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Robert Armstrong (actor)

January 01, 1970

For other uses, see Robert Armstrong.

Robert William Armstrong[note 1][2][3][4][5] (November 20, 1890 – April 20, 1973) was an American film and television actor remembered for his role as Carl Denham in the 1933 version of King Kong by RKO Pictures. He delivered the film's famous final line: "It wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast."[6]

Robert Armstrong
Armstrong in The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936)
Born(1890-11-20)November 20, 1890
Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
DiedApril 20, 1973(1973-04-20) (aged 82)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.[1]
Resting placeWestwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California
OccupationActor
Years active1919–1966
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1920; div. 1925)​
(† 1966)
Ethel Virah Smith
​
​
(m. 1926; div. 1931)​
(† 1950)
Gladys Dubois
​
​
(m. 1936; div. 1939)​
(† 1971)
Claire Louise Frisbie Armstrong
​
​
(m. 1940)​
(† 1990)

Early years edit

Born in Saginaw, Michigan, Armstrong lived in Bay City, Michigan until about 1902 and moved to Seattle. He attended the University of Washington, where he studied law,[5] and became a member of Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity.[7]

Career edit

 
In Public Enemy's Wife (1936)

Armstrong first started acting in the stage in 1919 with the production of Boys Will Be Boys. Armstrong's silver screen career began in 1927 when he appeared in Pathé's silent drama The Main Event.[8] He appeared in 127 films between 1927 and 1964; very prolific in the late 1920s and early 1930s, he made nine movies in 1928 alone. He is best known for his role as filmmaker Carl Denham in King Kong. Months later, he starred as Denham again in the sequel, Son of Kong, released the same year. Armstrong resembled King Kong producer and adventurer Merian C. Cooper, and Cooper used him in several films as more or less a version of himself. The Most Dangerous Game was filmed at night on the same jungle sets as King Kong, which was shot during the day, with Armstrong and Fay Wray simultaneously starring in both pictures. In 1937, Armstrong starred in With Words and Music (also referred to as The Girl Said No), released by Grand National Films Inc. He also worked throughout the 1930s and 1940s for many film studios. Prior to World War II, in 1940, Universal Pictures released Enemy Agent, about countering a Nazi spy ring. In the film, Armstrong co-starred with Helen Vinson, Richard Cromwell and Jack La Rue. In 1942, he was reteamed with Cromwell in Baby Face Morgan, a notable B movie for PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation). Later in that decade, Armstrong played another Carl Denham-like leading character role as "Max O'Hara" in 1949's Mighty Joe Young. This film was another stop-motion animation giant gorilla fantasy, made by the same King Kong team of Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack.

In the 1950s, he appeared as Sheriff Andy Anderson on Rod Cameron's syndicated western-themed television series, State Trooper. Armstrong made four guest appearances on Perry Mason during its nine-year run on CBS: in 1958 he played as Walter Haskell in "The Case of the Sardonic Sergeant"; in 1961 he played the title character and murder victim Captain Bancroft in "The Case of the Malicious Mariner"; in 1962 he played defendant Jimmy West in "The Case of the Playboy Pugilist"; and in 1964 he played Phil Jenks in "The Case of the Accosted Accountant."

Marriages edit

  • Peggy Allenby (August 1920 - April 17, 1925; divorced) (died 1966)[9]
  • Ethel Virah Smith (June 12, 1926 - July 27, 1931; divorced) (died 1950)[citation needed]
  • Gladys Dubois (January 10, 1936 - December 31, 1939; divorced)[10] (died 1971)
  • Claire Louise Frisbie (January 1, 1940 - April 20, 1973; his death)[10] (died 1990)

Death edit

Armstrong died of cancer in Santa Monica, California. He and King Kong's co-producer, Merian C. Cooper, died within sixteen hours of each other.[11]

Filmography edit

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1961 Rawhide Cal Stone S3:E27, "Incident Before Black Pass"

Notes edit

  1. ^ The reference book Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the silent era to 1965 gives Armstrong's birth name as Donald Robert Smith, as do the Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed. and Golden Horrors: An Illustrated Critical Filmography of Terror Cinema, 1931–1939. Clarke in his 1977 Pseudonyms gave "Donald R. Smith".

