Roy Roberts (born Roy Barnes Jones, March 19, 1906 – May 28, 1975) was an American

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

. Over his more than 40-year career, he appeared in more than nine hundred productions on stage and screen.

Life and career

Born in

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough ...

, Roberts began his acting career on stage with a stock company there. He left the Tampa company after a year to perform in touring stock theater for five years. He first appeared on Broadway in May 1931 before making his

motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

debut in '' Gold Bricks'', a 1936 two-reel comedy short released by

20th Century-Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

. He appeared in numerous films in secondary parts and returned to perform on Broadway in such productions as '' Twentieth Century'', ''

My Sister Eileen ''My Sister Eileen'' is a series of autobiographical short stories by Ruth McKenney, originally published in ''The New Yorker'', which eventually inspired many other works: her 1938 book ''My Sister Eileen'', a play, a musical, a radio play (an ...

'', and '' Carnival in Flanders'' until he began making guest appearances on

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

. After appearing on Gale Storm's '' My Little Margie'' in 1956, he became part of several television series. In a show that was the precursor to '' The Love Boat'', Roberts played the ship's captain for four years in Storm's next hit, '' Oh! Susanna'', which aired on CBS and ABC from 1956 to 1960. He guest-starred in scores of series, including the western-themed

crime drama Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and comb ...

, '' Sheriff of Cochise'', the western series, '' My Friend Flicka'', ''

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before '' Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely ...

'' (as Texas cattle baron Shanghai Pierce, and ''

The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters ''The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters'' is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel written by Robert Lewis Taylor, which was later made into a short-running television series on ABC from September 1963 through March 1964, featuring Kurt Russell as Jaimie, D ...

'', and Brian Keith's

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...

drama, ''Crusader''. Roberts appeared on four episodes of the CBS legal drama, '' Perry Mason'', including the role of murderer Arthur Janeel in the 1961 episode, "The Case of the Malicious Mariner." During the middle 1960s, Roberts was one of the most recognizable faces on television, and had recurring roles concurrently on a number of popular programs, including: *Bank president Mr. Cheever on CBS's '' The Lucy Show'' *John Cushing, president of the rival Merchants Bank on CBS's '' The Beverly Hillbillies'' *Railroad president Norman Curtis on CBS's '' Petticoat Junction'' *Darrin's father Frank Stephens on ABC's ''

Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typ ...

'', alternating with actor Robert F. Simon depending upon availability. *Banker Harry Bodkin on CBS's ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'' *Neighbor Bruce MacDermott on ABC's '' Our Man Higgins'' *Preston "Press" Wasco and Kelly on the NBC western, '' Laredo'' *"Doc" on John Payne's '' The Restless Gun'' in the 1957 episode "Trail to Sunset" *Banker George Bristol on NBC's ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'' *Admiral Rogers on '' McHale's Navy'' (in some episodes, his first name is given as "John" and in others his name is given as "Bruce"). *Capt. Walter A. Bascom in three episodes of the religion

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a dif ...

, ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'' *The Governor in a season two episode of ''

Green Acres ''Green Acres'' is an American television sitcom starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm. Produced by Filmways as a sister show to '' Petticoat Junction'', the series was first broadc ...

'', "One of Our Assemblymen is Missing". In the 1940s and 1950s, Roberts was a regular in many films noir, including ''

Force of Evil ''Force of Evil'' is a 1948 American crime film noir starring John Garfield and directed by Abraham Polonsky. It was adapted by Polonsky and Ira Wolfert from Wolfert's novel ''Tucker's People''. Polonsky had been a screenwriter for the boxing ...

'' (1948), '' He Walked by Night'' (1948), '' Nightmare Alley'' (1947), '' The Brasher Doubloon'' (1947), '' Borderline'' (1950) and '' The Enforcer'' (1951). In 1953, he appeared as

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...

's character's crooked business partner (and first victim) in '' House of Wax''. In 1956 he was Colonel Sam Sherman in '' The First Texan''. In 1962 Roberts appeared as John Kemper on the TV western '' Lawman'' in the episode titled "Heritage of Hate." He also appeared in the neo-noirs '' The Outfit'' (1973) and ''

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Aust ...

'' (1974). He also had a small role in the hit 1963

Stanley Kramer Stanley Earl Kramer (September 29, 1913February 19, 2001) was an American film director and producer, responsible for making many of Hollywood's most famous "message picture, message films" (he would call his movies ''heavy dramas'') and a libera ...

comedy, '' It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' as a police officer. Unfortunately, his role was cut from later television and movie versions to reduce running time. However, Roberts' brief role is included in versions on laserdisc and extended-length DVDs. Roberts appeared in an episode of the

situation comedy A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use new ...

