Bobby Diamond Cause of Death: How the Star of ‘Fury’ Lost His Battle with Cancer

Bobby Diamond, the actor who played Joey Clark Newton on the popular 1950s TV series ‘Fury’, passed away on May 15, 2019, at the age of 75. He died of cancer at Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, California, according to his longtime friend Laurie Jacobson.

A Child Star with a Horse

Bobby Diamond was born on August 23, 1943, in Los Angeles, to a Jewish family. His mother pushed him and his brother Gary into show business, and he appeared in small roles in a series of films in the early 1950s, such as ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ and ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’.

His breakthrough role came in 1955, when he was cast as Joey Clark, an orphan who is taken in by rancher Jim Newton (played by Peter Graves), who introduces him to a wild horse named Fury. The show, which aired on NBC, ran for five seasons until 1960, and became a hit with young audiences. Diamond formed a strong bond with the horse, who was trained by Ralph McCutcheon.

A Struggling Career as an Adult

After ‘Fury’ ended, Diamond had roles in a variety of other TV productions, such as ‘The Twilight Zone’, ‘The Andy Griffith Show’, and ‘The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis’. He was offered the role of the middle son in ‘My Three Sons’, but turned it down in favor of working on ‘The Nanette Fabray Show’, which lasted only a single season.

He was also considered for the role of Robin in the ‘Batman’ TV series, but at 21 was thought to be too old, and lost the role to Burt Ward. He had a single starring film role, as a boyish recruit in 1962’s ‘Airborne’. Though the movie was well-received, his film career as an adult failed to take off, and his only other notable film roles were small parts in ‘Billie’ (a 1965 Patty Duke comedy) and ‘Scream’ (a 1981 slasher film).

A New Life as a Lawyer

Diamond attended San Fernando Valley State College, where he studied broadcast journalism and competed in gymnastics on the rings. Later, to avoid the Vietnam War draft, he studied law at San Fernando Valley College of Law, graduating in 1970 and starting a law practice in the area. Among his clients were Kelsey Grammer and Paul Petersen.

In 1986, he married Tara Parker, whom he had met at a gym; they had two children, Robbie and Jesse, but were subsequently divorced. Diamond died of cancer at Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Thousand Oaks, California, aged 75, in 2019.

A Legacy of Love and Friendship

Bobby Diamond will be remembered as a talented child star who charmed millions of viewers with his friendship with a horse. He will also be remembered as a successful lawyer who helped many celebrities with their legal issues. He was a loving father and a loyal friend who touched many lives with his kindness and generosity.

His funeral will be private, but his fans can pay tribute to him by watching his episodes of ‘Fury’, which are available on DVD and online streaming platforms. His co-star Peter Graves once said that Diamond was “the best thing that ever happened to me”. He will surely be missed by many.

Doms Desk

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