FACT FILE :
* In 1954 Tommy Kirk, then aged 13, was discovered by Walt Disney, while performing in a Pasadena Playhouse production of "Ah, Wilderness". In no time at all Tommy Kirk became a Walt Disney contract player.
* Tommy Kirk's clean-cut, good looks helped establish him as one of Walt Disney's leading male stars of the 1950's & 1960's.
* After a stint on "The Mickey Mouse Club", Tommy Kirk was given a starring role opposite Clint Walker in the Disney western "Old Yeller" (1957).
* In 1959 another dog film followed. In this one, Tommy Kirk is turned into a dog himself, in Disney's very popular comedy classic "The Shaggy Dog".
* In 1960 Tommy Kirk starred in his favorite Walt Disney feature film, the action-adventure "The Swiss Family Robinson".
* More Disney films follwed for Tommy Kirk. He starred with Fred McMurray in the Walt Disney gem "The Absent-Minded Professor" (1961) & later the sequel "Son of Flubber" (1963).
* In 1964 Tommy Kirk starred opposite former mouseketeer and current teen queen of the beach party movies Annette Funicello in "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones".
* It was also 1964 when Walt Disney found out that Tommy Kirk was having an affair with another actor. The wholesome Disney image had been tarnished so Tommy Kirk was immediately fired. At just 23 years of age Tommy Kirk's film career was all but over.
* During the early years of his stardom Tommy Kirk's sexuality had been kept secret and even at the height of his popularity many of his fans did not know he was gay. Now, Tommy Kirk has come out of the closet & admitted he is gay. It has been reported that during an interview Tommy Kirk made the statement "I'm not ashamed of being gay, never have been and never will be. For that I have no apologies."
* In the mid 1960's Tommy Kirk's film career took a new turn. "Pajama Party" (1964), "The Ghost In The Invisible Bikini" (1966) & "It's A Bikini World" (1967) followed as Tommy Kirk joined the bandwagon of other young actors like Frankie Avalon & Fabian to star in the popular series of films that would became known world-wide as the beach party movies.
* During the late 60's and early 70's Tommy Kirk's film career went into decline. His involement in drugs drained his finances and almost killed him. He ended up broke but after a couple of overdoses he was lucky to be alive.
* Today, Tommy Kirk no longer takes drugs, he has kicked the drug habit and has started his own carpet and upholstery cleaning business. He has been doing it now for 20 years and enjoys living the quiet life.