'' A Touch of Grace'' in 1973. His last television appearance was on the 21 January 1974 CBS broadcast of ''

Here's Lucy ''Here's Lucy'' is an American sitcom starring Lucille Ball. The series co-starred her long-time comedy partner Gale Gordon and her real-life children Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. It was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1974. It was Ball's th ...

''. In that installment, "Lucy Is N.G. As An R.N.", Roberts played a veterinarian.

Death

Roberts died in St. Vincent's Hospital in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, of a heart attack on 28 May 1975 and was interred at Greenwood Memorial Park in

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the List of cities in Texas by population, fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population, 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, T ...

.Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Selected filmography

* '' Guadalcanal Diary'' (1943) - Capt. James Cross * '' The Fighting Sullivans'' (1944) - Father Francis * '' Tampico'' (1944) - Crawford (uncredited) * ''

Roger Touhy, Gangster ''Roger Touhy, Gangster'' is a 1944 American gangster film based on the life of Chicago mob figure Roger Touhy, directed by film noir specialist Robert Florey. Parts of the film were shot at Stateville Correctional Center near Joliet, Illinois, ...

'' (1944) - Frank Williams - FBI Chief (uncredited) * ''

Wilson Wilson may refer to: People *Wilson (name) ** List of people with given name Wilson ** List of people with surname Wilson * Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender * Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson R ...

'' (1944) - Ike Hoover - Chief White House Butler (uncredited) * ''

Circumstantial Evidence Circumstantial evidence is evidence that relies on an inference to connect it to a conclusion of fact—such as a fingerprint at the scene of a crime. By contrast, direct evidence supports the truth of an assertion directly—i.e., without need ...

'' (1945) - Marty Hannon * '' The Caribbean Mystery'' (1945) - Capt. Van den Bark * '' A Bell for Adano'' (1945) - Col. W.W. Middleton - Provost Marshal * '' Within These Walls'' (1945) - Martin 'Marty' Deutsch * ''

Colonel Effingham's Raid ''Colonel Effingham's Raid'' (UK title: ''Man of the Hour'') is a 1946 American comedy film directed by Irving Pichel. It is also known as ''Berry Fleming's Colonel Effingham's Raid'', ''Everything's Peaches Down in Georgia'' and ''Rebel Yell''. ...

'' (1946) - Army Capt. Rampey * ''

Behind Green Lights ''Behind Green Lights'' is a 1946 American crime film directed by Otto Brower. Plot Police Lieutenant Sam Carson spots Walter Bard's bullet-ridden corpse in a car brazenly left in front of the police station. Carson questions Janet Bradley af ...

'' (1946) - Max Calvert * ''

Johnny Comes Flying Home ''Johnny Comes Flying Home'' is a 1946 American adventure film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Richard Crane and Faye Marlowe; the supporting cast features Harry Morgan. The plot involves postwar pilots starting a small aviation compa ...

'' (1946) - J.P. Hartley * ''

Strange Triangle ''Strange Triangle'' is a 1946 American crime film noir directed by Ray McCarey and starring Signe Hasso, Preston Foster and Anabel Shaw.. Premise A bank examiner becomes involved with a couple planning embezzlement, which leads them to murder. ...

'' (1946) - Harry Matthews * '' Smoky'' (1946) - Jeff Nix * '' It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog'' (1946) - 'Mitch' Mitchell * ''

My Darling Clementine ''My Darling Clementine'' is a 1946 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp during the period leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The ensemble cast also features Victor Mature (as Doc Hol ...

'' (1946) - Mayor * '' The Shocking Miss Pilgrim'' (1947) - Mr. Foster * '' The Brasher Doubloon'' (1947) - Police Lt. Breeze * ''

The Foxes of Harrow ''The Foxes of Harrow'' is a 1947 American adventure film directed by John M. Stahl. The film stars Rex Harrison, Maureen O'Hara, and Richard Haydn. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Production Design ( Lyle R. Wheeler, Maur ...

'' (1947) - Tom Warren * '' Nightmare Alley'' (1947) - McGraw - Final Carnival Owner (uncredited) * '' Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947) - Mr. Calkins (uncredited) * '' Daisy Kenyon'' (1947) - Quint - Dan's Attorney (uncredited) * '' Captain from Castile'' (1947) - Capt. Alvarado * ''

Fury at Furnace Creek '' Fury at Furnace Creek '' is a 1948 American Western film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Victor Mature, Coleen Gray, Glenn Langan, and Reginald Gardiner. Plot Troops are massacred at a Furnace Creek fort in 1880 after an arm ...

