Robert Carson (actor)
Robert Samuel Carson (June 8, 1909 – June 8, 1979)[1] was an American actor noted for dozens of supporting roles in films and television series during a career that spanned decades.
Early years
He was born in Hennepin County, Minnesota[1] to Elmer Llewellyn Carson and Elsa W. Carson (née Brunke). He was the older brother of actor Jack Carson (1910 - 1963); they grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[2] Robert was active as a singer and musician while he was a student at the University of Minnesota.[3]
Noted appearances
Carson played the ringmaster in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) with Charlton Heston.
Carson was cast in five episodes of the religion anthology series, Crossroads: as a police lieutenant in "The Unholy Trio" (1955) and in "The Two-Fisted Saint" and "False Prophet" (both 1956), as a coach in "The Comeback" (1956), and as Senator Crocker in "In God We Trust" (1957).
In 1957, he played Kittredge the card dealer in the third segment of the ABC/Warner Brothers western television series, Maverick, in the episode entitled "According to Hoyle", opposite James Garner. Between 1957-1962 he appeared in five episodes of Perry Mason. Among his roles he played the Prison Warden in the 1960 episode, "The Case of the Wandering Widow," and Commodore Galen Holmes in the 1962 episode, "The Case of the Weary Watchdog."
His list of other television credits include a 1955 episode of The Lone Ranger; The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show; Cheyenne; Green Acres; Make Room for Daddy; M Squad with Lee Marvin; Riverboat with Darren McGavin; Bourbon Street Beat with Andrew Duggan; 77 Sunset Strip; Bonanza; Bronco with Ty Hardin; The Deputy with Henry Fonda and Allen Case; Checkmate with Doug McClure and Sebastian Cabot; nine episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and two of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; The Andy Griffith Show; Thriller; Hawaiian Eye; Mister Ed; The Beverly Hillbillies; My Three Sons; Petticoat Junction; Hawaii Five-O; Here's Lucy with Lucille Ball; and The High Chaparral, among many others.
Civic involvement
For more than a decade, Carson was active as a speaker for the American Cancer Society. His efforts were prompted by the death of his first wife Anna Kutner Carson (1909–1956)[1] from uterine cancer and his brother's death from lung cancer.[3]
Death
Carson died at the age of sixty-nine in Atascadero in San Luis Obispo County, California. He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.[1]
Selected filmography
- Dick Tracy's G-Men (1939, Serial) - Scott
- Five Little Peppers in Trouble (1940) - Jim - King's Chauffeur (uncredited)
- The Saint in Palm Springs (1941) - Mystery Man (uncredited)
- Jungle Man (1941) - Andy
- Call Out the Marines (1942) - Marine Lieutenant (uncredited)
- Wake Island (1942) - Marine Spotting Reconnaissance Plane (uncredited)
- Phantom Killer (1942) - Dave Rigby
- Lost City of the Jungle (1946, Serial) - Henchman with Walkie-Talkie [Chs. 2-3] (uncredited)
- My Dream Is Yours (1949) - Jeff (uncredited)
- White Heat (1949) - Agent at Directional Map (uncredited)
- Trapped (1949) - Bill Mason (uncredited)
- Radar Secret Service (1950) - Tom - Radar Operator
- Mule Train (1950) - Bill Cummings (uncredited)
- The Fighting Stallion (1950) - Tom Allen
- County Fair (1950) - Racetrack Steward (uncredited)
- Indian Territory (1950) - Captain Wallace (uncredited)
- The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950) - Highway Patrol Radio Dispatcher (uncredited)
- Two Lost Worlds (1951) - Capt. Allison
- Operation Pacific (1951) - Torpedo Officer (uncredited)
- The Groom Wore Spurs (1951) - Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
- Home Town Story (1951) - Reporter at Airport (uncredited)
- A Millionaire for Christy (1951) - Police Officer (uncredited)
- The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) - Ringmaster
- High Noon (1952) - Townsman (uncredited)
- For Men Only (1952) - Detective Jesse Hopkins
- Sailor Beware (1952) - Navy Captain (uncredited)
