Ted Donaldson was a child star of the 1940s known for movies including “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” and the Rusty series.
- Died: March 1, 2023 (Who else died on March 1?)
- Details of death: Died of complications from a fall at home at the age of 89.
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Child star
“A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” was one of Donaldson’s first major roles. He played Neeley, a young boy growing up in an Irish-American family in New York City. The same year that film debuted – 1945 – came the first installment of the Rusty series, “Adventures of Rusty.” Donaldson starred as a boy who befriends a German shepherd dog named Rusty. He would go on to star in seven more Rusty films, through 1949. His other movies included “Once Upon a Time” and “The Red Stallion. In 1949, Donaldson began starring as James “Bud” Anderson Jr., one of the children of Robert Young’s character in the radio series “Father Knows Best.” He remained on the show until it moved to TV in 1954; he was offered the chance to continue his role on TV, but he declined, preferring not to play a teen on TV while he was already in his 20s. Donaldson only appeared in a handful of small roles after leaving “Father Knows Best.” In later years, he worked as an acting teacher and bookseller.
Tributes to Ted Donaldson
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
