Robert Ellis Scott (June 9, 1921 – January 5, 2006) was an American stage, film and television actor who appeared in over 100 films between 1938 and

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nelson Ma ...

, according to the

Internet Movie Database IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

. Sometimes he was credited as Mark Roberts, Bob Scott, Robert E. Scott, or Robert Scott.

Early years

A native of

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

, Roberts began acting when he was 4, appearing in a play in kindergarten. "The smell of greasepaint got me," he said years later. During his childhood, the family moved to

Lakewood, Ohio Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, on the southern shore of Lake Erie. Established in 1889, it is one of Cleveland's historical streetcar suburbs and part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area. The population was 5 ...

, and later to Kansas City, Missouri. Roberts attended Southwest High School in Kansas City and the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. ...

at Tucson, where he majored in English.

Film

Soon after Roberts graduated from college, a screen test at

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the multi ...

led to a long-term contract for him. He made his film debut in '' Brother Rat'', a 1938 film directed by

William Keighley William Jackson Keighley (August 4, 1889 – June 24, 1984) was an American stage actor and Hollywood film director. Career After graduating from the Ludlum School of Dramatic Art, Keighley began acting at the age of 23. By the 1910s and 1920s ...

and starring Ronald Reagan. Roberts played an uncredited bit role as Tripod Andrews. After that, he was billed as Robert Scott in three films before obtaining his first and only leading role in the 1944 Columbia serial ''

Black Arrow Black Arrow, officially capitalised BLACK ARROW, was a British satellite carrier rocket. Developed during the 1960s, it was used for four launches between 1969 and 1971, all launched from the Woomera Prohibited Area in Australia. Its final fl ...

''. He also served in the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. Following discharge, he acted under the name of Mark Roberts. Roberts appeared (uncredited) in '' It’s a Wonderful Life'', the 1946 classic

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-born American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s ...

film. He and Carl (Alfalfa) Switzer played Mickey and Freddie Othello, respectively, the two guys who unlock the gym floor at the high school dance, exposing the pool below, into which George Bailey ( James Stewart) and Mary Hatch (

Donna Reed Donna Reed (born Donna Belle Mullenger; January 27, 1921 – January 14, 1986) was an American actress. Her career spanned more than 40 years, with performances in more than 40 films. She is well known for her portrayal of Mary Hatch Bailey in ...

) tumble.

Stage

Roberts played the role of Dunbar in the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production of ''Stalag 17'' (1951). Concurrently, he was a member of the cast of ''Miss Susan'', a television serial. The dual responsibilities meant that Roberts usually left New York City via train at 8 a.m., going to Philadelphia for rehearsals and the program's live broadcast, then he would catch a 6:06 p.m. train back to New York to perform in the play.

Television

Roberts later became a familiar face in selected drama and action television series. He starred as reporter Hildy Johnson in the 1949-1950 syndicated television series ''The Front Page''. In the 1960–1961 season, he joined Stephen Dunne (1918–1977) playing brothers who were

private detective A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...

s in the

syndicated Syndication may refer to: * Broadcast syndication, where individual stations buy programs outside the network system * Print syndication, where individual newspapers or magazines license news articles, columns, or comic strips * Web syndication, ...

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 ...

, ''

The Brothers Brannagan ''The Brothers Brannagan'' is an American crime drama television series that aired in syndication from September 24, 1960, to July 15, 1961. Synopsis ''The Brothers Brannagan'' features fictitious detectives Mike and Bob Brannagan, portrayed, r ...

'',Erickson, Hal (1989). ''Syndicated Television: The First Forty Years, 1947-1987''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 107-108. which aired 39 episodes. Roberts played Bob Brannagan; Dunne, Mike Brannagan. He made seven guest appearances on ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a cli ...

'', including two 1962 roles as the murder victim: title character Otto Gervaert/Gabe Phillips in "The Case of the Absent Artist," and Tod Richards in "The Case of the Playboy Pugilist." He portrayed murderer Wayne Jameson in "The Case of the Nebulous Nephew". Mark Roberts appeared in Barnaby Jones portraying a character named Tony Bloom; episode titled, "Perchance to Kill"(03/11/1973). Roberts made his last screen appearance in the short-lived 1994

sitcom A sitcom, a Portmanteau, 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 troup ...