References edit

  1. ^ "Robert Armstrong, Actor, Dies; Played Director in 'King Kong'". The New York Times. April 22, 1973.
  2. ^ Clarke, Joseph Francis (1977). Pseudonyms. BCA. p. 11.
  3. ^ Monush, Barry (2003). Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the silent era to 1965. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-5578-3551-2. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  4. ^ Room, Adrian (2010). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins (5th ed.). McFarland. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7864-5763-2. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Senn, Bryan (2006). Golden Horrors: An Illustrated Critical Filmography of Terror Cinema, 1931–1939. McFarland. p. 232. ISBN 978-1-4766-1089-4. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  6. ^ Raw, Laurence (2012). Character Actors in Horror and Science Fiction Films, 1930–1960. McFarland. pp. 18–20. ISBN 978-0-7864-9049-3. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  7. ^ "Famous Delts". Delta Tau Delta. Retrieved 2012-02-19. February 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ Mayer, Geoff (2017). Encyclopedia of American Film Serials. McFarland. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-4766-2719-9. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  9. ^ "Peggy Allenby, 65, of 'Edge of Night'". The New York Times. March 25, 1966. p. 41. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Robert Armstrong, Actor, Divorces Mate to Remarry". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 31, 1939. p. 5. Retrieved April 22, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Merian C. Cooper Dies; Creator of 'King Kong'". The Bridgeport Post. April 23, 1973. p. 26. Retrieved April 22, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Robert Armstrong (actor) (category)

