Don Marion Davis

He was born in Hollywood, California, on October 9, 1917, to Henry G. Davis and Helen Davis.[2] He was discovered by studio entrepreneur and director Mack Sennett while he and his mother were visiting his uncle, British-born American actor and comedian Billy Armstrong around 1919. He was visiting the set of a film when the baby, who was originally cast, was not performing well. Davis then replaced him successfully.[3][4]

In a 1920 newspaper article, he was described as one of the most famous child actors in the world.[3] His feature-length films included Down on the Farm (1920) and A Small Town Idol (1921). He was often cast alongside the dog Teddy, who was one of the most well-known film animals of the era. By 1921, his films reportedly had to adjust to the fact that he was continuously growing.[1]

Don Marion aka John Henry Jr.

After leaving the entertainment industry in 1925, he attended the University of Oregon and joined the U.S. Army in 1940, shortly prior to the United States entering World War II. He was stationed in Europe during this time as an infantry officer. After the war, he remained with the American military and held various positions in different countries, such as South Africa and South Korea. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Master of Public Administration.[2]

He resided in Tucson, Arizona. At the age of 99, he was said to take daily bike rides for 40 minutes.[5][6]

He was falsely reported as having died on March 2, 2012, in the 2013 book Obituaries in the Performing Arts, published by McFarland & Company and authored by Harris M. Lentz.[7]

Marion in The Love Egg (1921)

Marion died of a brief illness at the Tucson Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona, on December 10, 2020, at the age of 103.[8]