- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRobert Ball Watson
- Nickname
- The Crybaby of Hollywood
- Born in Los Angeles almost a year after the start of Great Depression. Bob (whose nickname 'Bobs' was given to him by his father, and for legal and professional reasons he adopted professionally) is from a family of 9 siblings; 6 boys and 3 girls. He made his first on-screen appearance as a (literal) babe in arms in Life Begins (1932). Watson received the sobriquet 'cry-baby' for his ability to cry on-cue. Watson is best known as "Pee Wee" from Boys Town (1938). Later in the mid-late 60's Watson left the film industry entirely and entered the Claremont School of Theology. Later he became a Methodist minister in Burbank and La Canada. Watson retired in 1997 and passed away in 1999, succumbing to prostate cancer- IMDb Mini Biography By: <anthony-adam@tamu.edu>Update U.N. Owen
- SpouseJaye(? - June 27, 1999) (his death, 3 children)
- Crying scenes
- Was one of Spencer Tracy's last visitors before his death. Watson and "Uncle Spence" had become friends while filming Boys Town (1938) together.
- Inspired to become a Methodist minister in later years by Spencer Tracy's Father Flanagan performance and Tracy's warm treatment of the boys on the set of Boys Town (1938), of which Bobs was one.
- Retires after 30 years as a Methodist minister.
- 'Bobs' is his real nickname, given by his father to distinguish him from another actor named 'Bob Watson'.
- Nicknamed the Cry Baby of Hollywood, as he could cry on cue.
- On what prompted him to enter the ministry: "No matter how pleased I was with my career or my family, I kept hearing, 'Isn't there something more you could be doing with your life?' I was thirty-two years old when I made the decision, hardly the ideal age to enter the ministry, but that's what I did."
- For a while, I used to worry that if I gave a really moving sermon, people would just figure that I was still acting, but I got over that. Acting did help me in that it is probably easier for me to relate to many different people than it would be for most men. Actually, I think the ability I was known for around the studios was what has helped me the most as a clergyman. To get me to cry, which is so hard for most kid actors, all a director or my dad would have to do was to tell me about some terrible trouble someone was having. I could always empathize and would burst into tears. Now I just see what can be done to help the person who comes to me with a serious problem. And there is always something. You know, Jesus never ever fails us.
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