My previous post was all about Walt Disney and his family in Norton Disney Lincolnshire, when he were over here overseeing the filming of Treasure Island in 1949. This item covers the actual film :-
I have just come across this wonderful still – a publicity still from Treasure Island 1950 ( film released in 1950)
Bobby Driscoll came over here for a few months in mid 1949 to star in the Disney film – made at Denham Film Studios. Apparently he had to get a work permit and had difficulty with this but when he did, it was for a limited time. Consequently all the scenes that he played in had to be completed quite quickly so he would comply with the Government regulation at the time. This was, after all, only 4 years after the end of the war.
Actually I do think that his parents were taken to court over his outstaying this period – and below is information I have located on this situation :-
Treasure Island was filmed in the United Kingdom, and during production it was discovered that Bobby Driscoll did not have a valid British work permit, so his family and Disney were fined and ordered to leave the country. They were allowed to remain for six weeks to prepare an appeal, during which director Byron Haskin hastily shot all of Driscoll’s close-ups,using his British stand-in to film missing location scenes after he and his parents had returned to California
A beautiful photograph. How happy Bobby looks here at the age of 12 in 1949. A good job he didn’t know then what a tragic end lay in store for him less than twenty years later.
David. This is a beautiful photograph I have to say – one I had not seen before today. The colour in the 1949 Illustrated magazine is beautiful and of a texture and hue – and somehow a softness – that you do not get today for some reason. There are some great photographs of him at Denham filming Treasure Island but I have not seen one as good as this one. Thanks for your comment. Neil
Interesting to read that Driscoll did not have a valid work permit, particularly when you consider the amount of detail Walt Disney and his organisation went to. It is also sad how Driscoll’s life ended.
Tony, I am looking further into this story because, frankly, I don’t believe it. What I think happened is that he stayed on too long – beyond the time he was allowed – with the filming but I have access to detailed magazines that will give the actual detail and will let you know. It is very sad to know how he ended up after his wonderful start – and stardom. Neil