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IMDbPro

Lee Aaker(1943-2021)

  • Actor
  • Soundtrack
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Lee Aaker
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:52
Jeopardy (1953)
1 Video
24 Photos
As Rusty, the boy whose parents were killed by Native Americans, and who was subsequently adopted by a cavalry unit at Fort Apache on the popular adventure The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954), tyke actor Lee Aaker left a lasting mark in the early days of television, but he had in fact appeared in several major films prior to this series.

He was born on September 25, 1943, in Los Angeles, where his mother owned a dance studio. On TV almost from infancy, he started appearing in unbilled film bits at the age of eight in such classics as The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) and High Noon (1952). He quickly moved to featured status before year's end. He showed promise as the kidnapped Indian "Red Chief" in a segment of the film O. Henry's Full House (1952) and another kidnap victim as the son of scientist Gene Barry in _Atomic City (1952)_. From there he co-starred in the John Wayne western classic Hondo (1953) as the inquisitive blond son of homesteader Geraldine Page, and appeared to good advantage in other movies such as the film noir thriller Jeopardy (1953) with Barbara Stanwyck, the opera drama Arena (1953) with Gig Young and the comedies Mister Scoutmaster (1953) with Clifton Webb and Ricochet Romance (1954) with Marjorie Main.

Stardom, however, was assured after nabbing the role of the famous dog's young master on the "Rin Tin Tin" series. After the show's demise, however, Aaker did not make the transition into adult roles. He instead moved into the production end of the business, serving as an assistant to producer Herbert B. Leonard on the Route 66 (1960) series, then later dropped out altogether to become a carpenter. He still attended nostalgia conventions and was a "Kids of the West" honoree at the 2005 Golden Boot Awards.
BornSeptember 25, 1943
DiedApril 1, 2021(77)
BornSeptember 25, 1943
DiedApril 1, 2021(77)
IMDbProStarmeter
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  • Awards

Photos24

Lee Aaker
Lee Aaker and Rin Tin Tin II in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954)
Lee Aaker
Lee Aaker, Fred Allen, Irving Bacon, Kathleen Freeman, and Oscar Levant in O. Henry's Full House (1952)
Lee Aaker and Fred Allen in O. Henry's Full House (1952)
Lee Aaker in O. Henry's Full House (1952)
Lee Aaker in O. Henry's Full House (1952)
Lee Aaker, Fred Allen, and Oscar Levant in O. Henry's Full House (1952)
Lee Aaker, Fred Allen, and Oscar Levant in O. Henry's Full House (1952)
Lee Aaker in Desperate Search (1952)
Lee Aaker, Jane Greer, Howard Keel, Linda Lowell, and Keenan Wynn in Desperate Search (1952)
Lee Aaker and Linda Lowell in Desperate Search (1952)

Known for

John Wayne and Geraldine Page in Hondo (1953)
Hondo
7.0
  • Johnny Lowe
  • 1953
Audie Murphy and Mari Blanchard in Destry (1954)
Destry
6.6
  • Eli Skinner
  • 1954
Barbara Stanwyck in Jeopardy (1953)
Jeopardy
6.7
  • Bobby Stilwin
  • 1953
Lee Aaker, Gene Barry, Lydia Clarke, and Milburn Stone in The Atomic City (1952)
The Atomic City
6.1
  • Tommy Addison
  • 1952

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • The Lucy Show (1962)
    The Lucy Show
  • Ann-Margret, Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Jesse Pearson, and Bobby Rydell in Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
    Bye Bye Birdie
  • The Magical World of Disney (1954)
    The Magical World of Disney
  • George Maharis and Martin Milner in Route 66 (1960)
    Route 66
    • (uncredited)
  • Kevin Corcoran and Oskar Homolka in Mooncussers (1962)
    Mooncussers
  • Shelley Fabares, Donna Reed, Carl Betz, and Paul Petersen in The Donna Reed Show (1958)
    The Donna Reed Show
  • Tallahassee 7000 (1961)
    Tallahassee 7000
  • Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, Marjorie Lord, and Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Show (1953)
    The Danny Thomas Show
  • Lang Jeffries in Rescue 8 (1958)
    Rescue 8
  • Lee Aaker, James Brown, and Rin Tin Tin II in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954)
    The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
  • Frank McHugh and Marvin Miller in The Millionaire (1955)
    The Millionaire
  • Red Skelton in The Red Skelton Hour (1951)
    The Red Skelton Hour
  • Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers (1956)
    Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers
  • Ethel Barrymore Theater
  • Screen Directors Playhouse (1955)
    Screen Directors Playhouse

Soundtrack

  • The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1956)
    The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show
    • (uncredited)

Videos1

Official Trailer
Trailer 2:52
Official Trailer

Personal details

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    • September 25, 1943
    • Inglewood, California, USA
    • April 1, 2021
    • Mesa, Arizona, USA(complications from a stroke)
    • September 22, 1969 - March 1971 (divorced)
    • Dee Aaker(Sibling)
  • (1950s) TV commercial: Nabisco Shredded Wheat.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Article
    • 2 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

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  • Trivia
    Was tested for the top boy role in the classic movie Shane (1953) and promised the part, but lost it a few days later to the late Brandon De Wilde.
  • Quotes
    Suddenly after the [The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954)] series was canceled and I began doing guest shots, I realized that something had changed--I wasn't the center of attention any more. My folks had always told me that my career might not last, but when it happened, it was still a hard thing for me to adjust to.
    • The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
      (1954)
      $250 per episode

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