Actor Robert Blake has died at the age of 89, according to Deadline. Noreen Austin, Blake’s niece, announced the information.
Due to ongoing cardiac problems, he passed away quietly at home with family by his side, according to Austin (via Fox News). He has spent the last few years viewing old films, playing his guitar, and listening to jazz music.
Blake had a successful and lengthy career in Hollywood beginning in the late 1930s.
Blake made his acting debut as a young child in the uncredited role of “Bridal Suite” in 1939. His best-known appearances in “In Cold Blood” and “Baretta,” which carried his career through the ’60s and ’70s, were among the nearly 150 acting credits he would eventually accrue.
Black received four Emmy nominations throughout his career and took home one for his performance on “Baretta.” In the murder mystery “Lost Highway,” released in 1997, Blake played his final dramatic role.
By dying, Blake joins the list of famous people who have already passed away. Many people are remembering the gruesome facts that characterized the final quarter of his life, particularly the terrible crime the former child actor was accused of, while others are lamenting the loss of his lengthy, distinguished career.
When Robert Blake’s second wife Bonnie Lee Bakley was killed in May 2001, his life took a sad turn. Bakley was discovered dead in Blake’s automobile, “slumped in the front seat,” according to LAPD Online. Bakley had been married to Blake for one year and was 44 years old (23 years younger than Blake), but she had been married 10 times overall. According to ABC News, Blake was charged with Bakley’s murder and taken into custody 11 months later, which astonished the entire world. Officer Don Cox, a police spokesman, said at the time, “We are confirming that we have detained Robert Blake in connection with the death of his wife.
Blake has consistently denied killing Bakley. His official account states that after dinner, he left her in the car and came back to discover her dead. According to CNN, Blake continued to give his version of events throughout the court case, including the year he spent in jail prior to obtaining a $1.5 million bond. In an interview with Barbara Walters in 2003, Blake attributed Bakley’s passing to her background. “In my heart, I feel that some man, 10, 15, maybe 20 years ago, because she used to get married to them,” stated Blake (via ABC News). “She, in my opinion, ruined a lot of lives. I believe that one person whose life she devastated watched her on television.”
On March 29, 2005, Blake was found not guilty of the murder accusation; nonetheless, his reputation was never restored.
Actor Robert Blake, who passed away at 89, leaves behind a legacy filled with both cinematic triumphs and personal controversies. His niece, Noreen Austin, confirmed his death, attributing it to ongoing cardiac issues. Blake died peacefully at home, surrounded by family. In his later years, he spent his time revisiting old films, playing his guitar, and enjoying jazz music.
Blake’s Hollywood career, which spanned several decades, began in the late 1930s when he was just a child. He debuted with an uncredited role in Bridal Suite (1939), and over the years, he earned nearly 150 acting credits. Among his most memorable roles were his performances in In Cold Blood and the hit TV series Baretta, both of which cemented his place in Hollywood history. He earned four Emmy nominations during his career and won one for his portrayal of detective Tony Baretta in the 1970s.
Despite his on-screen success, Blake’s life took a dark turn in the early 2000s. His second wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley, was murdered in 2001, an event that shocked the world and cast a long shadow over his later years. Bakley, who had a history of marrying wealthy men, was found dead in Blake’s car after they had dined together. Blake was charged with her murder in 2002, sending shockwaves through Hollywood. He consistently maintained his innocence, claiming that he had left Bakley in the car to retrieve a gun he had forgotten inside the restaurant. When he returned, he discovered her dead.
The trial became a media spectacle, and Blake spent nearly a year in jail before being released on a $1.5 million bond. In a 2003 interview with Barbara Walters, Blake attributed Bakley’s death to her troubled past, suggesting she had wronged many men. Despite these claims, many questioned his involvement, and his career suffered greatly. In 2005, Blake was acquitted of the murder charge, but his reputation was irreparably damaged.
Robert Blake’s death closes the final chapter on a life marked by both Hollywood acclaim and deep personal tragedy. While some mourn the loss of a prolific actor, others continue to remember the sensational events that dominated his later years.
