Dean Jones, Boyish Disney Star, Dies At 84

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dean Jones, whose boyish good looks and all-American manner made him Disney's favorite young actor for such lighthearted films as "That Darn Cat!" and "The Love Bug," has died of complications of Parkinson's disease. Jones' long association with The Walt Disney Co. began after he received an unexpected call from Walt Disney himself, who praised his work on the TV show "Ensign O'Toole," noting it had "some good closing sequences." Jones puzzled over Disney's remark until it occurred to him that "Ensign O'Toole" preceded Disney's own Sunday night show on NBC, and he realized Disney probably only watched each episode's ending. After "The Love Bug," Jones returned to the stage, winning the lead role of Robert in "Company," Stephen Sondheim's now-classic musical about marital angst, Manhattan-style. A notable exception was 1957's "Jailhouse Rock," one of Elvis Presley's best-remembered vehicles, in which Jones had a small role as a disc jockey. In 1969, he was host of a TV variety show, "What's It All About, World?" But he said delivering jokes, stand-up comedy style, was not really his forte. In 1995, Jones was honored by his longtime employers with a spot in the Disney Legends Hall of Fame. Besides Lory, his wife of 42 years, and his children, Jones is survived by eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.