Billy and Bobby Mauch
| Bobby Mauch | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Robert Joseph Mauch July 6, 1921 Peoria, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died |
October 15, 2007 (aged 86) Santa Rosa, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1937 — 1943 |
| Spouse(s) | Georgia "Gigi" Shattuck Culhane (1971-2007) (his death)[1] |
| Billy Mauch | |
|---|---|
| Born |
William John Mauch July 6, 1921 Peoria, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died |
September 29, 2006 (aged 85) Palatine, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1936 — 1951 |
| Spouse(s) | Marjorie Barnewolt (1953-2006) (his death) |
| Children | William J. Mauch II |
William John Mauch (July 6, 1921 – September 29, 2006), known as Billy, and his identical twin brother, Robert Joseph Mauch, (July 6, 1921 – October 15, 2007), known as Bobby, were child actors in the 1930s. They had starring roles in the 1937 film The Prince and the Pauper, based on the novel of the same name by Mark Twain.
Early life
Billy and Bobby were born in Peoria, Illinois, to an employee of the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad and his wife.[2] They began singing and acting in radio at the age of seven[2] and later appeared in print advertisements before signing a contract with Warner Bros.
Career
After moving with their mother to Hollywood in 1935, Billy was cast as the young title character in the film Anthony Adverse because he resembled Fredric March,[1][2] who played Adverse as an adult. His brother Bobby was his stand-in for the role, but the brothers, whose voice and appearance were almost indistinguishable, later claimed that they freely alternated who would play the part in a given take.[3] Their turn in the The Prince and the Pauper, in which they co-starred with Errol Flynn and Claude Rains, earned them the cover story in the May 3, 1937 issue of Time magazine[4] and each of them $350 per week.[2]
The twins later starred in three films based on the Penrod stories by Booth Tarkington. Bobby quit acting shortly afterwards, but Billy continued to play minor roles in a number of other films, the last one being the comedy Bedtime for Bonzo (1951), which famously starred Ronald Reagan and a chimpanzee.
Billy and Bobby Mauch attended Loyola High School in Los Angeles before graduating from the Mar-Ken School for professional children, in Hollywood. During their senior year, they ran jointly for the office of class president under the campaign slogan "Two Heads Are Better than One."[1]
The brothers served together during World War II and were stationed in the Pacific.[2] They appeared in the 1943 Broadway play Winged Victory.[1][2]
Interested in the technical aspects of moviemaking, both brothers eventually found employment in that field. Bobby became a film editor whose work included the 1950s television series Dragnet.[1] Billy became a sound editor for Warner Brothers in 1950 and would go on to participate in more than 300 films and TV shows. He created the sound effects for the famous car chase in Bullitt and the giant ants in Them!.[5]
Personal life
Billy and his wife Marjorie, who were married 53 years, had one son, William J. Mauch II, named after Billy. Billy died, aged 85, in his home in Palatine, Illinois.
Bobby Mauch married professional figure skater Georgia "Gigi" Shattuck, whom he first met at the Mar-Ken School in the 1940s,[2] but married in 1971.[1] They had no children. He died at the age of 86 at a nursing home in Santa Rosa, California.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mary Rourke (October 24, 2007). "Robert J. 'Bob' Mauch, 86; teen actor and his identical twin appeared in 1930s films". The Los Angeles Times.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hevesi, Dennis (October 25, 2007). "Bobby Mauch, Actor Who Played Opposite Twin, Dies at 86". The New York Times.
- ↑ Tom Vallance (24 October 2007). "Bobby Mauch / 'Prince and the Pauper' child star". The Independent.
- ↑ "Cinema: Mauch Twins & Mark Twain". Time magazine. May 3, 1937. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ↑ "William J. Mauch / Sound Effects and Dialogue Editor / 1921-2006". Editors Guild Magazine. January–February 2007. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
External links
- Billy Mauch at the Internet Movie Database
- Billy Mauch at the Internet Broadway Database
- Bobby Mauch at the Internet Movie Database
- Bobby Mauch at the Internet Broadway Database
- Billy and Bobby Mauch at Classic Movie Kids
- Billy Mauch at Find a Grave
- Bobby Mauch at Find a Grave