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Robert Middleton
Actor

Robert Middleton

13 May 1911Born
14 Jun 1977Died
66Age at death
90Credits

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert Middleton, born Samuel G. Messer (May 13, 1911 – June 14, 1977), was an American film and television actor known for his large size and beetle-like brow. With a deep, booming voice, Middleton trained for a musical career at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He worked steadily as a radio announcer and actor.

One of his early works was as the narrator of the educational film "Duck and Cover". After appearing on the Broadway stage and live television, Middleton began appearing in films in 1954. He's also remembered on television as the boss Mr.

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Marshall on The Jackie Gleason Show and in film opposite Humphrey Bogart in The Desperate Hours (1955), Gary Cooper in Friendly Persuasion (1956), Richard Egan and Elvis Presley in Love Me Tender (1956), Dorothy Malone and Robert Stack in The Tarnished Angels (1958), and Dean Martin in Career (1959).

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Middleton appeared in many television programs in the 1950s and 1960s, including the CBS anthology series Appointment with Adventure. He was cast as "The Tichborne Claimant" in the NBC anthology series The Joseph Cotten Show. He appeared in ten episodes of ABC's family Western The Monroes, with costars Michael Anderson, Jr., and Barbara Hershey. Among his several appearances in the long-running Alfred Hitchcock Presents, he portrayed a gangster in high places, Mr. Koster, in the 1956 episode "The Better Bargain". In 1958, he played the villain in the first episode of Bat Masterson. In 1961, he appeared in the episode "Accidental Tourist" on the James Whitmore ABC legal drama The Law and Mr. Jones. That same year, he portrayed the highly sympathetic but fiercely dedicated state executioner in an episode of Thriller (U.S. TV series) entitled "Guillotine". He also appeared in at least one episode of Bonanza (1964).

In the early 1950s, Middleton appeared on Broadway in Ondine. Other significant film roles include The Court Jester (1956) as a grim and determined knight who jousts with Danny Kaye in the famous "pellet with the poison" sequence, and as a sinister politician in The Lincoln Conspiracy (1977). Betwixt and between were an array of brutish mountain daddies, corrupt, cigar-chomping town bosses and lynch mob leaders. Occasionally he showed a bit of levity, as in his recurring role as Jackie Gleason's boss on The Honeymooners (1955) sketches.

Middleton died of congestive heart failure in Hollywood at the age of sixty-six.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert Middleton, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 90 credits.

