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Robert Rockwell
Actor
Born October 15, 1920Died January 25, 2003 (82 years)
Robert Rockwell was an American stage, film, radio and television actor. He is best known for playing the handsome, but awkward biology teacher Philip Boynton in the radio and television sitcom Our Miss Brooks opposite Eve Arden.
A native of Lake Bluff, Illinois, Rockwell studied at the Pasadena Playhouse, from which he obtained a master's degree. During World War II he enlisted in the US Navy for four years serving in Washington D.C. Dramatic roles often eluded him, however, after beginning his career as a contract player for Republic Studios he appeared, over his almost 50-year acting career, in more than 350 television episodes and, on stage, opposite José Ferrer in the 1946 Broadway production of Cyrano de Bergerac, and with Ginger Rogers during the 1960s in a San Diego production of Whitfield Cook's play A More Perfect Union. He appeared in the first Superman television show episode as Clark Kent's father, Jor-El in 1952. He appeared in a 1959 Perry Mason episode "The case of the Deadly Toy" as love interest to the defendant Claire Allison as Dick Benedict. He starred in the 1961 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Misguided Missile" as an Air Force officer court-martialled on a murder charge. He later starred in the 1962 Perry Mason episodes "The Case of the Lurid Letter" as Everett Rixby, a high school principal, and the murderer Cole B. Troy in "The Case of the Shapely Shadow". He also appeared as Ed Purvis in the 1965 episode Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Candy Queen".
Rockwell starred in his own ABC western-themed television series, The Man from Blackhawk in the 1959-1960 season. Rockwell was cast as the Blackhawk Insurance Company's key investigator, Sam Logan, who is assigned to weed out fraud in the payment of claims. He also played Sam Thompson in Thompson's Ghost, Tom Bennett in The Bill Cosby Show[4]:106 and Officer Russo in Adam-12.
In 1967 he played a littering tourist in the Lassie episode "Lassie's Litter Bit", an iconic episode which earned a trip for Lassie to the White House to shake hands with then First Lady "Ladybird" Johnson who had used the famous collie in her Keep America Beautiful Campaign.
Rockwell was a founding member of the California Artists Radio Theatre. He played standard leads in a couple of anti-Communist-era features, including Republic's The Red Menace, in which he is cast as a returning veteran of World War II, who is duped by communists.
Later in his career, he appeared on episodes of Petticoat Junction, Growing Pains, and Beverly Hills, 90210. His appearances in commercials and voiceovers totaled more than 200, most notably as the armchair grandfather treating his grandson to a piece of candy in the 1995 version of the Werthers Original candy spot.
A native of Lake Bluff, Illinois, Rockwell studied at the Pasadena Playhouse, from which he obtained a master's degree. During World War II he enlisted in the US Navy for four years serving in Washington D.C. Dramatic roles often eluded him, however, after beginning his career as a contract player for Republic Studios he appeared, over his almost 50-year acting career, in more than 350 television episodes and, on stage, opposite José Ferrer in the 1946 Broadway production of Cyrano de Bergerac, and with Ginger Rogers during the 1960s in a San Diego production of Whitfield Cook's play A More Perfect Union. He appeared in the first Superman television show episode as Clark Kent's father, Jor-El in 1952. He appeared in a 1959 Perry Mason episode "The case of the Deadly Toy" as love interest to the defendant Claire Allison as Dick Benedict. He starred in the 1961 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Misguided Missile" as an Air Force officer court-martialled on a murder charge. He later starred in the 1962 Perry Mason episodes "The Case of the Lurid Letter" as Everett Rixby, a high school principal, and the murderer Cole B. Troy in "The Case of the Shapely Shadow". He also appeared as Ed Purvis in the 1965 episode Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Candy Queen".
Rockwell starred in his own ABC western-themed television series, The Man from Blackhawk in the 1959-1960 season. Rockwell was cast as the Blackhawk Insurance Company's key investigator, Sam Logan, who is assigned to weed out fraud in the payment of claims. He also played Sam Thompson in Thompson's Ghost, Tom Bennett in The Bill Cosby Show[4]:106 and Officer Russo in Adam-12.
In 1967 he played a littering tourist in the Lassie episode "Lassie's Litter Bit", an iconic episode which earned a trip for Lassie to the White House to shake hands with then First Lady "Ladybird" Johnson who had used the famous collie in her Keep America Beautiful Campaign.
Rockwell was a founding member of the California Artists Radio Theatre. He played standard leads in a couple of anti-Communist-era features, including Republic's The Red Menace, in which he is cast as a returning veteran of World War II, who is duped by communists.
Later in his career, he appeared on episodes of Petticoat Junction, Growing Pains, and Beverly Hills, 90210. His appearances in commercials and voiceovers totaled more than 200, most notably as the armchair grandfather treating his grandson to a piece of candy in the 1995 version of the Werthers Original candy spot.
