Famous Louisvillians: Tommy Kirk (#5)

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Why, that cussing weatherman! He keeps saying the “S” word in the forecast for Monday! Well, it isn’t sn*wing today, just cool. You know the Louisville weather, now here’s a famous person from Louisville! #5: Tommy Kirk “Never hold of him.” Ever see Old Yeller? Tommy Kirk was the “Disney kid” for a number of years. He rose to stardom in the classic tear-jerker Old Yeller; and, from there, was featured in numerous Disney flicks. He was in The Absent-Minded Professor and Swiss Family Robinson, among many others. Then..... Walt Disney himself took it upon himself to fire Tommy Kirk from Disney Studios. Why? He was dating another guy. Yep, that was how clean-cut Disney was in the 60s. Kirk made more movies, but never duplicated his Disney stardom. He kicked his drug problem that left him broke in the 70s and lives quietly now. In one of those ironies of it all, Kirk was inducted as a “Disney Legend” in 2006. Tommy Kirk Born Thomas Lee Kirk December 10, 1941 Disney teenage actor, most famous for Old Yeller A clip of Tommy with another Disney alum, Annette Funicello, in Pajama Party: