Red Skelton’s only son, Richard “Richard Jr.” or “Little Richard” Skelton, died as a child from leukemia in 1958, just days before his 10th birthday. His death was widely reported at the time and became one of the defining personal tragedies of Red Skelton’s life and career.

What actually happened

  • Richard Jr. was diagnosed with leukemia around age 9, at the height of Red Skelton’s television fame.
  • He spent extended time in the hospital in Los Angeles as his condition worsened, undergoing repeated transfusions.
  • He died on May 10, 1958, at the UCLA Medical Center, a little more than a week before turning 10.

How it affected Red Skelton

  • The loss devastated Red Skelton and his wife, actress Georgia Davis, and is often described as the tragedy that permanently marked his private life.
  • Red continued performing, but biographical accounts note that his humor took on a more sentimental, reflective tone after his son’s death.
  • He later devoted money and attention to children’s charities and causes related to sick and disadvantaged children.

Later coverage and “latest news”

  • Modern articles and videos revisit the question “what happened to Red Skelton’s son” mainly to retell the story of Richard Jr.’s illness, death, and its emotional impact on the family.
  • There is no new development about Richard himself; current “latest news” pieces are retrospective tributes and biographical explainers rather than updates about events.

Brief timeline

  1. Early–mid 1950s: Richard Jr. appears with his father in public and is seen as part of the comic’s wholesome family image.
  1. Mid‑1950s: He is diagnosed with leukemia; doctors give him limited time to live.
  1. May 10, 1958: Richard Jr. dies at UCLA Medical Center from leukemia, just shy of his 10th birthday.
  1. After 1958: Red Skelton keeps working in television but carries the loss for the rest of his life, often referenced in later biographies and documentaries.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.