'' (1948) - Al Shanks * '' The Gay Intruders'' (1948) - Charles McNulty * ''

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronat ...

'' (1948) - Wandamme (Burgundian captain) * ''

No Minor Vices ''No Minor Vices'' is a 1948 American black-and-white comedy film written by Arnold Manoff and directed by Lewis Milestone with Robert Aldrich as 1st assistant director. Created for David Loew's Enterprise Productions, it was the first of thr ...

'' (1948) - Mr. Felton (uncredited) * '' He Walked by Night'' (1948) - Police Capt. Breen * ''

'' (1948) - Ben Tucker * '' Chicken Every Sunday'' (1949) - Harry Bowers * '' Calamity Jane and Sam Bass'' (1949) - Marshal Peak * '' Flaming Fury'' (1949) - Capt. S. Taplinger * ''

Miss Grant Takes Richmond ''Miss Grant Takes Richmond'' is a 1949 comedy film starring Lucille Ball and William Holden, directed by Lloyd Bacon and released by Columbia Pictures. It was released under the title ''Innocence is Bliss'' in the UK. Plot For Ellen Grant, t ...

'' (1949) - Construction Foreman Roberts (uncredited) * '' The Reckless Moment'' (1949) - Nagel * ''

Chicago Deadline ''Chicago Deadline'' is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by Lewis Allen and starring Alan Ladd and Donna Reed. It was remade as ''Fame Is the Name of the Game'' (1966). Plot Chicago newspaper reporter Ed Adams is in a boarding ...

'' (1949) - Jerry Cavanaugh * '' A Kiss for Corliss'' (1949) - Uncle George * ''

Bodyhold ''Bodyhold'' is a 1949 American crime film noir sport film directed by Seymour Friedman and starring Willard Parker, Lola Albright, and Hillary Brooke. Premise Tommy Jones, a well-built plumber, is invited to join a troupe of wrestlers, but is s ...

'' (1949) - Charlie Webster * '' Chain Lightning'' (1950) - Maj. Gen. Hewitt * '' Borderline'' (1950) - Harvey Gumbin * ''The Palomino'' (1950) - Ben Lane * '' Sierra'' (1950) - Sheriff Knudsen * ''

The Killer That Stalked New York ''The Killer That Stalked New York'' (also known as ''Frightened City'') is a 1950 American film noir directed by Earl McEvoy and starring Evelyn Keyes, Charles Korvin and William Bishop. The film, shot on location and in a semi-documentary style ...

'' (1950) - Mayor of New York * '' Wyoming Mail'' (1950) - Charles De Haven * ''

The Second Face ''The Second Face'' is a 1950 romantic drama film directed by Jack Bernhard and starring Ella Raines as a plain woman whose life is drastically changed by plastic surgery. Plot Claire Elwood runs to her car and speeds away. Phyllis Holmes chases ...

'' (1950) - Allan Wesson * '' Stage to Tucson'' (1950) - Jim Maroon * '' The Enforcer'' (1951) - Capt. Frank Nelson * '' Santa Fe'' (1951) - Cole Sanders * ''

Fighting Coast Guard ''Fighting Coast Guard'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Joseph Kane and written by Kenneth Gamet. The film stars Brian Donlevy, Forrest Tucker, Ella Raines, John Russell, Richard Jaeckel, William Murphy and Martin Milner. The fil ...

'' (1951) - Captain Gibbs * '' I Was a Communist for the FBI'' (1951) - Father Novac * '' The Tanks Are Coming'' (1951) - Major General (uncredited) * ''

The Man with a Cloak ''The Man with a Cloak'' is a 1951 American film noir crime- thriller-drama directed by Fletcher Markle and starring Joseph Cotten, Barbara Stanwyck, Louis Calhern, and Leslie Caron, and based on "The Gentleman from Paris", a short story by John ...

'' (1951) - Policeman * '' My Favorite Spy'' (1951) - Johnson - FBI Man (uncredited) * '' The Cimarron Kid'' (1952) - Pat Roberts * '' The Big Trees'' (1952) - Judge Crenshaw * '' Hoodlum Empire'' (1952) - Police Chief Thales * ''

Skirts Ahoy! ''Skirts Ahoy!'' is a 1952 MGM musical film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Esther Williams, Vivian Blaine and Joan Evans. It was shot in Technicolor. The film follows the adventures of several women who join the WAVES with sequences fi ...

