| Birth: | Feb. 15, 1947
Tenafly
Bergen County
New Jersey, USA | | Death: | Jan. 18, 1990
DeRidder
Beauregard Parish
Louisiana, USA | 
Actor. He is best remembered for his role as a child on the Danny Thomas television situation comedy, "Make Room for Daddy", a popular series ran from 1953-1964 and cataloged more than 300 episodes. Born in Tenafly, New Jersey, he gained an early inside edge into show business as his father was a film technician, and his mother, Dorothy Chretin, a onetime actress in silent movies. Even though "Make Room for Daddy" had an eleven year run, child actors were not paid lucrative salaries in those days. After the series ended, new acting roles for Hamer did not materialize. Occasionally, he would pick up a small part or make a cameo appearance, but there were few offers of real substance to support him. To further complicate the problem, he had trouble adjusting to life outside of Hollywood. Having spent most of his childhood in front of the camera, he lacked the knowledge and work skills to adequately adapt into a common ordinary lifestyle. He tried his hand at odds jobs including work with an offshore oil company, a messenger service business, and as a short order cook in his brother's cafe. Rusty eventually spiraled downward into depression, becoming increasingly delusional and reclusive in a modest trailer near DeRidder, Louisiana. On January 18, 1990, while overwhelmed in a fit of rage, he tragically ended his own life with a gunshot wound to the head. The circumstances of his death stunned Hollywood insiders and the general public. It led to a movement to educate others on the mental fragility of child actors and the posttraumatic stress disorders often associated with their careers. An organization titled "A Minor Consideration" was later founded to offer guidance and support for other young actors and performers and to assist them with their transitional exit from fame. (bio by: RCB)
Search Amazon for Rusty Hamer | | | Burial:
Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea. |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Feb 28, 2000
Find A Grave Memorial# 8576 |
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Added by:
Ron Moody
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Added by:
Ron Moody
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(3.9 after 130 votes)
