Day 17 – River Cruising + It Happened in Brooklyn (1947)

Hi Bea, I don’t think he turned his back on Hollywood necessarily, unless he had a reason to or if his parents made him, but he had the dream of being in the next Technicolor musical and becoming the next BIG celebrity name since Shirley Temple, Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, & Gene Kelly all rolled up in one. And he was gonna do everything he can to make it possible.
But I believe something or someone got in his way from achieving that goal.

I have some theories of whether or not he’s still alive.

A. If he’s still alive, he’d be 85 today and hopefully married with kids, grandkids, even great-grandkids. And still got his childhood swagger moves.

B. Now here’s the tragic part: If he passed away. If he died, there must be a grave somewhere. I checked out some memorial sites and so far there’s no grave registered on his name that I was aware of.

Bobby’s full name was Robert Longston Jr, or just Robert Long Jr.

C. If there is no grave.

If Bobby didn’t die a natural death, then it leads me to my last theory: murder.

It would come as No surprise to me if we discover that Bobby and his family disappeared out of foul play. And it must’ve happened the same week Bobby & his parents returned to Hollywood after his last tour in March of ’47.

If Bobby got himself into a heap of trouble, overheard a dark secret, maybe even discovered a conspiracy or a sinister plot, then that same conspiracy mob was responsible for his disappearance…!

Oh I pray I’m wrong. But from what I know, tinseltown was full corruption at that time, but today it’s even worse. For a kid as extremely talented as Bobby was, no child star is safe if they get themselves involved with the wrong company.

If Bobby knew something or someone that threatened to his life, he had to tell someone besides his parents and when the culprits found Bobby and his parents…they trapped them, ambushed them…and killed them.

Like I said I hooe I’m wrong. But it just seems like no wonder why No record of Bobby’s short career was ever left recorded in entertainment nostalgia. Not even a mention of him coming from Frank Sinatra or Jimmy Durante, both of whom had worked closely with Bobby during the filming of IHIB (It Happened In Brooklyn).

But poor Bobby never got the chance to shine out in Technicolor. He would’ve been AMAZING being the star lead in that picture. And it probably would’ve been even More AMAZING if he had the opportunity to work alongside Shirley Temple at the time. Or even singing and tapping alongside with the Nicholas Bros!* Oh that would’ve been a TOP NOTCH number!

But in all seriousness, we don’t have all the answers yet. But I believe now is the time to finally solve Bobby’s mystery. That is (if he’s still alive) Bobby wants to have his story told.

I’ve started my own investigation and I’m not giving up on him until we Actually find him. Dead or Alive, Bobby Long will be found and his mystery finally Solved. Natch!*

Please tell me if you’re continuing your own investigation on Bobby. And Thank You*