Robert Blake, In Cold Blood Actor Tried For Murder, Has Died At 89
Michael James Gubitosi, more famously known as Robert Blake, died at the age of 89 in Los Angeles from heart disease. The news comes from Blake's niece Noreen Austin and was reported by Deadline. Blake was a Hollywood lifer, getting his start as a child in the MGM film "Bridal Suite" before assuming the role of Porky in the "Our Gang" and "The Little Rascals" shorts from 1939 to 1944. He continued performing well into his teen years, taking a brief hiatus in his 20s after he was drafted into the United States Army.
Blake reportedly developed a severe substance abuse problem in the years that followed but turned back to acting to get his life on track. He re-emerged playing more adult, dramatic roles, appearing in films like "Treasure of the Sierra Madre," "In Cold Blood," and a string of studio Westerns under the stage name "Bobby Blake." He would eventually pivot to using the name "Robert Blake" in 1956, the name he continued using until today.
Blake had a career spanning six decades, playing a variety of characters like his Emmy Award-winning performance as Detective Anthony Vincenzo "Tony" Baretta in the hit series "Baretta," and even The Mystery Man in David Lynch's "Lost Highway," Blake's final role on screen. The reason for his retirement was not due to a lack of talent or an intentional decision, but because in 2001, Blake's at-the-time wife, Bonny Lee Bakley was fatally shot. Blake was arrested and charged with Bakley's murder, which Blake was believed to have solicited from his former stunt double.
Controversial twilight years
Blake was also charged with solicitation of murder, conspiracy, and special circumstances of lying in wait, but a jury eventually found him not guilty in 2005. Bakley's children quickly filed a wrongful-death suit against him, but the case of Bonny Lee Bakely is legally unsolved. However, Blake was found liable for the wrongful death of Bakely and was ordered to pay $30 million. The trial was the center of news reporting for months, and Blake's career naturally never recovered.
In 2011, Blake wrote his memoir "Tales of a Rascal: What I Did for Love," and spent his days out of the public spotlight. Quentin Tarantino's novel adaptation of "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is dedicated to Blake, and the "alleged wife murderer" backstory of Brad Pitt's character, Cliff Booth, was seemingly also inspired by Blake. Do with that information what you will.
Blake's prolific legacy will forever be associated with his notorious accusations, and it is a true shame that Bakely's case was never closed during his lifetime.