Born 1942 into a theatrical family in Brooklyn, New York, American actor Brandon deWilde debuted on Broadway at the age of seven and became a national phenomenon by the time he completed his 492 performances for The Member of the Wedding. He won a Donaldson Award for his performance, becoming the youngest actor to win one, and starred in the subsequent film adaptation for which he won a Golden Globe Award.
DeWilde is best known for his performance as Joey Starrett in the film Shane (1953) for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also starred in his own sitcom Jamie on ABC and became a household name making numerous radio and TV appearances before being featured on the cover of Life magazine on March 10, 1952, for his second Broadway outing, Mrs. McThing.
DeWilde continued acting in stage, film and television roles into adulthood before his death at age 30 in a car crash in Colorado on July 6, 1972. Take a look at these vintage photos to see portraits of a teenager Brandon deWilde.
Such a handsome man! It's a shame he got on a motorcycle one day! He was a wonderful actor even as a child!
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