Bobby Eilbacher

Bobby Eilbacher
Born
Robert Charles Eilbacher II

1963 or 1964 (age 60–61)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationFormer child actor
Years active1970 – 1977
RelativesLisa Eilbacher (sister),
Cindy Eilbacher (sister)

Robert Charles "Bobby" Eilbacher (born 1963 or 1964)[1] is an American former child actor, best known as one of the earliest in the long list of actors portraying Days of Our Lives character Mike Horton.[a] He also co-starred with Elizabeth Ashley in the 1970 season premiere of The Virginian,[4] and with singer Jennifer Warnes—making her professional acting debut—in 1971's premiere episode of The Bold Ones: The New Doctors.[5]

Early life and career

A native of Los Angeles, California, Eilbacher is the fourth of five children born to Beverly (née McCann) and Robert Charles Eilbacher.[1][6] He is the younger brother of former actresses Lisa and Cindy Eilbacher.[1]

For many years after his brief screen acting career had played out, Eilbacher's 1970 debut was also regarded as an even more notable screen first: the first-ever appearance of longstanding Days of Our Lives character, Dr. Mike Horton.[3][7][2] However, in the late 1990s, with the publication of book-length studies devoted entirely to the series, the existence of at least four earlier—and considerably younger—performers (two being under one year of age and the other two, 2 and 3½, respectively), came to light, as well as that of one prior post-toddler Mike.

Eilbacher's first publicized screen appearance came in September 1970, when he co-starred with Elizabeth Ashley in "The West vs. Colonel MacKenzie". The final season season premiere of what had, for the previous eight years, been known simply as The Virginian, this episode also marked the respective debuts of the show's new title (i.e. The Men from Shiloh), theme song (composed by Ennio Morricone), and—as Col. MacKenzie—leading man Stewart Granger. Eilbacher is cast as Petey Andrews, the now catatonic witness to his own father's recent lynching at the hands of seemingly misinformed members of the local cattlemen's association. Petey is eventually taken under the wing of his father's sister (Ashley), who, in conjunction with fellow newcomer MacKenzie, attempts to clear her brother's name and bring the family some closure.[8][4]

Moving from one iconic western to another, Eilbacher next appeared in the January 4, 1971 episode of Gunsmoke, "Captain Sligo". He portrays young Tim Burney, whose widowed mother Josephine Burney—Salome Jens—is courted by neighboring ranch owner—and erstwhile whaler—Sligo,[9][10] played by erstwhile big screen whaler, Richard Basehart.[b][10]

Arguably the highest-profile performance of Eilbacher's career came in September 1971, as part of the highly publicized screen acting debut of singer Jennifer—aka Jennifer Warnes—in "Broken Melody", the season premiere of The Bold Ones: The New Doctors.[5] Featuring Warnes as Gaby Barr, a recording star suddenly gone deaf, the episode co-stars Eilbacher as Johnny Wilson, her very likely abused and undeniably acting out fellow patient, with both under the care of Dr. Ted Stuart (series regular John Saxon).[11] Over time, the initially at-odds pair come to be a source of mutual comfort and healing (an outcome unapologetically spoiled by the vastly different photo and descriptions that promoted the episode's March 1972 rebroadcast[12]). Regarding his performance, Variety's Morry Roth wrote that "Eilbacher [...] as a battered child proved W. C. Fields' admonitions on the dangers of competing with kids on camera."[c]

Following an uncredited and negligible role in the CBS made-for-TV western horror film Black Noon and a minor one in the CBS series Emergency!, Eilbacher had one last high-profile appearance, made on his second Emergency appearance, on the episode entitled "Zero". Portraying Tommy Mannering, he is rescued from an apartment ledge while seemingly on the verge of suicide, a supposition angrily disputed by the boy's mother, portrayed by a young Mariette Hartley.[13][14]

