Brandon Cruz

Background

Cruz was born in Bakersfield, California, and moved to Silver Strand Beach in Ventura County, California, with his family at the age of 2 months.

Career

Cruz is also a punk rock musician, and works in drug and alcohol rehabilitation as a recovery specialist. Cruz continued as a child actor for several years following the demise of The Courtship of Eddie"s Father with a number of guest appearances in television shows like Kung Fu, Gunsmoke, and The Incredible Hulk—which once again reunited him on-screen with Bixby. Cruz also played the role of Joey Turner, the Yankees pitcher, in the 1976 movie The Bad News Bears.

Cruz turned his attention to music in the 1980s, performing with a hardcore punk band Doctor Know.

The group released several records before dissolving in 2012. Cruz also served as lead vocalist with Dead Kennedys from 2001 until 2003.

Cruz was interviewed in the documentary film American Hardcore: The History of American Punk Rock, 1980–1986. Reflecting on life after being a child star, which has brought tragedy to so many others, Cruz told American Profile, "Surfing and punk rock probably saved my life."

He has also worked behind-the-scenes in television as an assistant editor on the animated series South Park, among other shows.

As of April, 2013, Cruz is working in the drug and alcohol field in Southern California.

Achievements

• At age five he auditioned for, and won, his breakthrough role as Eddie Corbett in the television series The Courtship of Eddie"s Father, which aired on American Broadcasting Company from 1969 to 1972. In 1991, Cruz was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award for his role as "Eddie" on The Courtship of Eddie"s Father, and has subsequently returned to occasional acting roles.