Young Actors in Hollywood
Young Actors in Hollywood
by Bill Knell
Hollywood has taken many young actors, given them fame, then discarded them. Meet Russell Craig "Rusty" Hamer (1947-1990).
He played Rusty Williams, the wisecracking son of entertainer Danny Williams (Danny Thomas), on Make Room for Daddy from 1953 to 1964.
Rusty was beloved by viewers. He appeared in three reunion specials and the sequel series, Make Room for Granddaddy, which aired from 1970 to 1971.
Danny Thomas said of Rusty, "He was the best boy actor I ever saw in my life. He had a great memory...great timing and you could change a line on him at the last minute and he came right back with it."
During the 1960s Rusty tried to transition to more dramatic acting roles. By 1970, having taken dramatic acting classes, he was still unable to land any substantial roles.
In 1981, Hamer reunited with co-stars Danny Thomas and Angela Cartwright as part of the ABC special What Became Of...?. I saw it and it sickened me. Here's why...
During the show Hammer told Thomas that he was working as a Messenger in L.A.. Thomas acted like that was fine with him, as long as Rusty was working.
Thomas was the co-producer. of The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show, That Girl, The Mod Squad, The Real McCoys, The Tycoon, and others. Despite speaking highly of Rusty's acting talent, Thomas did not lift a finger to help him land roles.
Hamer moved to SW Louisiana where he worked on an off-shore oil rig and delivered newspapers. In 1976 he relocated to DeRidder, to be closer to his ailing mother and lived with his elder brother John Hamer. He had a cafe where Rusty worked as a short order cook.
On January 18, 1990, John found his brother's body in his trailer home. Rusty shot himself in the head with a revolver having been disallutionsd by his failed acting career. Where were all the people he worked with? They left Rusty in the dust.
Recommended Book...
The TRUE and SHOCKING inside story of what really happens to young actors in Hollywood. Some Explicit Content.
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