Eilbacher's final appearance came on "Children of the Gods", episode no. 4 of The Fantastic Journey,[15] the time travel-themed sci-fi series that constituted NBC's soon-to-be-canceled 1977 mid-season replacement (a failure likely hastened by being slotted between Welcome Back Cotter and The Waltons[16]). Eilbacher plays Sigma, an escapee from a children-only community led by well-intentioned but dictatorial and bullying teenager Alpha. Attempts by some of the travelers to aid Sigma soon lead to their collective recapture and, eventually, threatened execution. Repeated efforts to reason with Alpha, followed by a seemingly futile physical challenge issued by 13-year-old, Scott Jordan Ike Eisenmann—eventually echoed by the like-aged Sigma and then an avalanche of similarly discontented youngsters—ultimately lead to a much more equitable status quo and a satisfying outcome for all concerned.[17]

Filmography

Notes

  1. ^ Long regarded as literally the first to do so,[2][3] this was shown not to be the case in 1995, when Maureen Russell's Days of Our Lives: A Complete History of the Long-Running Soap Opera listed five pre-Eilbacher editions, all of whom appeared within the year and a half preceding his July 1970 debut. However, of those five, the first two, Kyle Puerner and Wade Holdsworth (both of whom, according to IMDb, were born in 1968, and neither of whom ever 'acted' again), were mere infants in their respective 1969 appearances, while the next two—2- and 3-year-old Craig Bond and Brian Andrews, respectively—embodied Micheal's toddler incarnations. In fact, it was only Eilbacher's immediate predecessor, Eddie Rayden, who was roughly his contemporary. That said, given the fact that—again according to IMDb's calculations to date—Rayden's tenure consisted of five appearances in two months—specifically, April 13 through June 12, 1970—while Eilbacher appeared seven times in July alone, it is easy to see how he might well have become the first of DOOL's many Mikes likely to be recalled decades after the fact.
  2. ^ Basehart being the Ishmael seen and heard in John Huston's 1956 adaptation of Herman Melville's Moby Dick.
  3. ^ Presumably referring to the quote often attributed to Fields, "Never work with children or animals."

