Brandon Cruz

Brandon Cruz (born Brandon Edwin Williams on May 28, 1962) is an American musician, actor, editor and consultant. He is best known as a child actor for his role as Eddie Corbett, son of widower Tom Corbett (played by Bill Bixby), on the television series The Courtship of Eddie's Father. Cruz is also a punk rock musician, having sung for bands such as Dr. Know and the reunited version of the Dead Kennedys.

Early life Cruz was born in Bakersfield, California, U.S., to Mexican-American parents. When he was two months old, the family moved to Silver Strand Beach in Oxnard, California.

Career Acting At age seven, he auditioned for and won his breakthrough role as Eddie Corbett in the television series The Courtship of Eddie's Father, which aired from 1969 to 1972. Co-star Bill Bixby and Cruz spent considerable time together, especially when the show was on hiatus, prompting Cruz to tell American Profile magazine "Bill Bixby was like my second father."

Cruz continued as a child actor for several years following the cancellation 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 reunited him on-screen with Bixby. Cruz also played the role of Joey Turner in the 1976 movie The Bad News Bears.

Music Cruz turned his attention to punk rock in the late 1970s, and in 1981 was performing with the hardcore punk band Dr. Know. The group released several records, and after a name change to KNOW, toured Europe in 2017. Cruz also was the lead vocalist with Dead Kennedys from 2001 until 2003. Cruz was interviewed in the documentary 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 later worked for the United Paramount Network, the Discovery Channel and American Chopper.

Honors and awards In 1991, Cruz was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Young Artist Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award for his role as Eddie on The Courtship of Eddie's Father.

Personal life Cruz and nurse Elizabeth "Liz" Finkelstein Cruz now works as a consultant to people suffering from addictions and is a practicing Buddhist. A book on his life is in the early stages.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1969 80 Steps to Jonah Little Joe 1969–1972 The Courtship of Eddie's Father Eddie Corbett 73 episodes 1970 But I Don't Want to Get Married! Bernard ABC Movie of the Week 1972 Gunsmoke Jimmy Morgan Episode: "The Drummer" 1972 Kung Fu Peter Gideon Season 1, Episode 1: "King of the Mountain" 1973 Medical Center Mooch Episode: "Night Cry" 1973 The Going Up of David Lev David Television movie 1973 Love, American Style Ernie Segment "Love and the Unsteady Steady" 1974 Family Theatre: Married Is Better Television movie 1974 Police Story Victor Rollins Episode: "Cop in the Middle" 1974 Doc Elliot Robert Wells Episode: "A Time to Grow" 1976 The Bad News Bears Joey Turner 1976 Jeremiah of Jacob's Neck Clay Rankin Television movie 1976 ABC Afterschool Special Benny Singleton Episode: "Mighty Moose and the Quarterback Kid" 1978 The One and Only Sherman 1978 The Incredible Hulk Kevin Episode: "747" 1995 Safe Steve 1997 Jesus Rides Shotgun Chintz 1998 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Episode: "The Card Game" 2004 Eddie's Father Slice 2012 The Lords of Salem Ted Delta