January 01, 1970
robert, armstrong, actor, other, uses, robert, armstrong, robert, william, armstrong, note, november, 1890, april, 1973, american, film, television, actor, remembered, role, carl, denham, 1933, version, king, kong, pictures, delivered, film, famous, final, lin. For other uses see Robert Armstrong Robert William Armstrong note 1 2 3 4 5 November 20 1890 April 20 1973 was an American film and television actor remembered for his role as Carl Denham in the 1933 version of King Kong by RKO Pictures He delivered the film s famous final line It wasn t the airplanes It was beauty killed the beast 6 Robert ArmstrongArmstrong in The Ex Mrs Bradford 1936 Born 1890 11 20 November 20 1890Saginaw Michigan U S DiedApril 20 1973 1973 04 20 aged 82 Santa Monica California U S 1 Resting placeWestwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles CaliforniaOccupationActorYears active1919 1966SpousesPeggy Allenby m 1920 div 1925 wbr 1966 Ethel Virah Smith m 1926 div 1931 wbr 1950 Gladys Dubois m 1936 div 1939 wbr 1971 Claire Louise Frisbie Armstrong m 1940 wbr 1990 Contents 1 Early years 2 Career 3 Marriages 4 Death 5 Filmography 6 Television 7 Notes 8 References 9 External linksEarly years editBorn in Saginaw Michigan Armstrong lived in Bay City Michigan until about 1902 and moved to Seattle He attended the University of Washington where he studied law 5 and became a member of Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity 7 Career edit nbsp In Public Enemy s Wife 1936 Armstrong first started acting in the stage in 1919 with the production of Boys Will Be Boys Armstrong s silver screen career began in 1927 when he appeared in Pathe s silent drama The Main Event 8 He appeared in 127 films between 1927 and 1964 very prolific in the late 1920s and early 1930s he made nine movies in 1928 alone He is best known for his role as filmmaker Carl Denham in King Kong Months later he starred as Denham again in the sequel Son of Kong released the same year Armstrong resembled King Kong producer and adventurer Merian C Cooper and Cooper used him in several films as more or less a version of himself The Most Dangerous Game was filmed at night on the same jungle sets as King Kong which was shot during the day with Armstrong and Fay Wray simultaneously starring in both pictures In 1937 Armstrong starred in With Words and Music also referred to as The Girl Said No released by Grand National Films Inc He also worked throughout the 1930s and 1940s for many film studios Prior to World War II in 1940 Universal Pictures released Enemy Agent about countering a Nazi spy ring In the film Armstrong co starred with Helen Vinson Richard Cromwell and Jack La Rue In 1942 he was reteamed with Cromwell in Baby Face Morgan a notable B movie for PRC Producers Releasing Corporation Later in that decade Armstrong played another Carl Denham like leading character role as Max O Hara in 1949 s Mighty Joe Young This film was another stop motion animation giant gorilla fantasy made by the same King Kong team of Merian C Cooper and Ernest B Schoedsack In the 1950s he appeared as Sheriff Andy Anderson on Rod Cameron s syndicated western themed television series State Trooper Armstrong made four guest appearances on Perry Mason during its nine year run on CBS in 1958 he played as Walter Haskell in The Case of the Sardonic Sergeant in 1961 he played the title character and murder victim Captain Bancroft in The Case of the Malicious Mariner in 1962 he played defendant Jimmy West in The Case of the Playboy Pugilist and in 1964 he played Phil Jenks in The Case of the Accosted Accountant Marriages editPeggy Allenby August 1920 April 17 1925 divorced died 1966 9 Ethel Virah Smith June 12 1926 July 27 1931 divorced died 1950 citation needed Gladys Dubois January 10 1936 December 31 1939 divorced 10 died 1971 Claire Louise Frisbie January 1 1940 April 20 1973 his death 10 died 1990 Death editArmstrong died of cancer in Santa Monica California He and King Kong s co producer Merian C Cooper died within sixteen hours of each other 11 Filmography editThe Main Event 1927 as Red Lucas The Leopard Lady 1928 as Chris A Girl in Every Port 1928 as Bill Salami Square Crooks 1928 as Eddie Ellison The Cop 1928 as Scarface Marcas The Baby Cyclone 1928 as Gene Celebrity 1928 as Kid Reagan Show Folks 1928 as Owens Promoter Ned McCobb s Daughter 1928 as Babe Callahan The Shady Lady 1928 as Blake The Leatherneck 1929 as Joseph Hanlon The Woman from Hell 1929 as Alf Big News 1929 as Steve Banks Oh Yeah 1929 as Dude Cowan The Racketeer 1929 as Mahlon Keane Be Yourself 1930 as Jerry Moore Dumbbells in Ermine 1930 as Jerry Malone Danger Lights 1930 as Larry Doyle Big Money 1930 as Ace Paid 1930 as Joe Garson Iron Man 1931 as George Regan Ex Bad Boy 1931 as Chester Binney The Tip Off 1931 as Kayo McClure Suicide Fleet 1931 as Dutch Panama Flo 1932 as Babe Dillon The Lost Squadron 1932 as Woody Radio Patrol 1932 as Bill Kennedy Is My Face Red 1932 as Ed Maloney The Most Dangerous Game 1932 as Martin Trowbridge Hold Em Jail 1932 as The Radio Announcer The Penguin Pool Murder 1932 as Barry Costello The Billion Dollar Scandal 1932 as Fingers Partos King Kong 1933 as Carl Denham Fast Workers 1933 as Bucker Reilly I Love That Man 1933 as Driller Blind Adventure 1933 as Richard Bruce Above the Clouds 1933 as Scoop Adams Son of Kong 1933 as Carl Denham Palooka 1934 as Pete Palooka Search for Beauty 1934 as Larry Williams She Made Her Bed 1934 as Duke Gordon Manhattan Love Song 1934 as Tom Williams The Hell Cat 1934 as Dan Collins Kansas City Princess 1934 as Dynamite Dynie Carson Flirting