References

  1. ^ a b c "Network Bio: Lisa Eilbacher (Callie Shaw in 'The Hardy Boys')". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 30, 1978. p. TV-58. "Lisa has three sisters -Terri, 14 months older, and Cindy, 14 months younger, and a smaller sister, Kimberly, 7. She also has a younger brother, Bobby, 14."
  2. ^ a b c Schemering, Christopher (1988). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. New York : Ballantine Books. p. 75. ISBN 0345353447. "Michael Horton (cont.): Eddie Rayden – 1971; Bobby Eilbacher – 1970–71"
  3. ^ a b c Novakovich, Liliana (April 9, 1994). "Liliana's Diary". The Toronto Star Week. p. 66. "The role of Mike Horton was last played by Michael T. Weiss. Previous actors include Wesley Eure, Paul Coufos, John Amour and Bobby Eilbacher, who played the part when it was introduced in 1970."
  4. ^ a b c "Stewart Granger as New Owner of Shiloh Ranch; Premiere September 16". The Taylorville Daily Breeze Courier. August 22, 1970. p. 3. "Granger [...] immediately embroils himself in a battle with the cattlemen's association over the hanging of an alleged cattle rustler [...] Guest stars include Elizabeth Ashley as Faith, sister of hanging victim [...] MacKenzie (Granger) is hardly settled when Faith rides in hysterically to report her brother's death, adding that his small son Petey (co-star Bobby Eilbacher), is missing."
  5. ^ a b Budd, Millie (August 19, 1971). "Television: Actress 'leads' with her mouth; People make the news". The Houston Post. p. 10/BB. "Jennifer, the singer, makes her TV acting debut on the season premiere, of the Doctors segment of the Bold Ones. Also starring in the drama of a recording star and a belligerent boy are Bobby Eilbacher and Joyce Van Patten."
  6. ^ "Funeral Announcements". The Los Angeles Times. p. 18. Retrieved June 10, 2025. "EILBACHER, Robert Charles, passed away March 15, 1997. Survived by ex-wife, Beverly; daughters, Teri, Lisa, Cynthia, Kimberley; and son, Robert, Jr.; grandchildren, Ryan and Kristen. Memorial Service at Church of the Good Shepherd, Beverly Hills"
  7. ^ a b Waggett, Ken (1997). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. New York: HarperPaperbacks. p. 106. ISBN 0-06-101157-6. "Dr. Mike Horton: Bobby Eilbacher 1970-71; Eddie Rayden 1971"
  8. ^ a b "TV Scout: Best Bets". The Daily Advance. September 16, 1970. p. 4. "The problem is cattle rustling, the high-handed rules of the Cattlemen’s Association, and the lynching of a nice young man before his son’s eyes. [...] Bobby Eilbacher is the boy thrown into a catatonic state by what he has seen. SEASON PREMIERE."
  9. ^ "TV Scout". Victoria Advocate. January 4, 1961. p. 5B. Retrieved July 1, 2025. "A sea-faring man in Dodge City? Why not? It happens on this week's Gunsmoke, and, as played by Richard Basehart, Captain Sligo is a fascinating character. He comes to Dodge to settle down, far from the ocean and the whales. But be has his problems — the cattle he buys are tick-bearers, he runs afoul of some bad guys and he decides to court the widow (Salome Jens) on the next farm."
  10. ^ a b c Lentz, Harris M. (1996). Western and Frontier Film and Television Credits 1903-1995. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland. p. 1619. ISBN 0-7864-0158-3. "'Captain Sligo' (1-4-71). Dir.: William Conrad. Richard Basehart (Captain Aron Sligo); Salome Jens (Josephine Burney); Royal Dano (Watney); Stacy Flams (Leonard); Bobby Eilbacher (Tim Burney); Geri Reischi (Anne Burney); Boyd 'Red' Morgan (Tanner)"
  11. ^ a b "Singer Plays Singer". Muncie Evening Press. September 18, 1971. p. T-19. Retrieved June 11, 2025. "Recording star Jennifer, in her acting debut, plays a singer who lost her hearing, in 'Broken Melody,' the season premiere of 'The Bold Ones' [...] Bobby Eilbacher plays a young patient, and John Saxon appears in his regular role of Dr. Ted Stuart."
  12. ^ "Sunday Evening: 9 p.m.; Singer Jennifer". Houston Post Weekend. March 19, 1972. pp. 12, 13. "Bold Ones — A singer and a belligerent boy find a desperate need for each other while at Craig Institute. [...] Jennifer, in her acting debut, comforts a young patient (Bobby Eilbacher) on the Bold Ones, Sunday at 9 p.m. on Channel 2"
  13. ^ a b "Television Highlights: Saturday, November 24". The Opelika-Auburn News November 23, 1973. p. 13. "Channel 38 (NBC Programs) 7 p.m. EMERGENCY-The paramedics rescue a young boy from an apartment ledge, and doctors suspect the boy was attempting suicide, though his parents angrily deny it."
