Billy and Bobby Mauch
| Bobby Mauch | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Robert Joseph Mauch July 6, 1921 Peoria, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | October 15, 2007 (aged 86) Santa Rosa, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1937 — 1943 |
| Spouse(s) | Georgia "Gigi" Shattuck Culhane (1971-2007) (his death) |
| Billy Mauch | |
|---|---|
| Born |
William John Mauch July 6, 1921 Peoria, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | September 29, 2006 (aged 85) Palatine, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1936 — 1951 |
| Spouse(s) | Marjorie Barnewolt (1953-2006) (his death) |
| Children | William J. Mauch II |
William John Mauch (July 6, 1921 – September 29, 2006), known as Billy, and his identical twin brother, Robert Joseph Mauch, (July 6, 1921 – October 15, 2007), known as Bobby, were child actors in the 1930s. They had starring roles in the 1937 film The Prince and the Pauper, based on the novel of the same name by Mark Twain.
Billy and Bobby were born in Peoria, Illinois, to an employee of the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad and his wife. They began singing and acting in radio at the age of sevenand later appeared in print advertisements before signing a contract with Warner Bros.
After moving with their mother to Hollywood in 1935, Billy was cast as the young title character in the film Anthony Adverse because he resembled Fredric March, who played Adverse as an adult. His brother Bobby was his stand-in for the role, but the brothers, whose voice and appearance were almost indistinguishable, later claimed that they freely alternated who would play the part in a given take. Their turn in the The Prince and the Pauper, in which they co-starred with Errol Flynn and Claude Rains, earned them the cover story in the May 3, 1937 issue of Time magazine and each of them $350 per week.
The twins later starred in three films based on the Penrod stories by Booth Tarkington. Bobby quit acting shortly afterwards, but Billy continued to play minor roles in a number of other films, the last one being the comedy Bedtime for Bonzo (1951), which famously starred Ronald Reagan and a chimpanzee.
...
Wikipedia