Douglas Croft

Douglas Croft (born Douglas Malcolm Wheatcroft, August 12, 1926 – October 24, 1963) was an American teen actor who is best remembered for being the first person to portray the DC Comics character Robin, the Boy Wonder, as well as his secret identity Dick Grayson, in the 1943 serial Batman when he was 16 years old.

Early life Croft was born Douglas Malcolm Wheatcroft on August 12, 1926, in Seattle, Washington. His mother, Beatrice Hayden, married the silent film actor Stanhope Wheatcroft. They divorced in 1922, and his mother moved to San Francisco. His parents' divorce was a bitter one, and about the time he was born in August 1926, Stanhope Wheatcroft attempted to have Beatrice declared dead so that he could stop paying alimony.

Acting career Croft was living with his mother in Los Angeles in 1941. Fascinated by movie stars, a talent agent spotted him loitering near a studio and signed him up. He also shaved several years off his age, claiming in July 1941 A December 1941 newspaper report listed his age as 12, when he was by then actually 15.

His first role was as the pet pupil of teacher Claudette Colbert in Remember the Day. with his first major part and notable performance coming the same year in Not a Ladies' Man. doing so in the 1943 15-chapter movie serial Batman. As of 2025, Croft remains the youngest person (aged 16) to portray Robin in live-action, who at that time was depicted in comic books as being a young teenager. The producers made one change to the character, and that was to give Croft a wig of untamed curly hair.

Later life Croft served in the United States armed forces during World War II.

In February 1947, he was critically injured in a motorcycle accident which killed 19-year-old driver John J. Masterson.

His final movie role in 1947's Killer McCoy was filmed in June or July 1947.

Death Croft died on October 24, 1963, in Los Angeles of acute alcohol intoxication and liver disease, aged 37. He was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery near San Diego, California.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1941 Remember the Day Dewey Roberts as a Boy film debut1942 Kings Row Drake McHugh as a Boy Not A Ladies' Man Bill Bruce Yankee Doodle Dandy George M. Cohan as a boy at age 13 Flight Lieutenant Danny Doyle as a Boy uncredited The Pride of the Yankees Lou Gehrig as a Boy George Washington Slept Here Raymond 1943 Harrigan's Kid Skip Presenting Lily Mars Davey Batman Robin/Dick Grayson serial 1945 River Gang Slug 1947 Killer McCoy Danny Burns, Newsboy