Biography

Sonny Bupp

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Moyer Bupp was born in New York City, New York. Al Jolson was the hottest item on stage and Moyer's father nicknamed him "Sonny" after one of Jolson's songs. It was the height of the Great Depression and on the chance of a better job Sonny's parents loaded the children (all five of them) into the car and headed west. His very pretty 18-year-old sister June was offered an audition and was the first of the Bupp kids to become an actor in the movies. Ann was next in 1932, Tommy in 1933 and Sonny started in 1934.

At first he did mostly "extra" work and "bit parts", but eventually got better roles in movies such as Renegade Trail (1939), with William Boyd. He finally thought he made it with a starring role as Tommy Foster in the Warner Brothers film No Place to Go (1939), but due to the war in Europe the movie was shelved and his big chance faded away. He did get to play in some good movies and one of the best, Citizen Kane (1941). He still remembers Orson Welles with great respect and feels proud to be associated in a small way with the most famous motion picture of all time.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tom Bupp

Was cast by Orson Welles as Welles' son in Citizen Kane (1941) because of the striking resemblance between the two.
At the time of his death in November 2007, he was the only surviving member of either the cast or crew of Citizen Kane (1941). He portrayed Charles Foster Kane III, the title character's son. Coincidentally, his elder sister Ann Bupp was one of the last surviving cast members of Gone with the Wind (1939).
With the death of Bruce Bennett earlier in 2007, Sonny became the last living male actor to have appeared in a short by The Three Stooges with Curly Howard.
Last known to be married and an executive with the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan.
Highest paid male child extra in 1937.

I never liked being a child actor in films. In fact, I dreaded seeing Mr. Olynick's [his agent's] car parked in front of our house, knowing it meant going on another interview for a movie part . . . There is no camaraderie at all in motion pictures.

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