Filmography
| 2004 | Dallas Reunion: Return to Southfork · as Minister |
| 1995 | |
| 1992 | The Golden Palace (TV Series) · as Mr. Cochran |
| 1991 | Hell Hath No Fury · as Mr. Stewart |
| 1990 | Beverly Hills, 90210 (TV Series) |
| 1989 | Nearly Departed (TV Series) · as The Minister |
| 1987 | |
| 1987 | Rags to Riches (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1987 | Ohara (TV Series) · as Jason Kemp |
| 1986 | The Hogan Family (TV Series) · as Grandpa Hogan |
| 1985 | Growing Pains (TV Series) · as Wally Overmier |
| 1984 | |
| 1984 | E/R (1984) (TV Series) · as John Harrison |
| 1983 | Emerald Point N.A.S. (TV Series) · as Mr. Wallace |
| 1983 | |
| 1983 | Mama's Family (TV Series) · as Oscar Babcook |
| 1982 | Not Necessarily the News (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1982 | Newhart (TV Series) |
| 1982 | Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice · as Mr. Saxe |
| 1981 | Falcon Crest (TV Series) · as Giles Taylor |
| 1981 | Murder in Texas · as Parker |
| 1981 | Private Benjamin (TV Series) · as General Grummond |
| 1981 | Dynasty (TV Series) |
| 1980 | Flamingo Road (TV Series) · as Tim Hunter |
| 1979 | Knots Landing (TV Series) · as Doctor |
| 1979 | Benson (TV Series) |
| 1978 | Diff'rent Strokes (TV Series) |
| 1978 | Dallas (TV Series) · as Mitchell |
| 1977 | Lou Grant (TV Series) · as Monty |
| 1977 | Eight is Enough (TV Series) |
| 1976 | Charlie's Angels (TV Series) · as Harrison |
| 1972 | The Waltons (TV Series) |
| 1971 | The Smith Family (TV Series) · as Lieut. Davis |
| 1970 | Lassie: The miracle · as Will Thorne |
| 1969 | The Bill Cosby Show (TV Series) · as Tom Bennett |
| 1968 | Lassies Abenteuer in Alaska · as Dean Chalmers |
| 1968 | Here's Lucy (TV Series) · as Jack Scott |
| 1968 | Sol Madrid · as Chief Danvers |
| 1968 | Lassie: The Adventures of Neeka · as Dean Chalmers (archive Footage) |
| 1965 | Days of our Lives (TV Series) · as Dr. Simon Hopkins |
| 1965 | Green Acres (TV Series) |
| 1964 | Espionage Target: You · as Agent (uncredited) |
| 1963 | Petticoat Junction (TV Series) |
| 1962 | The Lucy Show (TV Series) · as Tom Bennett |
| 1962 | Room For One More (TV Series) · as Mason |
| 1961 | Bus Stop (TV Series) |
| 1960 | The Roaring 20's (TV Series) · as Mike Callahan |
| 1960 | SurfSide 6 (TV Series) |
| 1960 | Checkmate (TV Series) · as Ed Matthews |
| 1958 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Yancy Derringer (TV Series) · as Phillip Hampton |
| 1958 | The Ed Wynn Show (1958-59) (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1958 | Bronco (TV Series) |
| 1957 | How To Marry A Millionaire (TV Series) · as Abner J. Harcourt |
| 1957 | Maverick (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Ed Purvis |
| 1957 | The Silent Service (TV Series) · as Sharp |
| 1957 | Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) · as Frank Finley |
| 1956 | The Gale Storm Show (TV Series) · as Dan |
| 1956 | Our Miss Brooks · as Phillip 'phil' Boynton |
| 1956 | State Trooper (TV Series) · as Joe Bishop |
| 1955 | Matinee Theater (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1955 | Navy Log (TV Series) |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Mr. Philips |
| 1955 | The Millionaire (TV Series) · as Prof. Amberson Adams |
| 1954 | Studio 57 (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1954 | Lassie (TV Series) |
| 1953 | The Loretta Young Show (TV Series) · as Jeb Stewart |
| 1953 | The War of the Worlds · as Forest Ranger At Crash Site (uncredited) |
| 1953 | Private Secretary (TV Series) · as Henry Walters |
| 1952 | The Turning Point · as Reporter |
| 1952 | Our Miss Brooks (TV Series) · as Philip Boynton |
| 1952 | Cavalcade of America (TV Series) |
| 1952 | Just for You · as John Ransome |
| 1952 | Adventures of Superman (TV Series) · as Jor-El (uncredited) |
| 1952 | This Is The Life (TV Series) · as Bill Westover |
| 1952 | Death Valley Days (TV Series) · as William Thorne |
| 1952 | The Unexpected (TV Series) · as Davey |
| 1951 | Week-End with Father · as Ranger Kennedy |
| 1951 | The Prince Who Was a Thief · as (uncredited) |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1951 | Gruen Guild Theater (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1951 | Sky King (TV Series) · as Jim Taylor |
| 1951 | The Frogmen · as Lt. Bill Doyle |
| 1951 | Search for Tomorrow (TV Series) · as Dr. Greg Hartford (1977-1978) |
| 1951 | Call Me Mister · as 1st Sergeant |
| 1950 | Racket Squad (TV Series) |
| 1950 | Lonely Heart Bandits · as Police Lt. Carroll |
| 1950 | Destination Big House · as Dr. Walter Phillips |
| 1950 | Women from Headquarters · as Gates |
| 1950 | Federal Agent at Large · as Dr. Ross Carrington |
| 1950 | Singing Guns · as Townsman |
| 1950 | Unmasked · as Detective Lt. James 'jim' Webster |
| 1949 | The Blonde Bandit · as Dist. Atty. Devron |
| 1949 | Alias the Champ · as Ron Peterson |
| 1949 | The Lone Ranger (TV Series) · as Glen Darby |
| 1949 | Task Force · as Lt. Kelly |
| 1949 | The Red Menace · as Bill Jones |
| 1948 | You Gotta Stay Happy · as Eddie |