Monty Monty is a masculine given name, often a short form of Montgomery, Montague and other similar names. It is also a surname. Notable people with the name or nickname include: First name Nickname *Bernard Montgomery (1887–1976), British Second ...

''.

Personal life

Roberts married Audrey Von Clemm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1953. The couple had three children—Col. Ward E. Scott II, Margot Silverman, and Jeffrey F. Scott—before divorcing in 1967. Roberts married ''

I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series, created by Sidney Sheldon that starred Barbara Eden as a sultry, 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman, as an astronaut with whom she falls in love and eventually marr ...

'' actress Emmaline Henry on November 1, 1969. Scott and Henry divorced in 1974.

Death

Roberts died at the age of 84 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 wor ...

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 ...

. He is survived by his three children and his partner, Jane Cole Scott (1981-death).

Selected filmography

Films

*'' Brother Rat'' (1938) - Tripod Andrews (uncredited) *''

The Escape The Escape may refer to: Film and television * ''The Escape'' (1914 film), American silent film directed by D. W. Griffith * ''The Escape'' (1926 film), American silent film * ''The Escape'' (1928 film), American film * ''The Escape'' (1939 f ...

'' (1939) - Mickey (uncredited) *'' Those Were the Days!'' (1940) - Allison *'' Remember Pearl Harbor'' (1942) - Marine (uncredited) *'' The Girl in the Case'' (1944) - Tommy Rockwood (uncredited) *''

'' (1944, Serial) - Black Arrow *''

One Mysterious Night ''One Mysterious Night'' is a 1944 crime film, the seventh in a Columbia Pictures series of fourteen starring Chester Morris as reformed crook Boston Blackie. It was preceded by '' The Chance of a Lifetime'' and followed by '' Boston Blackie Bo ...

'' (1944) - George Daley *'' The Crime Doctor's Courage'' (1945) - Bob Rencoret *'' Ten Cents a Dance'' (1945) - Ted Kimball, III *''Prison Ship'' (1945) - Maj. Trevor *'' Life with Blondie'' (1945) - Montana (uncredited) *''

Out of the Depths ''Out of the Depths'' is a 1921 American silent Western film based on a book by author Robert Ames Bennet and directed by Otis B. Thayer and Frank Reicher, starring Edmund Cobb and Violet Mersereau. The film was shot in Denver, Colorado b ...

'' (1945) - 'Pills' Wilkins *''

A Close Call for Boston Blackie A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

'' (1946) - John Peyton (uncredited) *'' The Notorious Lone Wolf'' (1946) - Dick Hale *''

The Bandit of Sherwood Forest ''The Bandit of Sherwood Forest'' is a 1946 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Henry Levin & George Sherman and starring Cornel Wilde, Anita Louise, Jill Esmond and Edgar Buchanan. Plot Robin Hood's son (Cornel Wilde) returns to ...

'' (1946) - Robin Hood's Man *''

Gilda ''Gilda'' is a 1946 American film noir directed by Charles Vidor and starring Rita Hayworth in her signature role and Glenn Ford. The film is known for cinematographer Rudolph Maté's lush photography, costume designer Jean Louis's wardrobe fo ...

'' (1946) - Gabe Evans *'' Talk About a Lady'' (1946) - Reporter (uncredited) *'' The Unknown'' (1946) - Reed Cawthorne *'' Cowboy Blues'' (1946) - Jerry Winston *''

Shadowed ''Shadowed'', also known as ''The Gloved Hand'', is a 1946 American film noir crime film directed by John Sturges and starring Anita Louise, Lloyd Corrigan, and Robert Scott. Plot Salesman Fred J. Johnson manages to hit a hole-in-one as he p ...

'' (1946) - Mark Bellaman *''

It's a Wonderful Life ''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet '' The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern self-published in 1943 and is in turn loo ...

'' (1946) - Mickey (uncredited) *''

Dead Reckoning In navigation, dead reckoning is the process of calculating current position of some moving object by using a previously determined position, or fix, and then incorporating estimates of speed, heading direction, and course over elapsed time. T ...