'' (1952) - Capt. Graymont * '' Cripple Creek'' (1952) - Marshal John Tetheroe * ''

One Minute to Zero ''One Minute to Zero'' is a 1952 American romantic war film starring Robert Mitchum and Ann Blyth, set during the opening phases of the Korean War, and produced by Howard Hughes as his last film as producer. Victor Young's score for the film incl ...

'' (1952) - Lt. Gen. George Thomas (uncredited) * ''

Battles of Chief Pontiac ''Battles of Chief Pontiac'' is a 1952 American quasi-historical film directed by Felix E. Feist. The drama features Lex Barker, Helen Westcott and Lon Chaney Jr. Plot Conflict between Ottawa Native Americans, led by Chief Pontiac, and the Bri ...

'' (1952) - Maj. Gladwin * '' Stars and Stripes Forever'' (1952) - Maj. George Porter Houston * '' The Man Behind the Gun'' (1953) - Sen. Mark Sheldon * '' San Antone'' (1953) - John Chisum * '' The Lone Hand'' (1953) - Mr. Skaggs * '' House of Wax'' (1953) - Matthew Burke * ''

The Glory Brigade ''The Glory Brigade'' is a 1953 American war film directed by Robert D. Webb. It stars Victor Mature and Alexander Scourby. The film was referred to in ''M*A*S*H'' (1970), directed by Robert Altman. Plot US Army engineer Lt. Pryor's detachment ...

'' (1953) - Sgt. Chuck Anderson * '' Second Chance'' (1953) - Charley Malloy * ''

Sea of Lost Ships ''Sea of Lost Ships'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Joseph Kane and starring John Derek, Wanda Hendrix and Walter Brennan. It is a tribute to the US Coast Guard. Plot The son of a deceased Coast Guard hero is raised by a Coast Gua ...

'' (1953) - Captain of the 'Eagle' * ''

Tumbleweed A tumbleweed is a structural part of the above-ground anatomy of a number of species of plants. It is a diaspore that, once mature and dry, detaches from its root or stem and rolls due to the force of the wind. In most such species, the tumbl ...

'' (1953) - Nick Buckley * '' The Outlaw Stallion'' (1954) - Hagen * ''

Dawn at Socorro ''Dawn at Socorro'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Rory Calhoun and Piper Laurie. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film is set mostly in Lordsburg, New Mexico, and the spoken int ...

'' (1954) - Doc Jameson * '' They Rode West'' (1954) - Sgt. Creever * '' Big House, U.S.A.'' (1955) - Chief Ranger Will Erickson * ''Stranger on Horseback'' (1955) - Sam Kettering * ''Wyoming Renegades'' (1955) - Sheriff McVey * ''The Eternal Sea'' (1955) - Review Board captain (uncredited) * ''I Cover the Underworld'' (1955) - District Attorney * ''The Last Command (1955 film), The Last Command'' (1955) - Dr. Summerfield * ''Backlash (1956 film), Backlash'' (1956) - Maj. Carson * '' The First Texan'' (1956) - Col. Sam Sherman * ''The Boss (1956 film), The Boss'' (1956) - Tim Brady * ''Yaqui Drums'' (1956) - Matt Quigg * ''The White Squaw'' (1956) - Edward Purvis * ''The King and Four Queens'' (1956) - Sheriff Tom Larrabee * '' The Restless Gun'' (1957) as Kitt Springer in Episode "The Gold Buckle" * ''The Underwater City'' (1962) - Tim Graham * ''Kid Galahad'' (1962) - Jerry Bathgate * '' Lawman'' (1962 episode titled "Heritage of Hate") - John Kemper * ''The Chapman Report'' (1962) - Alan Roby * '' It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' (1963) - Policeman Outside Irwin & Ray's Garage * ''Those Calloways'' (1965) - E.J. Fletcher * ''I'll Take Sweden'' (1965) - Ship's Captain * ''Hotel (1967 film), Hotel'' (1967) - Bailey * ''Tammy and the Millionaire'' (1967) - Gov. Alden * ''Cry for Poor Wally'' (1969) - Doctor * ''Some Kind of a Nut'' (1969) - Mr. Burlingame * ''The Million Dollar Duck'' (1971) - The Judge (uncredited) * '' The Outfit'' (1973) - Sheriff Bob Caswell * ''

'' (1974) - Mayor Bagby * ''The Strongest Man in the World'' (1975) - Mr. Roberts (final film role)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Roy 1906 births 1975 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors People from Dade City, Florida Male actors from Tampa, Florida People from Greater Los Angeles Burials in Texas 20th-century American male actors