R.I.P. Mickey Kuhn, child star of the '30s and '40s, Beau Wilkes in 'Gone With the Wind'

Kuhn first appeared on the big screen at the age of two.

The Everett Collection

Mickey Kuhn became a household name and a child star in the late Thirties and throughout the Forties. Kuhn, who portrayed Beau Wilkes in the 1939 epic Gone With the Wind died Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 at the age of 90, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Kuhn was six years old when he appeared in Gone With the Wind, one of several films he worked on in 1939. Others included King of the Underworld, When Tomorrow Comes, Bad Little Angel and Juarez, starring Bette Davis and Paul Muni. 

Kuhn continued to appear on the silver screen into and throughout the 1940s. He was in I Want a Divorce and Slightly Tempted in 1940 alone. He appeared in 15 more films in the decade, including Dick Tracy, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, John Wayne's Red River, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Searching Wind and Scene of the Crime among others.

The first role of Kuhn's career was likely one he didn't remember all that well, as he was an uncredited baby in the 1934 film Change of Heart, at just two years old.

Kuhn and his mother nearly left the casting office the day he was selected for Gone With the Wind. With well over 50 people at the office, parents included, Kuhn recalled, "I started crying and wanted to leave, but Mom said to go up and give my name to the lady at the desk. I went to the lady and said, 'I'm Mickey Kuhn.' She said, 'Mickey, we've been waiting for you.' And then to the others waiting, [she said] 'Thank you, we've cast the part. You may all leave.'"

After a successful run of film appearances in the Forties, Mickey, a nickname for Theodore Matthew Michael Kuhn Jr, took his acting career into its final decade during the Fifties. 

He appeared in the 1955 movie The Last Frontier, Away All Boats in 1956 and in a trio of Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes during 1957. 

The child star called it on his onscreen career after his appearances in the anthology series. He worked in airport management for American Airlines and at terminals in Washington and Boston before retiring in 1995.

Though he was relatively young when his acting career ended, Kuhn is cemented in Hollywood history. 

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16 Comments

L 15 months ago
I believe he was the very last surviving actor from GWTW.
For years I always wished that he (the actor) would marry Cammie King (the actress who played Bonnie Bleu).
Runeshaper 16 months ago
R.I.P. Mickey Kuhn. So many GREAT films!
Jeffrey 16 months ago
I've never heard of him either. I have seen a little bit of Gone With The Wind years ago, but I don't remember it.
JHP 16 months ago
never knew or saw him
L JHP 15 months ago
You have to watch the whole movie people. I'm not sure if he was in the Reconstruction scene but he was definitely in the end when Melanie is dying. Ashley hauls him off to bed because it wasn't really morning yet.
cperrynaples 16 months ago
Would you believe I live in the same town he died in? Yes, he spent his retirement here in Naples, FL!
bagandwallyfan52 16 months ago
I've never seen Gone With The Wind .
I hope that Turner Classic Movies .WL show this movie sometime soon.
What does the title Gone With The
Wind supposed to mean ?
I might buy Gone With The Wind on
DVD.
Well, the phrase makes me think of how all human endeavors, even grand ones, are easily blown away with passage of time.
L bagandwallyfan52 15 months ago
What rock did you come under? It's on DVD (double disc). It's a novel. Your ancestors probably saw it when it came out. IT'S HISTORY! (People who live in Atlanta, help me out here...)
KevinGIJOE 16 months ago
He was the last credited actor from Gone With The Wind. Strangely, the article doesn’t note this.
LoveMETV22 KevinGIJOE 16 months ago
You're correct there. Not sure if MeTV highlights last surviving member when they do R.I.P. tributes.
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LoveMETV22 16 months ago
R.I.P. Mickey Kuhn. An impressive list of film appearances during his career as an actor.
MrsPhilHarris LoveMETV22 16 months ago
Very impressive.
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