- Red Snow (1952) - Debriefing General
- Young Man with Ideas (1952) - Second Prosecutor (uncredited)
- Red Planet Mars (1952) - President's Aide (uncredited)
- Actor's and Sin (1952) - Thomas Hayne (segment "Actor's Blood")
- Park Row (1952) - Irate Liberty Fund Contributor (uncredited)
- The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) - Casting Director (uncredited)
- The Magnetic Monster (1953) - Airline Pilot (uncredited)
- Battle Circus (1953) - Division Surgeon (uncredited)
- The Stars Are Singing (1953) - Bit Role (uncredited)
- Count the Hours (1953) - Jury Foreman (uncredited)
- Code Two (1953) - Homicide Detective (uncredited)
- It Came from Outer Space (1953) - Dugan (uncredited)
- Murder Without Tears (1953) - Dan, the District Attorney
- So This Is Love (1953) - Policeman (uncredited)
- The Man from the Alamo (1953) - Jim, Texas Patriot at Meeting (uncredited)
- No Escape (1953) - Dr. Seymour
- Man of Conflict (1953) - Union Representative
- Jack Slade (1953) - Holdup Man (uncredited)
- Three Sailors and a Girl (1953) - Bank Client (uncredited)
- Executive Suite (1954) - Lee Ormand (uncredited)
- Pushover (1954) - First Bartender (uncredited)
- Her Twelve Men (1954) - Doctor (uncredited)
- Three Hours to Kill (1954) - Cowhand (uncredited)
- Deep in My Heart (1954) - Lodge Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
- Interrupted Melody (1955) - Base Commander (uncredited)
- The Eternal Sea (1955) - Commander (uncredited)
- Love Me or Leave Me (1955) - Brelston, Radio Station Manager (uncredited)
- The Road to Denver (1955) - Deputy Ben (uncredited)
- You're Never Too Young (1955) - Tailor (uncredited)
- The Price of Fear (1956) - George Willebrandt (uncredited)
- Mohawk (1956) - Settler (uncredited)
- Anything Goes (1956) - Backstage Party Guest (uncredited)
- The Ten Commandments (1956) - Eleazar as an Adult
- The Opposite Sex (1956) - Backstage Well-Wisher (uncredited)
- The Great American Pastime (1956) - Bruce's Law Partner (uncredited)
- Slander (1957) - Allen J. 'Frank' Frederick (uncredited)
- Top Secret Affair (1957) - Military Counsel (uncredited)
- Footsteps in the Night (1957) - Capt. Jim Halford (uncredited)
- Sweet Smell of Success (1957) - Lou - Headwaiter at Toots Shor's (uncredited)
- Band of Angels (1957) - Bidder (uncredited)
- Too Much, Too Soon (1958) - Associate (uncredited)
- Live Fast, Die Young (1958) - Frank Castellani
- The Fearmakers (1958) - Man Speaking in Conference Room (uncredited)
- The Buccaneer (1958) - Militia Major
- The Mating Game (1959) - Party Guest (uncredited)
- Girls Town (1959) - Mr. Gardner (uncredited)
- Cimarron (1960) - Senator Rollins (uncredited)
- Three Blondes in His Life (1961) - Henry Carr
- All in a Night's Work (1961) - Maitre d' (uncredited)
- Bachelor in Paradise (1961) - Attorney (uncredited)
- Wives and Lovers (1963) - Sam (uncredited)
- Wall of Noise (1963) - Ian Malcolm (uncredited)
- Who's Minding the Store? (1963) - Mr. Salzbury, Phoebe's Secretary (uncredited)
- Kissin' Cousins (1964) - Gen. Sam Kruger (uncredited)
- Advance to the Rear (1964) - Col. Holbert (uncredited)
- The Patsy (1964) - Table Captain #2 at Italian Café (uncredited)
- Kisses for My President (1964) - Presidential Diplomatic Aide (uncredited)
- How to Murder Your Wife (1965) - Bachelor Party Guest (uncredited)
- The Great Race (1965) - Vice Chairman (uncredited)
- The Gnome-Mobile (1967) - Attendant at Five Oaks (uncredited)
- Which Way to the Front? (1970) - Captain Overman (uncredited)
- Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972) - Young Man (uncredited)
- Herbie Rides Again (1974) - Lawyer - First Team (final film role)
References
- Robert Samuel Carson at Find a Grave
- "An Act of Faith". Springfield Leader and Press. Missouri, Springfield. March 13, 1966. p. 30. Retrieved May 7, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Robert Carson, TV-Movie Actor, Cancer Speaker at LH". The Express. Pennsylvania, Lock Haven. April 2, 1968. p. 2. Retrieved May 8, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.