Bobby Buntrock

Robert Willard "Bobby" Buntrock (August 4, 1952 – April 7, 1974) was an American child actor. Buntrock was widely known for his role as Harold "Sport" Baxter on the 1960s sitcom Hazel.

Buntrock was born in Denver, Colorado, to Robert E. and Maxine Buntrock. He had two sisters, Stella and Deanne. When he was three, the family moved to Whittier, California, where neighbors urged Buntrock's parents to get their son into acting. After submitting Buntrock's picture to various agents, he was signed by Marcella Belle Rinehart. When he was seven years old, Buntrock landed his first role, on an episode of Wagon Train. Early in 1959 in a show starring Bette Davis, he played one of seven children in The Ella Lindstrom Story which aired on Feb 4 1959. He also appeared in guest spots on Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, Mister Ed, and The Donna Reed Show. He also did the early 1960s commercials for Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots.

In 1961, Buntrock won the role of Harold "Sport" Baxter on the sitcom Hazel, starring Shirley Booth. The series aired for five seasons, first on NBC with Don DeFore and Whitney Blake in the role of Harold's parents, George and Dorothy Baxter. In the fifth and final season (1965-1966) shown on CBS, the series was retooled after DeFore and Blake were dismissed and Harold lived with his Uncle Steve Baxter (Ray Fulmer), Aunt Barbara (Lynn Borden), and cousin Susie (Julia Benjamin). During the run of Hazel, Buntrock was tutored on the set and attended Lake Marie Public School in Whittier when the show was on hiatus.

After Hazel ended its run in 1966, Buntrock appeared in two guest spots on The Virginian in 1967 after which he retired from acting.

Buntrock moved with his family to Keystone, South Dakota, where he graduated from Sturgis High School in 1970, and lived for the last five years of his life.

On April 7, 1974, Buntrock died at age 21 in an automobile accident when his car veered off a bridge under construction into Battle Creek, drowning him in the submerged car. He is buried in Keystone Cemetery in Keystone.[10]

Media related to Bobby Buntrock at Wikimedia Commons