'' (1947) - Bandleader (uncredited) *'' Prairie Raiders'' (1947) - Bronc Masters *'' Exposed'' (1947) - William Foresman III *'' The Invisible Wall'' (1947) - Bellhop (uncredited) *'' The Bride Goes Wild'' (1948) - Piute (uncredited) *'' Shed No Tears'' (1948) - Ray Belden *'' Michael O'Halloran'' (1948) - Pete *'' The Blonde Bandit'' (1950) - Airport Mechanic *''

Call Me Mister ''Call Me Mister'' is a revue with sketches by Arnold Auerbach and words and music by Harold Rome. The title refers to troops who are happily returning to civilian life and no longer want to be addressed by their military ranks. The Broadway pr ...

'' (1951) - Sergeant to Chief of Staff (uncredited) *'' The Unknown Man'' (1951) - Reporter (uncredited) *'' The Pride of St. Louis'' (1952) *'' Just for You'' (1952) - Reporter (uncredited) *'' Off Limits'' (1952) - Non-Com (uncredited) *''

Taxi A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choic ...

'' (1953) - Jim Turner *'' Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation'' (1953) - Teddy Kettle (uncredited) *''

Pony Express The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861, between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pik ...

'' (1953) - Pony Express Rider (uncredited) *''

The Buster Keaton Story ''The Buster Keaton Story'' is a 1957 American biographical drama film directed by Sidney Sheldon and written by Sidney Sheldon and Robert Smith, following the life of Buster Keaton. The film stars Donald O'Connor, Ann Blyth, Rhonda Fleming, Pet ...

'' (1957) *'' The Sad Sack'' (1957) - Sergeant (uncredited) *''

Onionhead ''Onionhead'' is a 1958 comedy-drama film set on a U.S. Coast Guard ship during World War II, starring Andy Griffith and featuring Felicia Farr, Walter Matthau, Erin O'Brien, James Gregory, Joey Bishop, and Claude Akins. It was directed by ...

'' (1958) - Lt. J.G. Bennett *''

Last Train from Gun Hill ''Last Train from Gun Hill'' is a 1959 Western in VistaVision and Technicolor, directed by John Sturges. It stars Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn and Earl Holliman. Douglas and Holliman had previously appeared together in Sturges' '' Gunfight at ...

'' (1959) - Train Conductor (uncredited) *''The Money Jungle'' (1967) - Joe Diguseppe *'' The Girl Who Knew Too Much'' (1969) - Stephen Kasai *''

Posse Posse is a shortened form of posse comitatus, a group of people summoned to assist law enforcement. The term is also used colloquially to mean a group of friends or associates. Posse may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Posse'' (1975 ...

'' (1975) - Mr. Cooper *'' Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough'' (1999) - Rheingold *''

Spontaneous Combustion Spontaneous combustion or spontaneous ignition is a type of combustion which occurs by self-heating (increase in temperature due to exothermic internal reactions), followed by thermal runaway (self heating which rapidly accelerates to high tem ...

'' (1990) - Dr. Simpson

Television

*''

Kraft Television Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Chee ...

'' (1949–1958) - Kelly / Pete Redfield / Adam Smith *''

Miss Susan ''Miss Susan'' is a daytime drama which aired on NBC from March 12 to December 28, 1951. The main writer was William Kendall Clarke. The show, originating from Philadelphia and later retitled ''Martinsville, U.S.A.'', aired for 15 minutes at 3:0 ...

'' (1951) - Bill Carter (1951) *'' Three Steps to Heaven'' (1953) - Bill Morgan #1 *''

The Philco Television Playhouse ''The Philco Television Playhouse'' is an American television anthology series that was broadcast live on NBC from 1948 to 1955. Produced by Fred Coe, the series was sponsored by Philco. It was one of the most respected dramatic shows of the Gol ...

'' (1954) *''

Studio One Studio One or Studio 1 may refer to: * Studio One (software), digital audio workstation software, developed by PreSonus * ''Studio One'' (American TV series), a 1948–1958 American television anthology series * ''Studio One'' (Emirati TV progra ...

'' (1954) - David Thorpe *''

Robert Montgomery Presents ''Robert Montgomery Presents'' is an American dramatic television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950, until June 24, 1957. The live show had several sponsors during its eight-year run, and the title was altered to feature the ...

'' (1955) *''

The Alcoa Hour ''The Alcoa Hour'' is an American anthology television series that was aired live on NBC from 1955 to 1957. The series was sponsored by Alcoa. Overview Like the '' Philco Television Playhouse'' and ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' that had p ...

