Roy Roberts
Roy Roberts was an American character actor. 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, 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 debut in Gold Bricks, a 1936 two-reel comedy short released by 20th Century-Fox. He appeared in numerous films in secondary parts and returned to perform on Broadway in such productions as Twentieth Century, My Sister Eileen, and Carnival in Flanders until he began making guest appearances on television series. 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, Sheriff of Cochise, the western series, My Friend Flicka, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Roberts was a regular in many films noir, including Force of Evil, He Walked by Night, Nightmare Alley, The Brasher Doubloon, Borderline and The Enforcer. In 1953, he appeared as Vincent Price's character's crooked business partner 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". Also in 1962 he appeared as Senator Matson in the TV western show ‘’The Cheyenne Show’’, episode “The Vanishing Breed”.
He appeared in the neo-noirs The Outfit and Chinatown. He also had a small role in the hit 1963 Stanley Kramer 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 Touch of Grace in 1973. His last television appearance was on the January 21, 1974, CBS broadcast of Here's Lucy. 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, California, of a heart attack on May 28, 1975, and was interred at Greenwood Memorial Park in Fort Worth, Texas.
Selected filmography
Guadalcanal Diary - Capt. James CrossThe Fighting Sullivans - Father FrancisTampico - Crawford Roger Touhy, Gangster - Frank Williams - FBI Chief Wilson - Ike Hoover - Chief White House Butler Circumstantial Evidence - Marty HannonThe Caribbean Mystery - Capt. Van den BarkA Bell for Adano - Col. W.W. Middleton - Provost MarshalWithin These Walls - Martin 'Marty' DeutschColonel Effingham's Raid - Army Capt. RampeyBehind Green Lights - Max CalvertJohnny Comes Flying Home - J.P. HartleyStrange Triangle - Harry MatthewsSmoky - Jeff NixIt Shouldn't Happen to a Dog - 'Mitch' MitchellMy Darling Clementine - MayorThe Shocking Miss Pilgrim - Mr. FosterThe Brasher Doubloon - Police Lt. BreezeThe Foxes of Harrow - Tom WarrenNightmare Alley - McGraw - Final Carnival Owner Gentleman's Agreement - Mr. Calkins Daisy Kenyon - Quint - Dan's Attorney Captain from Castile - Capt. AlvaradoFury at Furnace Creek - Al ShanksThe Gay Intruders - Charles McNultyJoan of Arc - Wandamme No Minor Vices - Mr. Felton He Walked by Night - Police Capt. BreenForce of Evil - Ben TuckerChicken Every Sunday - Harry BowersCalamity Jane and Sam Bass - Marshal PeakFlaming Fury - Capt. S. TaplingerMiss Grant Takes Richmond - Construction Foreman Roberts The Reckless Moment - NagelChicago Deadline - Jerry CavanaughA Kiss for Corliss - Uncle GeorgeBodyhold - Charlie WebsterChain Lightning - Maj. Gen. HewittBorderline - Harvey GumbinThe Palomino - Ben LaneSierra - Sheriff KnudsenThe Killer That Stalked New York - Mayor of New YorkWyoming Mail - Charles De HavenThe Second Face - Allan WessonStage to Tucson - Jim MaroonThe Enforcer - Capt. Frank NelsonSanta Fe - Cole SandersFighting Coast Guard - Captain GibbsI Was a Communist for the FBI - Father Novac The Tanks Are Coming - Major General The Man with a Cloak - PolicemanMy Favorite Spy - Johnson - FBI Man The Cimarron Kid - Pat RobertsThe Big Trees - Judge CrenshawHoodlum Empire - Police Chief ThalesSkirts Ahoy! - Capt. GraymontCripple Creek - Marshal John TetheroeOne Minute to Zero - Lt. Gen. George Thomas Battles of Chief Pontiac - Maj. GladwinStars and Stripes Forever - Maj. George Porter HoustonThe Man Behind the Gun - Sen. Mark SheldonSan Antone - John ChisumThe Lone Hand - Mr. SkaggsHouse of Wax - Matthew BurkeThe Glory Brigade - Sgt. Chuck AndersonSecond Chance - Charley MalloySea of Lost Ships - Captain of the 'Eagle'Tumbleweed - Nick BuckleyThe Outlaw Stallion - HagenDawn at Socorro - Doc JamesonThey Rode West - Sgt. CreeverBig House, U.S.A. - Chief Ranger Will EricksonStranger on Horseback - Sam KetteringWyoming Renegades - Sheriff McVeyThe Eternal Sea - Review Board captain I Cover the Underworld - District AttorneyThe Last Command - Dr. SummerfieldBacklash - Maj. CarsonThe First Texan - Col. Sam ShermanThe Boss - Tim BradyYaqui Drums - Matt QuiggThe White Squaw - Edward PurvisThe King and Four Queens - Sheriff Tom LarrabeeThe Restless Gun as Kitt Springer in Episode "The Gold Buckle"The Underwater City - Tim GrahamKid Galahad - Jerry BathgateLawman - John KemperThe Chapman Report - Alan RobyIt's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World - Policeman Outside Irwin & Ray's GarageThose Calloways - E.J. FletcherI'll Take Sweden - Ship's CaptainHotel - BaileyTammy and the Millionaire - Gov. AldenCry for Poor Wally - DoctorSome Kind of a Nut - Mr. BurlingameThe Million Dollar Duck - The Judge The Outfit - Sheriff Bob CaswellChinatown - Mayor BagbyThe Strongest Man in the World - Mr. Roberts