Roy Roberts

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Roy Roberts born Roy Barnes Jones March 19 1906 May 28 1975 was an American character actor Over his more than 40year career he appeared in more than nine hundred productions on stage and screen 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 tworeel comedy short released by 20th CenturyFox 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 Storms 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 ships captain for four years in Storms next hit Oh Susanna which aired on CBS and ABC from 1956 to 1960 He gueststarred in scores of series including the westernthemed crime drama Sheriff of Cochise the western series My Friend Flicka The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp as Texas cattle baron Shanghai Pierce and The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters and Brian Keiths Cold War 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 CBSs The Lucy Show John Cushing president of the rival Merchants Bank in several episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies The judge in The Beverly Hillbillies The Clampetts in Court Railroad president Norman Curtis on CBSs Petticoat Junction Darrins father Frank Stephens on ABCs Bewitched alternating with actor Robert F Simon depending upon availability Banker Harry Bodkin Dodge House Proprietor Mr Dobie on CBSs Gunsmoke Neighbor Bruce MacDermott on ABCs Our Man Higgins Preston Press Wasco and Kelly on the NBC western Laredo Doc on John Paynes The Restless Gun in the 1957 episode Trail to Sunset Banker George Bristol on NBCs Bonanza Admiral Rogers on McHales Navy in some episodes his first name is given as John and in others his name is given as Bruce Roberts died in St Vincents Hospital in Los Angeles California of a heart attack on May 28 1975 and was interred at Greenwood Memorial Park in Fort Worth Texas CLR