  14. ^ a b "Saturday Evening". TV Guide (Northern California edition). June 1, 1974. p. A-18. "EMERGENCY!—Drama. A young boy is rushed to the hospital after attempting a suicide leap off an apartment ledge. Jo Anne Worley appears as a psychiatrist’s patient who relieves her tensions by screaming. [...] Guest Cast: Tommy ... Bobby Eilbacher; Vera ... Mariette Hartley; Maude Grayson ... Jo Anne Worley; Jake ... Anthony Eisley"
  15. ^ a b "Complete Episode Guide to 'The Fantastic Journey': 4. CHILDREN OF THE GODS (2/10/77)". Starlog. October 1977. p. 60. "Guest Cast: Cosie Costa as Delta, Mark Lambert as Alpha, Bobby Eilbacher as Sigma,"
  16. ^ Phillips, Mark; Garcia, Frank (1996). Science Fiction Television Series: Episode Guides, Histories, and Casts and Credits for 62 Prime-Time Showa, 1959-1989. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1-4766-1030-6. "For Jared Martin, who would later star in the 1987-89 series War of the Worlds, the character of Valerian was a pleasant departure from the killers and drug fiends he had been playing up until that time. 'He was a dear character and it was a dear series. It died because of the furious and merciless economics of television. It was between Welcome Back, Cotter, the year John Travolta hit it big, and The Waltons. No show is going to last, stuck in that atmosphere.'"
  17. ^ BY THE GODS OF SCIENCE FICTION (March 29, 2023). "The Fantastic Journey S01E04 1977 Children Of The Gods". YouTube.
  18. ^ Sherman, Fraser A. (2000). Cyborgs, Santa Claus and Satan: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films Made for Television. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-7864-4341-3.
  19. ^ Yokley, Richard C.; Sutherland, Rozane (2008). Emergency! Behind the Scene. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. p. 141. ISBN 978-1-284-02932-1. "Guest cast: Frank Aletter (Roger Mundell), Jacqueline Russell Qudy Mundell), Dennis Rucker (Jay Hooper), Dorothy Green, David Knight, Bill Henry (second captain), Barbara Sigel (checkout girl), Bobby Eilbacher (kid in handcuffs), Dorothy Konrad (Beatrice Stover), [...] Synopsis: Johnny delivers his first baby, over protests from the infant's father (Frank Aletter), and it is cyanotic. Roy worries that the guys won't like his cooking and attempts to make beef bourguignon. At Rampart, Dr. Early treats a 10year-old boy (David Knight) who got his hand stuck in an antique vase. John removes handcuffs from a kid who is brought to the station by his friends. The staff at Rampart revives a man who suffered a severe electrical shock while repairing his washing machine. A man is trapped on a crane."
  20. ^ Thompson, Jeff (2019). The Television Horrors of Dan Curtis: Dark Shadows, The Night Stalker and. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 160. ISBN 978-1-4766-7502-2.
  21. ^ a b Dye, David (1988). Child and Youth Actors : Filmographies of Their Entire Careers, 1914-1985. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland. p. 68. ISBN 0-89950-247-4.
  22. ^ Steene, Brigitta (2005). Ingmar Bergman: A Reference Guide. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. p. 423. ISBN 90-5356-406-3.
  23. ^ a b Hill, Tom (1996). Nick at Nite's Classic TV Companion : The All Nite, Every Nite Guide to Better Living Through Television. New York : Simon & Schuster. pp. 75, 85. ISBN 0-684-81593-1.
  24. ^ Chance, Norman (2011). Who Was Who on TV, Volume 1. Philadelphia, PA: Xlibris. pp. 1972–173. ISBN 978-1-4568-2127-2. "Bob Newhart Show, The: Comedy: 1972-1978 [...] Role — Comedy: Aggie Harrison — Ann Rutherford 1973-1974; Al Brolio — Ric Mancini 1975-1978 [...] Dave Death — Tom Patchett 1973-1977; David — Bobby Eilbacher 1974-1975; Debbie – Shirley O'Hara 1973-1976"
  25. ^ Robinson, Johnny (February 19, 1975). "Complete Schedule of Programs for Radio and TV". Lewiston Sun-Journal. p. 21. "Mary Thorpe (Anjanette Comer), who had been having an affair with her boss until he was slain, becomes the prime suspect in the case in 'A Lonely Victim.' When young Billy Thorpe (Bobby Eilbacher) shows up in Petrocelli's office seeking help for his mother, Petrocelli agrees to take the case."
  26. ^ McCall, Douglas L. (2015). Film Cartoons: A Guide to 20th Century American Animated. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 37. ISBN 0-7864-2450-8.
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