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Actor fired for being gay: Tommy Kirk
Actor Tommy Kirk, known for his roles in classic Disney films such as Old Yeller and The Shaggy Dog, was fired from the production company in 1964 when it was discovered he was gay.
Kirk revealed in a 1993 interview with Filmax Magazine that he had known he was gay since his teenage years, but did not anticipate the consequences of sharing this information with Disney.
“Disney was a family film studio, and I was supposed to be their young leading man,” he said.
“After they found out I was involved with someone, that was the end of Disney.”
Despite being fired, Kirk held fond memories of his time working with Disney.
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He cited a moment when Walt Disney introduced him to gossip columnist Hedda Hopper as his “good-luck piece.”
“I never forgot that,” Kirk said. “That’s the nicest compliment he ever gave me.”
Kirk’s career with Disney began with his appearances in two Hardy Boys television shows, The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure and The Mystery of the Ghost Farm, followed by appearances on The Mickey Mouse Club in 1956 and 1957.
However, he was best known for his role as Travis Coates in the 1957 film Old Yeller and as Wilby Daniels in The Shaggy Dog in 1959.
He also appeared in other films and television series, such as The Absent-Minded Professor (1961), Son of Flubber (1963), and The Misadventures of Merlin Jones.
Kirk’s friend and former co-star Tim Considine praised his talent, describing him as “frighteningly talented” and sharing that he could cry on cue.
“He was a great talent, and it was a privilege to work with him and call him a friend,” Considine said.
In addition to being fired from Disney, Kirk was estranged from his family due to his sexuality.
Close friend Paul Petersen II confirmed Kirk’s estrangement from his family on Facebook and assured fans that arrangements for Kirk’s burial and service would be taken care of.
“Please know that Tommy Kirk loved you, his fans,” Petersen wrote.
“You lifted him up when an industry let him down in 1965. He was not bitter. His church comforted him. May God have mercy on his soul.”
Kirk passed away in late September 2021 at the age of 79.