'' (1955) - Dr. Emmett *'' Letter to Loretta'' (1956–1960) *''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian languages, Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized tribe, federally recognize ...

'' (1957) - Boyd Copeland *''

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 ...

'' (1957) - Adams *''

'' (1957–1965) - Customer in restaurant / Irving Florian / Ben Scott / Wayne Jameson / Tod Richards / Otto Gervaert / Gabe Phillips / James Castleton / Bob Kimber *'' The Millionaire'' (1958) - Bob Harris *''

Richard Diamond, Private Detective ''Richard Diamond, Private Detective'' is an American detective drama, created by Blake Edwards, which aired on radio from 1949 to 1953, and on television from 1957 to 1960. Radio Dick Powell starred in the ''Richard Diamond, Private Detectiv ...

'' (1958, Episode: "Bungalow Murder" ) - Rod Leighton *''

M Squad ''M Squad'' is an American crime drama television series that ran from 1957 to 1960 on NBC. It was produced by Lee Marvin's Latimer Productions and Revue Studios. Its main sponsor was the Pall Mall cigarette brand; Lee Marvin, the progra ...

'' (1959) - Joey Devon *''

77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each episode was on ...

'' (1959) - Johnny Liston / Harry Orrwitt *'' Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond'' (1960) - Pete Rankin *''

Surfside 6 ''Surfside 6'' is an ABC television series which aired from 1960 to 1962. The show centered on a Miami Beach detective agency set on a houseboat and featured Troy Donahue as Sandy Winfield II; Van Williams as Kenny Madison (a character recyc ...

'' (1961) - Ted Walters *''

'' (1960–1961) - Bob Brannagan / Bill Brannagan *'' Adventures in Paradise'' (1961) - Ralph Harris *'' Follow the Sun'' (1962) - Howard Ramsey *'' General Hospital'' (1963) - Charles Sutton (1982) *''

The Outer Limits ''The Outer Limits'' or ''Outer Limits'' may refer to: Television * ''The Outer Limits'' (1963 TV series), a black-and-white science fiction series that aired from 1963 to 1965 * ''The Outer Limits'' (1995 TV series), a revival of the older series ...

'' (1963, Episode: "

The Hundred Days of the Dragon "The Hundred Days of the Dragon" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on 23 September 1963, during the first season. Introduction An Asian government develops a reliable means of changing a person's ...

") - Bob Conner *''

12 O'Clock High ''Twelve O'Clock High'' is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force, who flew daylight bombing missions against Germany and Occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War I ...

'' (1966) - Maj. John Davidson *'' The F.B.I.'' (1966–1972) - Ernest Malloy / SAC Murray Davis / SAC Owen Clark / SRA Will Channahon / SAC Johnson / SAC Warren Berwick / Howard Schaal *''

The Invaders ''The Invaders'' is an American science-fiction television series created by Larry Cohen that aired on ABC for two seasons, from 1967 to 1968. Roy Thinnes stars as David Vincent, who after stumbling across evidence of an in-progress invas ...

'' (1967) - Dr. Sam Larousse *'' Ironside'' (1968) - Jim Hennessy *''

Dan August ''Dan August'' is an American drama series that aired on ABC from September 23, 1970, to April 8, 1971. Burt Reynolds played the title character. Reruns of the series aired in prime time on CBS from May to October 1973 and from April to June 19 ...

'' (1970–1971) - Spence *''

Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law, who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, California. The show was or ...

'' (1973–1975) - Donald Harrelson / Ted Mason / Curt Fowler / Tony Bloom *'' Doctors' Hospital'' (1976) - Dr. Malone *''

The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network from September 13, 1974 to January 10, 1980, and remains in syndication. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigat ...

'' (1978) - Hillman Stewart / Agent Kleinhoff *''

Dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

'' (1987) - Harry Donalds *'' Dark Justice'' (1993) - Mr. Collins

References

Demetria Fulton previewed Mark Roberts' appearance in Barnaby Jones portraying a character named Tony Bloom; episode titled, "Perchance to Kill"(03/11/1973).

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Mark 1921 births 2006 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army soldiers Male actors from Denver 20th-century American male actors