Robert Blake’s death: The legendary In Cold Blood actor was long suspected of killing his wife

Born to Italian parents who immigrated to the United States, Robert Blake (real name Michael James Vincenzo Gubitos) had a difficult childhood. Her alcoholic father (who committed suicide in 1947) beats her and sexually abuses her, while her mother closes her eyes. In the late 1930s, the Gubitos moved to Los Angeles, and little Robert began working as an extra in films.

When he was five years old, Robert Blake was cast in a number of short films attached to the Les Petites Canailles franchise, which follows a group of poor children.

At the age of 14, he left home and joined the army three years later. He then continued his career and starred in several feature films such as Land Without Forgiveness (1957), City Without Mercy (1961) or Forbidden Property (1966).

Early leading roles

However, it wasn’t until 1967 that Robert Blake found his first major role in the Richard Brooks-directed In Cold Blood, the first adaptation of Truman Capote’s iconic novel.

The Nutley native plays one of two criminals executed for brutally murdering a farming family in Kansas. A performance that doesn’t go unnoticed and that showcases his talent.

The actor then had the title role in the 1969 western Willy Boy opposite Robert Redford. He plays an Indian Nadir after killing his companion’s father in a confrontation.

TV series and finally fame

In 1973, Robert Blake became even more famous as the main character in the hit detective series Baretta. Over the course of five years and 82 episodes, he uses unconventional methods to get into the shoes of a New Jersey inspector who lives with his parrot in a dilapidated hotel. For this occasion, he received an Emmy and a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

In 1981, Robert Blake played the main character in Second Hearts, directed by the atypical Hal Ashby. During the rest of the decade, he appeared in several TV movies. But it seems that the actor has put his career aside.

In the 1990s, he was only seen in Doomsday: The John List Story (known as the criminal who inspired The Usual Suspects of Keyser Souze), Money Train and Lost Highway, his last feature film.

Accusation of murder

In 1999, he met his second wife, Bonnie Lee Beckley, a notorious police crook whose main business was extorting money from the elderly and single. Two years later, he was shot dead after eating at a restaurant with Robert Blake, who was then accused of murder.

After a year in prison, he was released and then, in 2005, he was finally acquitted in the criminal process. However, in civil proceedings, the actor was found responsible for the murder of his wife, and the victim’s family was ordered to pay 15 million dollars.

He will never be seen on screen again, and he died on March 9 at the age of 89.