You probably remember the face, even if the name takes a second to register. That gap-toothed, shaggy-haired kid sitting on the beach with Bill Bixby while a breezy 1970s theme song played in the background. That was Brandon Cruz. For three years, he was the personification of the "perfect son" in The Courtship of Eddie's Father.
But here’s the thing. Hollywood is weird. One minute you're a child star meeting Elvis Presley on a studio lot, and the next, you're screaming into a microphone in a sweaty punk club in Oxnard.
👉 See also: Why the Daft Punk and The Weeknd Collaborations Changed Pop Music Forever
Brandon Cruz didn't follow the typical "former child star" blueprint. He didn't just fade away, and he didn't stay stuck in the past. Looking back at brandon cruz movies and tv shows, you see a career that started with sweetness and ended up with a very loud, very rebellious edge. Honestly, it’s one of the most interesting pivots in TV history.
The Eddie Corbett Years: Where It All Began
Before he was a punk legend, Cruz was just a seven-year-old kid from Bakersfield who happened to beat out hundreds of other boys for the role of Eddie Corbett. The show was a hit. Between 1969 and 1972, Brandon and Bill Bixby developed a bond that wasn't just for the cameras. They were actually close. Bixby became a mentor, a second father figure who taught him how to navigate the industry with kindness.
The show was progressive for its time. It dealt with single parenthood in a way that felt grounded. But by 1972, the ride was over.
Early Guest Spots and TV Movies
Once the series wrapped, Cruz didn't stop working immediately. If you dig through 70s TV reruns, you’ll spot him everywhere. He did the rounds on the classic procedural and drama circuit:
- Gunsmoke (1972): He played Jimmy Morgan in the episode "The Drummer."
- Kung Fu (1972): He appeared as Peter Gideon in the episode "King of the Mountain."
- The Incredible Hulk (1978): This was a big one for fans. He reunited with Bill Bixby in the episode "747," playing a kid named Kevin who helps the Hulk land a plane.
He also starred in a string of TV movies like But I Don't Want to Get Married! (1970) and The Going Up of David Lev (1973). He was a working actor. Plain and simple. But the "sweet kid" image was starting to chafe.
💡 You might also like: Why the 9 and 1/2 weeks movie Still Makes People Uncomfortable (and Why That Matters)
The Bad News Bears and the Pivot to Film
In 1976, Cruz landed a role in a movie that felt a lot closer to his actual personality: The Bad News Bears. He played Joey Turner, the pitcher for the rival Yankees.
It was a total departure from Eddie Corbett. Joey was competitive. He was part of a movie that was gritty, foul-mouthed, and unapologetically real about childhood. Cruz has admitted in interviews that by the time he was filming The Bad News Bears, he was already getting into trouble. He wasn't the "Best Friend" kid anymore. He was a teenager living in Oxnard, discovering surfing and, more importantly, punk rock.
From Sitcoms to the Dead Kennedys
By the early 80s, the list of brandon cruz movies and tv shows slowed down because he basically walked away. He traded the script for a bass and a microphone.
He fronted the hardcore punk band Dr. Know, a staple of the "Nardcore" scene. This wasn't some vanity project. It was fast, aggressive, and legitimate. He eventually reached a pinnacle of punk rock history when he joined the Dead Kennedys as their lead singer from 2001 to 2003, replacing Jello Biafra.
Can you imagine? The kid from the most wholesome show on TV fronting one of the most political, controversial punk bands in history.
💡 You might also like: Wait, Which I Need You I Want You Song Are You Actually Looking For?
Later Roles and the Indie Scene
He didn't quit acting entirely, but his choices became much more "indie." You won't find him in many blockbusters, but his filmography has some cult gems:
- Safe (1995): He had a role in this Todd Haynes film starring Julianne Moore.
- The Motorcycle Diaries (2004): He appeared in this acclaimed biopic.
- The Lords of Salem (2012): Rob Zombie cast him as Ted Delta in this surreal horror flick.
He also worked behind the scenes as an editor on shows like South Park and The Ultimate Fighter. He’s a guy who knows how the machine works, even if he doesn't want to be a cog in it anymore.
Keeping the Legacy Alive
Despite his punk roots, Cruz remains fiercely protective of Bill Bixby’s legacy. He’s spent years campaigning for Bixby to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He doesn't look back at his child star days with bitterness—sorta the opposite, actually. He credits Bixby with showing him how to treat people with respect on a set, a lesson he took into the music world.
Today, Cruz works as an addiction recovery specialist. He uses his own history with substance abuse—which he’s been very open about—to help others. It’s a full-circle moment. The kid who played the son everyone wanted is now the man helping people find their way back.
What to Watch if You Want the Full Experience
If you're looking to dive into the best of his work, start here:
- The Courtship of Eddie's Father: Watch any episode from Season 1 to see the chemistry with Bixby.
- The Bad News Bears (1976): Look for him as the rival pitcher; it’s a great bridge between his "nice kid" and "rebel" eras.
- The Incredible Hulk "747": For the nostalgia of seeing him and Bixby back together.
- American Hardcore (2006): This is a documentary, but he appears as himself, and it perfectly contextualizes his music career.
Instead of just Googling "what happened to the kid from Eddie's Father," check out his interviews on podcasts like The RockStop. He's got stories about meeting the Beatles and Elvis that most actors would give their right arm for. He's lived about four different lives in the span of sixty years, and honestly, the punk rocker might be the most authentic version of him yet.
Check out the "Eddie Is A Punk" album if you want to hear him bridge the two worlds—it features punk covers of the Eddie's Father theme song. It’s weird, loud, and perfectly Brandon Cruz.