His mom had a daily one hour drive each way taking him to and from the studio. Living in far away Long Beach, Bobby was a bit isolated from the other kids on the show who lived closer in to Burbank. But many of his performances were solo or with other guys: a cowboy jig to Pecos Bill, a jazzy hornpipe in A Whale of a Sailor with Lonnie Burr and Larry Larson. He also did jitterbug routines with Sharon Baird, and served as the resident dance partner for talent winners like Diane Houle. With the help of circus performer Jim Sullivan he learned to do it, but could only ride forwards.įor dance numbers Bonni Kern was Bobby's usual partner during season one. Next he was casually told he'd be riding a unicycle for a Circus Day show. That first year he jumped off a high wall while wearing a head-covering Humpty-Dumpty costume for Do-Mi-So, while in Cooking with Minnie Mouse he had to dance and roll backwards across a table. He was one of the oldest kids, by Mouseketeer standards a giant at just over six feet, and because he was willing to try anything the directors gave him more physical challenges than the other kids. He did miss a few in the first season involving mainly Blue Team members, but in the later seasons he was ubiquitous. It took four callbacks, but he got the job doing a barefoot dance to Rock Around the Clock.īobby was one of the two best male dancers on the show during its three year run, and consequently took part in just about every musical number. He didn't get the part, but while there he heard about the Mouseketeer auditions. His first audition for the Disney Studio though was for an acting job on the Spin & Marty serial.
#Bobby from lawrence welk professional#
However, he did do some toothpaste commercials for The Ozzie and Harriet Show in the summer of 1954, and like Annette, had worked as a professional model for commercial photographers. When not performing Bobby attended Hughes Junior High School in Long Beach where he was an "A" student.Īccording to Disney sources, Bobby was a long-time veteran of amateur contests, but hadn't worked professionally. Charity events figured prominently into his performing schedule though the Burgess family was Baptist, Bob danced at Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant benefits, and for more secular groups like the Shriner's and Lion's Clubs. He also performed gratis at the Los Amigos and Sister Kenny Hospitals, both of which were devoted to polio victims. He would later blend movements from this specialty with jazz dancing to create his own unique style for the Mickey Mouse Club.īy age thirteen Bobby had competed in fifty-four amateur contests, most of them on television: Spade Cooley, This is My Melody and others, winning a host of prizes. He also sang alto, played the accordion, and studied Hawaiian folk dancing. Among other outside teachers, Bobby took specialized instruction in tap with Willie Covan, then dance director for MGM. At age eight Bobby was paired up by the Call's instructors with seven year old Barbara Boylan from Lakewood, who would be his main dancing partner for the next eighteen years. The well-organized chain of dance clubs founded by Derrell Call emphasized etiquette with dancing and relied heavily on parents' sponsorship and involvement. Within a year he had acquired his first regular partner, Judy Lewis.īobby took lessons at Call's Fine Arts Center in Long Beach, learning ballet, ballroom, Latin, jazz dancing, and social standards. His first public performance occurred at a Masonic temple at age three or four, soon after starting dance lessons. Bobby's father was a meatcutter the family had no prior show business connection. Bobby has one older brother, Bill, and two younger sisters, Betty and Barbara. Burgess and Janie Thompson in Long Beach, California. Robert Wilkie Burgess was born to William E.
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