Pat Rosson, the son and grandson of renowned cinematographers, passed away at the age of 69. As a child actor in the 1960s, he appeared on shows such as The Andy Griffith Show, The Twilight Zone, and the soap opera The Young Marrieds. According to his daughter, Maria Delilah Rosson, he died of a heart attack on April 28 in Los Angeles, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
In “Runaway Kid,” which premiered in November 1960 as the sixth episode of CBS’ The Andy Griffith Show, Pat Rosson portrayed George “Tex” Foley. In this episode, Tex’s situation teaches Opie (Ron Howard) important lessons about trust and keeping promises.
A month later, Rosson appeared on CBS’ The Twilight Zone in the season two episode “The Night of the Meek,” where Art Carney played a down-on-his-luck department store Santa Claus.
From 1965-66, Rosson was seen on ABC’s The Young Marrieds, playing Jerry Karr, a child caught in a custody battle between his biological mother, Susan Garrett (Peggy McCay), and his adoptive mother, Lena Gilroy (Norma Connolly).
Born in Los Angeles on July 20, 1952, Rosson was part of a family with deep ties to the film industry. His younger brother, Eddie Rosson, also a child actor, appeared in It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World and Camp Runamuck. Their father, Edward Rosson, was the cinematographer for films like White Lightning (1973) and Love at First Bite (1979). Their mother, Lili Rosson, was an actress with roles in North by Northwest, Some Came Running, and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
Their grandfather, Harold Rosson, was a celebrated cinematographer, nominated for five Oscars and known for his work on classics such as The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Singin’ in the Rain (1952).
Pat Rosson also joined Frank Sinatra and a group of children in a television performance of “High Hopes” in 1959. In 1962, he appeared alongside his godfather, actor Paul Picerni, on The Untouchables.
Rosson’s television appearances included roles on Dennis the Menace, Ben Casey, My Three Sons, Hazel, and The Munsters, where he appeared with a walkie-talkie in the 1965 episode “If a Martian Answers, Hang Up.” He also acted in the films The Wonderful World of The Brothers Grimm (1962) and Johnny Cool (1963).
He later participated in Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks and pursued a career in real estate.
Rosson is survived by his daughter, his wife Ruth, his sister Christa, his nephews Troy and Tobey, and his niece Sophie.
