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How did Mickey Kuhn die? Last surviving actor from 'Gone with the Wind' dies at 90

Kuhn, who was only six years old when he portrayed young Beau Wilkes in 'Gone with the Wind', reportedly died at a hospice in Naples, Florida, on November 20

NAPLES, FLORIDA: Mickey Kuhn, the only surviving cast member of the 1939 masterpiece 'Gone with the Wind', has recently died, and the acting fraternity is in deep sorrow. Kuhn, who was only six years old when he portrayed young Beau Wilkes in 'Gone with the Wind', reportedly died at the age of 90 at a hospice facility in Naples, Florida on Sunday, November 20, 2022. He got married to Barbara Traci in 1985. She said that her husband had been in wonderful health prior to his demise.

Daily Mail reported that Kuhn was born in Waukegan, Illinois, in 1932, but his parents relocated him to Los Angeles when he was a little child as his father was a Safeway meat cutter there. THR reported that Kuhn appeared in six movies in 1939, including 'King of the Underworld' which starred Humphrey Bogart, and 'Juarez' which starred Bette Davis and Paul Muni. In the same year, he earned $100 a week for his role as the Mexican crown prince in Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer's 'When Tomorrow Comes'.

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In a 2008 interview with Films of the Golden Age, Kuhn explained how he got his first job at the age of just 2 in the 1934 Janet Gaynor movie 'Change of Heart'. He said, "Of course I don't remember this day, but my mother and I were in Sears-Roebuck on Santa Monica and Western when a lady stopped my mother and said that Fox Studio was looking for twin babies for a movie they were shooting." Kuhn added, "She had a baby girl that looked a lot like me and thought we could be cast. Well, we went over there, and I, but not the lady's baby, was cast," he revealed.

He appeared in uncredited roles in some films in his earlier years, including 'A Doctor's Diary' from 1937. He attended the Mar-Ken School, a specialized school for children in the entertainment industry. In 1939, he was also listed for four roles, one of which was 'Gone with the Wind', where he recounted how he discovered he had won the role. Kuhn recalled in the interview and said, "I started crying and wanted to leave, but Mom said to go up and give my name to the lady at the desk. If in 10 minutes I hadn’t been called, then we would leave. 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 noted, "Thank you, we’ve cast the part. You may all leave."

Additionally, he co-starred with Kirk Douglas and Barbara Stanwyck in the 1946 film 'The Strange Love of Martha Ivers' and portrayed Junior opposite Morgan Conway in the 1945 movie 'Dick Tracy'. The actor also appeared in the films 'Magic Town' (1947) and 'Broken Arrow' (1950) with Jimmy Stewart, as well as 'Red River' (1948), where John Wayne really slapped him for the part. In the 1951 masterpiece 'A Streetcar Named Desire', he played a sailor and the same year, he also enlisted in the US Navy and began working as an aircraft electrician.

Before calling it quits, he made a comeback in films with 'The Last Frontier' in 1955, 'Away All Boats' in 1956, and 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' in 1957. Before retiring in 1995, he worked in airport management for American Airlines and had administrative positions at the airport in Boston. He is survived by his wife Traci and their two children.

Meanwhile, people on social media share heartfelt messages remembering the iconic Hollywood star. One user On Twitter wrote, "The last remaining actor in 'Gone With The Wind' is gone with the wind. Mickey Kuhn dead at 90."

Further, fans took to Twitter and shared condolences through simple messages. A user tweeted, "#MickeyKuhn Child #Actor in #GoneWiththeWind Dies at 90 - The Hollywood Reporter One of my all time favourite #movies .. What a legacy to leave behind." Another fan wrote, "RIP Mickey Kuhn."

One fan on Facebook remembered the star and wrote, "Sad to report that Mickey Kuhn died today. He was the last screen credited cast member of Gone With the Wind. September 21st he was 90. Twice he was my guest in Gadsden when many folks had a chance to meet him. We last visited at a Texas event where I made this picture. In addition to being Beau Wilkes he was in many other films with greats like Bette Davis and John Wayne. He was the only person to appear with Vivien Leigh in both her Oscar winning movie roles. May he Rest In Peace and rise in glory."

Road to Tara Museum page also shared a condolence post on Facebook and wrote, "We are sad to learn that Mickey Kuhn, who played Beau Wilkes in Gone With the Wind, passed away yesterday. Sending condolences to his family, friends and the many GWTW fans that he loved."

A message from Redford Theatre read, "Remembering Mickey Kuhn, who appeared at the Redford twice (most recently in 2019) to celebrate his work in Gone With the Wind. He also had parts in A Streetcar Named Desire, Red River and Broken Arrow, sharing screen time with the likes of Vivien Leigh, James Stewart and John Wayne."

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