  1. 1977The Lincoln ConspiracyFilm: Edwin M. Stanton
  2. 1977HunterSeries (1 episode)
  3. 1974The Mark of ZorroFilm: Don Luis Quintero
  4. 1974Remember WhenFilm: Kraus, the butcher
  5. 1973The Harrad ExperimentFilm: Sidney Bower
  6. 1973Even Angels Eat BeansFilm: Angelo
  7. 1972Kung FuSeries: Marshal Ford (1 episode)
  8. 1972Fair PlayFilm: Jova Purvis
  9. 1971ColumboSeries: Victor Norris (1 episode)
  10. 1971Alias Smith and JonesSeries (2 episodes)
  11. 1970Which Way to the Front?Film: Colonico
  12. 1970Company of KillersFilm: Owen Brady
  13. 1970The Cheyenne Social ClubFilm: Barkeeper - Great Plains Saloon
  14. 1970McCloudSeries: Elliott Jason (1 episode)
  15. 1967MannixSeries: Jake Coryell (1 episode)
  16. 1966Mission: ImpossibleSeries: Clavering (1 episode)
  17. 1966The MonroesSeries (4 episodes)
  18. 1966A Big Hand for the Little LadyFilm: Dennis Wilcox
  19. 1965Get SmartSeries: The Whip (1 episode)
  20. 1965The Wild Wild WestSeries: Emir El Emid (1 episode)
  21. 1965The Big ValleySeries: Judge Tyrone, Sidney Glover (1 episode)
  22. 1965The Adventures of GallegherSeries: Dutch Mac (3 episodes)
  23. 1964Daniel BooneSeries: Simon Brasher (1 episode)
  24. 1964For Those Who Think YoungFilm: Burford Sanford Cronin
  25. 1963Burke's LawSeries: Ezekiel Kindworth aka 'Rocky Mountain', Ragnar Windsor, Jed Hawkes (1 episode)
  26. 1963Vacation PlayhouseSeries: Homer Ferguson (1 episode)
  27. 1963Cattle KingFilm: Clay Mathews
  28. 1961The InvestigatorsSeries: John DeLuca (1 episode)
  29. 1961The New BreedSeries: Stanley Mannis (1 episode)
  30. 1961Target: The Corruptors!Series (2 episodes)
  31. 1961Gold of the Seven SaintsFilm: Amos Gondora
  32. 1961The AmericansSeries (1 episode)
  33. 1961Witchcraft: The Doll in BramblesFilm: Martin Plomb
  34. 1960The Great ImpostorFilm: R.C. Brown
  35. 1960ThrillerSeries: Ohrback, Monsieur de Paris (1 episode)
  36. 1960The Tall ManSeries: Paul Mason (1 episode)
  37. 1960The Gun of ZangaraFilm: Mayor Anton J. Cermak
  38. 1960Hell Bent for LeatherFilm: Ambrose
  39. 1959The DetectivesSeries: 'Big Jim' (1 episode)
  40. 1959The UntouchablesSeries: Mayer Wartel, Barney Loomis, Mayor Anton J. Cermak (1 episode)
  41. 1959CareerFilm: Robert Kensington
  42. 1959Adventures in ParadiseSeries: Howard Bailey (1 episode)
  43. 1959The RebelSeries: Arthur Sutro (1 episode)
  44. 1959Wichita TownSeries (1 episode)
  45. 1959BonanzaSeries: Sam Bryant, C.J. Shasta, Grizzly Martingale (1 episode)
  46. 1959Don't Give Up the ShipFilm: Vice Adm. Philo Tecumseh Bludde
  47. 1959RawhideSeries: Josh Green, Matt Harger, Judge John Jefferson Hogan, Duke Aberdeen (1 episode)
  48. 1958Bat MastersonSeries: Big Keel Roberts (1 episode)
  49. 1958No Place to LandFilm: Buck LaVonne
  50. 1958Bitter HeritageFilm: Luke Crocker
  51. 1958The Law and Jake WadeFilm: Ortero
  52. 1958Nightmare at Ground ZeroFilm: Narrator
  53. 1958Day of the BadmanFilm: Charlie Hayes
  54. 1957The Tarnished AngelsFilm: Matt Ord
  55. 1957The Walter Winchell FileSeries: Aaron Benjamin (1 episode)
  56. 1957So Lovely, So DeadlyFilm: Eddie Rocco
  57. 1957SuspicionSeries: Banton (1 episode)
  58. 1957Perry MasonSeries: Judge Daniel Redmond (1 episode)
  59. 1957Wagon TrainSeries: Nate Burkett (1 episode)
  60. 1957The Death of ManoleteFilm: Perea
  61. 1957The Lonely ManFilm: Ben Ryerson
  62. 1956Love Me TenderFilm: Mr. Siringo
  63. 1956Friendly PersuasionFilm: Sam Jordan
  64. 1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey TheatreSeries: Whit Gaynor (1 episode)
  65. 1956The Proud OnesFilm: Honest John Barrett
  66. 1956Telephone TimeSeries: Heinrich Schliemann (1 episode)
  67. 1956Red SundownFilm: Rufus Henshaw
  68. 1955The Court JesterFilm: Sir Griswold
  69. 1955Matinee TheaterSeries (1 episode)
  70. 1955TrialFilm: A.A. "Fats" Sanders
  71. 1955The Desperate HoursFilm: Sam Kobish
  72. 1955Alfred Hitchcock PresentsSeries: Sam Klinker, Louis Koster, Cato Stone (1 episode)
  73. 1955MGM ParadeSeries (2 episodes)
  74. 1955GunsmokeSeries: Jake Worth, Dutch George, Dorf (1 episode)
  75. 1955The Big ComboFilm: Police Capt. Peterson
  76. 1954The Silver ChaliceFilm: Idbash
  77. 1954The Wonderful World of DisneySeries: Frank Davis, Dutch Mac (2 episodes)
  78. 1954Climax!Series: Sheriff (1 episode)
  79. 1954Studio 57Series: Maggio (1 episode)
  80. 1953Confessions of a Nervous ManFilm: The Manager

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.