Bold Stare

I've seen this picture just a small handful of times online, and it drives me crazy I have yet to locate an original. But once I do, you better believe it's mine.  Well, provided I could pay for it.  I edited it a bit to reflect the feel of the image, and kind of mask the poor quality...

What I love so much about it is how Bobby tilts his head and gazes intently into the camera as though trying to convey his true, authentic spirit to the viewer.  I do know this picture seems to have been one of the set that came with the article "Nightmare Life of a Child Star."  He's not smiling in any of them, so I figure the photographer was going for a more somber mood.

But this.

It's one of those times when you can practically feel another person's energy jump out and grab you.  That's put a bit weirdly, but do you know what I mean?  There are alot of facets to Bobby's personality from what we have read and can tell.  His eyes can convey warmth, humor, bravado/mischief (as I see twinkling forth in the shot below from "Day is Done"), and in this one, sensitivity and depth.  

It occurred to me also that during this interview, Suzanne was said to be with him.  I wonder if the photographer was keen to get a picture of them together, but Bobby declined?  It might have not happened that way, but it could have.  He definitely seemed to know how to keep his boundaries, as back when he was soon to marry Marilyn, he wouldn't give the location or time of his ceremony to the reporters.  I love how he could be pretty transparent about himself, yet still keen to protect his family and friends from public scrutiny.  For his faults and unwise decisions, Bobby was many shades of a gentleman at heart.  We don't know, but his keeping Suzanne off-camera could have been a reflection of that.  We never got to see a public shot of him and Didi together, either, but that could have just as likely been because no one really cared about him as a celebrity by the time they got together.

Anyway, I'm glad we have those stills -- particularly this one -- to represent his adulthood.  There was never much else.  If you hadn't seen it before, I hope you enjoyed seeing it!  Happy Sunday!