow Me, Boys! starring Fred MacMurray and Kurt Russell.[1]