Beatniks...

Happy Belated Father's Day to Bobby -- and of course to any of you who are fathers!

The owner of the Bobby Driscoll website gave us a real treat this month, y'all... 

 

This was a picture circa 1960, taken of Bobby and some friends (or at least a friend) by Edmund Teske.  I love this on so many levels, and here's why:

Notice all the other suit-and-tie combos worn by men in this picture... then look at Bobby.  He was obviously starting to dress as more the 60s artist type by wearing a scarf and sweater -- something not many did in 1960.  Bobby certainly knew how to dress the way convention called for, as he did many times for photo shoots and interviews, but his heart may have really been in picking his own style the whole time.  

By 1960 he and Marilyn had split up (just after or around the time their last baby was born) and he was having trouble "finding himself" as he'd stated in a later interview (Suzanne Stansbury would have come into the picture at some point here). He was already friends with Wallace Berman and spending some time in Topanga Canyon, beginning to form his alternate identity as an artist vs. an actor. I believe it shows just in his clothing choices in this picture.

As an aside, don't you wonder if he wasn't hot?  Especially given that he also brought a coat with him it looks like.  Gosh... and this was Southern California!

I realize some details are lost because the picture is so shadowed.  I did attempt to lighten it up some.  But I also can't help but notice how thick and wiry his hair is. 

What else do you notice that you'd like to remark on?