Biography

Bobs Watson

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Born in Los Angeles almost a year after the start of Great Depression. Bob (whose nickname 'Bobs' was given to him by his father, and for legal and professional reasons he adopted professionally) is from a family of 9 siblings; 6 boys and 3 girls. He made his first on-screen appearance as a (literal) babe in arms in Life Begins (1932). Watson received the sobriquet 'cry-baby' for his ability to cry on-cue. Watson is best known as "Pee Wee" from Boys Town (1938). Later in the mid-late 60's Watson left the film industry entirely and entered the Claremont School of Theology. Later he became a Methodist minister in Burbank and La Canada. Watson retired in 1997 and passed away in 1999, succumbing to prostate cancer
- IMDb mini biography by: <anthony-adam@tamu.edu>Update U.N. Owen

Was one of Spencer Tracy's last visitors before his death. Watson and "Uncle Spence" had become friends while filming Boys Town (1938) together.
Inspired to become a Methodist minister in later years by Spencer Tracy's Father Flanagan performance and Tracy's warm treatment of the boys on the set of Boys Town (1938), of which Bobs was one.
'Bobs' is his real nickname, given by his father to distinguish him from another actor named 'Bob Watson'.
Nicknamed the Cry Baby of Hollywood, as he could cry on cue.
Retires after 30 years as a Methodist minister.

On what prompted him to enter the ministry: "No matter how pleased I was with my career or my family, I kept hearing, 'Isn't there something more you could be doing with your life?' I was thirty-two years old when I made the decision, hardly the ideal age to enter the ministry, but that's what I did."
For a while, I used to worry that if I gave a really moving sermon, people would just figure that I was still acting, but I got over that. Acting did help me in that it is probably easier for me to relate to many different people than it would be for most men. Actually, I think the ability I was known for around the studios was what has helped me the most as a clergyman. To get me to cry, which is so hard for most kid actors, all a director or my dad would have to do was to tell me about some terrible trouble someone was having. I could always empathize and would burst into tears. Now I just see what can be done to help the person who comes to me with a serious problem. And there is always something. You know, Jesus never ever fails us.

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