Sammy McKim

Biography

Sammy McKim was the second of a family of five child actors of the 1930s and 1940s, but the first to get into the movies and pave the way for the rest of the McKim siblings. Sammy and his older brother, David McKim, were born in Vancouver, Canada. The family moved to Seattle, Washington, when they were both still young and settled there for a time. The younger children (Lydia McKim, Harry McKim and Peggy McKim) were born and raised there. The family was forced to find a warmer climate in 1935 when their father's health worsened, so they moved to Los Angeles (where he died in 1938). With a face full of freckles, unruly hair and a pleasant disposition, Sammy attracted the attention of a casting agent while visiting a movie studio and started working as an extra within a short time. The others soon followed suit, mostly in extra or bit roles. None of the McKim clan ever became popular child stars, but Sammy proved to be the most productive of the five. He won a recurring co-star role in many of the "Three Mesquiteers" pictures, which led to more visible work alongside such cowboy stars as Hoot Gibson, and he landed a contract with Republic Pictures. In 1942 both he and David tried to enlist in the U.S. Army but were turned down for not being American citizens. The two Canadians gained their citizenship the following year and signed up again for duty, letting their acting careers go. Sammy received several medals during the Korean War for his bravery. After becoming a civilian again, he turned away from acting and decided on a career as an artist. He worked at Fox Studios art department for a time before moving to Disney, where he remained for 32 years, 12 of them closely associated with Walt Disney himself. Sammy appeared at western conventions on occasion right up until his death in 2004.