Robert Ridgely (December 24, 1931 – February 8, 1997) was an American actor, known for both on-camera roles and extensive

voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique used in radio, television, filmmaking, theatre, and other media in which a descriptive or expository voice that is not part of the narrative (i.e., non- ...

work.

Early life

Ridgely was born in

Teaneck, New Jersey Teaneck () is a Township (New Jersey), township in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a bedroom community in the New York metropolitan area. The town is know for their pancake throwing contest held ...

. Before becoming an actor, he worked as a

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

entertainer.

Career

He served as a talk show host with Woody Woodbury. Ridgely appeared in commercials, including a classic

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...

commercial, staged as a Broadway production number, where he sings "there is nothin' so clean – as my burger machine". He guest starred in TV series such as '' Sea Hunt'' and the Warner Bros. Television series '' Maverick'', '' Lawman'', and '' Surfside 6''. He landed a regular role as Lieutenant Kimbro in the short-lived

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

series ''

The Gallant Men ''The Gallant Men'' is a 1962–1963 ABC Warner Bros. Television series which depicted an infantry company of American soldiers fighting their way through Italy in World War II. Description ''The Gallant Men'' dramatized the experiences of th ...

''. After the series was cancelled, he made guest appearances in shows, including ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...

'', ''

WKRP in Cincinnati ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional AM radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson. It was based upon his experiences obs ...

'', '' Coach'', ''

Night Court ''Night Court'' is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 4, 1984, and ended on May 31, 1992, after nine seasons consisting of List of Night Court episodes, 193 episodes. The show is set in the night shift of a Manhattan ...

'', '' Wings'', and ''

Designing Women ''Designing Women'' is an American television sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason that aired on CBS between September 29, 1986 and May 24, 1993, producing seven seasons and 163 episodes. It was a joint production of Bloodworth/Thomas ...

''. He appeared in various

films A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of Visual arts, visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are gen ...

, including two productions directed by

Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...

early in his career, '' Nightmare in Chicago'' and '' Countdown''. He also appeared in several

Mel Brooks Melvin James Brooks (né Kaminsky; born June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodie ...

productions, including ''

Blazing Saddles ''Blazing Saddles'' is a 1974 American satirical postmodernist Western black comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, who co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg and Alan Uger, based on a story treatment by Be ...

'' (1974), '' High Anxiety'' (1977), '' Life Stinks'' (1991) and '' Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' (1993). Ridgley starred in other films, including '' Something Wild'' (1986), ''

Beverly Hills Cop II ''Beverly Hills Cop II'' is a 1987 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Tony Scott, written by Larry Ferguson and Warren Skaaren, and starring Eddie Murphy. It is the sequel to the 1984 film '' Beverly Hills Cop'' and the second ...

'' (1987), ''

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

'' (1993), and ''

Boogie Nights ''Boogie Nights'' is a 1997 American drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. It is set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley and focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic ...

'' (1997). He put his strong voice to use in voice-over roles in films like ''

Down and Dirty Duck ''Down and Dirty Duck'', first shown under the abbreviated titles ''Cheap!'' and ''Dirty Duck'', is a 1974 American adult animated comedy film written and directed by Charles Swenson and starring Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (Flo & Eddie) as ...

'' (1974) and television specials such as '' Thanksgiving in the Land of Oz'' (aka ''Dorothy in the Land of Oz'') (1980). He did a great deal of voice work in animated series as well, including the titular heroes in '' Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle'', '' The New Adventures of Flash Gordon'', and '' Thundarr the Barbarian''. From 1985 to 1996, Ridgely was one of ABC's main primetime promo announcers. He also voiced the Peculiar Purple Pieman in the 1980s ''

Strawberry Shortcake Strawberry shortcake may refer to: * Strawberry shortcake (dessert), a shortcake served with strawberries * Strawberry Shortcake, a cartoon character and franchise created by American Greetings ** Strawberry Shortcake (TV series), ''Strawberry Sho ...

'' specials, Rex Charger in '' The Centurions'',

Thunderbolt Ross General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics featuring the Hulk. Ross is a United States Armed Forces, United States military Officer (armed forces)#United States, officer, ...

in '' The Incredible Hulk'' (1982), Finch in '' Daisy-Head Mayzie'', and Commander Chief in '' Dexter's Laboratory''.

Death

Ridgely died of cancer on February 8, 1997, at his home in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

*
TV.com page for Robert Ridgely

* ttp://www.movieactors.com/actors/robertridgely.htm Movie stills of Robert Ridgely {{DEFAULTSORT:Ridgely, Robert 1931 births 1997 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors Deaths from cancer in California Male actors from Los Angeles Male actors from Teaneck, New Jersey People from Toluca Lake, Los Angeles