Lee Aaker, Child Star of ‘The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin’, Dies at 77
Actor also appeared in two Oscar winning films at the age of 8 but was not offered roles by the time he came of ageJeremy Fuster | April 13, 2021 @ 7:03 PM Last Updated: April 13, 2021 @ 9:07 PM
Lee Aaker, who starred in the ABC series “The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin,” died this month near Mesa, Arizona of a stroke, according to a Facebook post from fellow former child actor Paul Petersen. He was 77.
Born in Inglewood, California, in 1943, Aaker was first found by director Fred Zinnemann and cast for his short film “Benjy,” which was commissioned as a fundraiser video by Los Angeles Orthopedic Hospital and featured Aaker as a boy with scoliosis who is offered the chance to undergo a medical procedure that could cure him, but must first get permission from his parents whom have rejected him because of his condition. Despite being based on dramatized scenes, it qualified for the Best Docum
Original “Baldwin Hills” cast member
Ashley Gerren Taylor has passed away at the age of 30. The former teen model reportedly died in her sleep on April 11.
An official cause has yet to be released. Taylor is survived by her 7-year-old daughter, Miyako, and her mother Michelle Gerren.
Ashley Gerren Taylor and her daughter Miyako. (Photo: @mstaylorxo/Instagram)
At the age of 12 Taylor made her mark in the fashion industry as the youngest model signed to L.A. Models’ runway division. From there Taylor continued to make a name for herself while modeling for Tommy Hilfiger and Betsey Johnson.
“Every once in a while … you meet someone and they just get it,” said L.A. Models’ Crista Klayman in 2003.
College Hill and VH1 s
Love and Hip Hop: Hollywood tweeting, Just got the worst news. I hate it’s on the internet already. RIP to my @BET fam, my babes Gerren (Baldwin Hills).
He later shared a snapshot of himself and Taylor standing side-by-side with friends, and wrote, Unfortunate circumstances. We love you Gerren .
Just got the worst news. I hate it’s on the internet already. RIP to my @BET fam, my babes Gerren (Baldwin Hills) Ray Cunningham ✊✊✊ (@MissterRay) April 11, 2021
Taylor was a model and an actress, whose career began at 12 when she was signed by the runway division of LA Models, becoming the youngest person to ever be signed by the agency at the time.
According to
Essence, the model, who starred on BET s
Baldwin Hills, passed away in her sleep on Sunday (April 11) at 4:30 a.m. While her cause of death is yet unknown, the outlet reported that it may have been related to her battle with lupus. Gerren was reportedly on dialysis at the time of her death.
Following news of Gerren s passing,
Ray Cunningham, also known as
Misster Ray from VH1’s
Love and Hip-Hop, took to social media to pay tribute to his late friend. “I’ve known @mstaylorxo since 2006, the #BaldwinHills cast was like the little sisters and brothers to #CollegeHill I was sneaking her into parties with me, he captioned a throwback video of the two. She was one of the first people to reach out to me when I shared my alopecia diagnosis and she shared her’s with me. Iu. You will be missed. BET fam Rest well love.