This veteran character player proudly claimed over 900 performances in a 40-year career. Roy Roberts might not have been known necessarily by name but the face was so distinct and obviously familiar. The prototype of the gruff, steely executive, the no-nonsense mayor, the assured banker, the stentorian leader, Roberts looked out of place without his patented dark suit and power tie. His silvery ha ...
show all This veteran character player proudly claimed over 900 performances in a 40-year career. Roy Roberts might not have been known necessarily by name but the face was so distinct and obviously familiar. The prototype of the gruff, steely executive, the no-nonsense mayor, the assured banker, the stentorian leader, Roberts looked out of place without his patented dark suit and power tie. His silvery hair, perfectly trimmed mustache and take-charge demeanor reminded one of the "Mr. Monopoly" character from the classic game board. Roberts was born Roy Barnes Jones on March 19, 1906 in Tampa Florida, the youngest of six children. 1900 is often given as his birth year according to several reference books, and seems much more compatible with his noticeably aged appearance in the last decade or so of his life, but his final resting stone bears the year 1906. His early career was on the Broadway stage, gracing such plays as "Old Man Murphy" (1931), "Twentieth Century" (1932), The Body Beautiful (1935) and "My Sister Eileen" (1942). In 1943 he made a successful switch to films, making his debut with "Guadalcanal Diary" (1943). Usually billed around tenth in order, he played a reliable succession of secondary stalwart captains, generals, politicians, sheriffs and justices. He was also a semi-standard presence in film noir including Force of Evil (1948) and He Walked by Night (1948), occasionally as a heavy. By the time he made the move to TV, he began to include more work in comedies and in the next decade would prove a most capable gruff foil to a number of sitcom stars, including Gale Storm in "My Little Margie" and "Oh, Susannah" and especially Lucille Ball in her post "I Love Lucy" comedies "The Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy." His typical executives often displayed their power and importance by the mere use of initials, such as "W.W." and "E.J." Roberts never bagged that one role on either film or TV that could have led to top character stardom but he was a solid, memorable presence nevertheless who added stature whereever he was, no matter how far down the credits list. A stocky man for most his life, he gained considerable girth in the late 60s which made his characters even more imposing. Roberts died of a heart attack on May 28, 1975 in Los Angeles and was buried in Fort Worth, Texas. He was survived by his wife, actress Lillian Moore.
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