with Danger 1934 as Bob Owens The Mystery Man 1935 as Larry Doyle Gigolette 1935 as Chuck Ahearn Sweet Music 1935 as Dopey Malone G Men 1935 as Jeffrey Jeff McCord Little Big Shot 1935 as Steve Craig Remember Last Night 1935 as Flannagan the Milburns mechanic Dangerous Waters 1936 as Dusty Johnson The Ex Mrs Bradford 1936 as Nick Martel bookie Public Enemy s Wife 1936 as Gene Ferguson All American Chump 1936 as Bill Hogan Without Orders 1936 as Wad Madison Nobody s Baby 1937 as Scoops Hanford Three Legionnaires 1937 as Sgt Chuck Connors It Can t Last Forever 1937 as Al Tinker The Girl Said No 1937 as Jimmie Allen She Loved a Fireman 1937 as Capt Smokey Shannon The Night Hawk 1938 as Charlie McCormick There Goes My Heart 1938 as Detective O Brien The Flying Irishman 1939 as Joe Alden Man of Conquest 1939 as Jim Bowie Unmarried 1939 as Pins Streaver Winter Carnival 1939 as Tiger Reynolds Flight at Midnight 1939 as Jim Brennan The Roaring Twenties 1939 as Hatted Passerby before Nightclub uncredited Call a Messenger 1939 as Kirk Graham Framed 1940 as Skippy Forgotten Girls 1940 as Grover Mullins Enemy Agent 1940 as Gordon Service with the Colors 1940 as Sgt Clicker The Bride Wore Crutches 1940 as Pete Behind the News 1940 as Vic Archer The San Francisco Docks 1940 as Father Cameron Mr Dynamite 1941 as Paul Sky Raiders 1941 as Lieutenant Ed Carey Citadel of Crime 1941 as Cal Fullerton Dive Bomber 1941 as Art Lyons Gang Busters 1942 as Det Tim Nolan My Favorite Spy 1942 as Harry Robinson It Happened in Flatbush 1942 as Danny Mitchell Let s Get Tough 1942 as Pop Stevens Baby Face Morgan 1942 as Doc Rogers Wings Over the Pacific 1943 as Pieter Van Bronk Adventures of the Flying Cadets 1943 as Arthur Galt alias The Black Hangman The Kansan 1943 as Malachy The Mad Ghoul 1943 as Ken McClure Around the World 1943 as General uncredited Action in Arabia 1944 as Matthew Reed The Navy Way 1944 as CPO Harper Mr Winkle Goes to War 1944 as Joe Tinker Belle of the Yukon 1944 as George Blood on the Sun 1945 as Col Hideki Tojo Gangs of the Waterfront 1945 as Peter Winkly and Dutch Malone The Falcon in San Francisco 1945 as De Forrest Marshall Arson Squad 1945 as Fire Capt Joe Dugan The Royal Mounted Rides Again 1945 as Jonathan Price Gay Blades 1946 as McManus Blonde Alibi 1946 as Williams G I War Brides 1946 as Dawson Decoy 1946 as Frankie Olins Criminal Court 1946 as Vic Wright Club Circle owner The Sea of Grass 1947 as Floyd McCurtin Brewton s attorney Fall Guy 1947 as Mac McLaine Exposed 1947 as Inspector Prentice The Fugitive 1947 as A Sergeant of Police Return of the Bad Men 1948 as Wild Bill Doolin Wild Bill Doolin The Paleface 1948 as Terri The Lucky Stiff 1949 as Insp Von Flanagan The Crime Doctor s Diary 1949 as George Goldie Harrigan Streets of San Francisco 1949 as Willard Logan Mighty Joe Young 1949 as Max O Hara Sons of New Mexico 1949 as Pat Feeney Captain China 1950 as Keegan Destination Big House 1950 as Ed Somers The Pace That Thrills 1952 as J C Barton Las Vegas Shakedown 1955 as Doc Double Jeopardy 1955 as Sam Baggott The Peacemaker 1956 as Sheriff Ben Seale The Crooked Circle 1957 as Al Taylor Girl with an Itch 1958 as Ben Cooper Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1960 Season 5 Episode 25 The Little Man Who Was There as Saloonkeeper Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1962 Season 7 Episode 17 The Faith of Aaron Menefee as Doc Buckles The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 1962 Season 1 Episode 8 House Guest as Captain Charles Faulkner Johnny Cool 1963 as Gang Member For Those Who Think Young 1964 as Norman Armstrong Cronin s Business Associate final film role Television editYear Title Role Notes 1961 Rawhide Cal Stone S3 E27 Incident Before Black Pass Notes edit The reference book Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors From the silent era to 1965 gives Armstrong s birth name as Donald Robert Smith as do the Dictionary of Pseudonyms 13 000 Assumed Names and Their Origins 5th ed and Golden Horrors An Illustrated Critical Filmography of Terror Cinema 1931 1939 Clarke in his 1977 Pseudonyms gave Donald R Smith References edit Robert Armstrong Actor Dies Played Director in King Kong The New York Times April 22 1973 Clarke Joseph Francis 1977 Pseudonyms BCA p 11 Monush Barry 2003 Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors From the silent era to 1965 Hal Leonard Corporation p 21 ISBN 978 1 5578 3551 2 Retrieved July 8 2017 Room Adrian 2010 Dictionary of Pseudonyms 13 000 Assumed Names and Their Origins 5th ed McFarland p 33 ISBN 978 0 7864 5763 2 Retrieved July 8 2017 a b Senn Bryan 2006 Golden Horrors An Illustrated Critical Filmography of Terror Cinema 1931 1939 McFarland p 232 ISBN 978 1 4766 1089 4 Retrieved July 8 2017 Raw Laurence 2012 Character Actors in Horror and Science Fiction Films 1930 1960 McFarland pp 18 20 ISBN 978 0 7864 9049 3 Retrieved July 8 2017 Famous Delts Delta Tau Delta Retrieved 2012 02 19 Archived February 16 2012 at the Wayback Machine Mayer Geoff 2017 Encyclopedia of American Film Serials McFarland p 41 ISBN 978 1 4766 2719 9 Retrieved July 8 2017 Peggy Allenby 65 of Edge of Night The New York Times March 25 1966 p 41 Retrieved December 7 2022 a b Robert Armstrong Actor Divorces Mate to Remarry The Brooklyn Daily Eagle December 31 1939 p 5 Retrieved April 22 2015 via Newspapers com Merian C Cooper Dies Creator of King Kong The Bridgeport Post April 23 1973 p 26 Retrieved April 22 2015 via Newspapers com External links edit nbsp Biography portal nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Armstrong actor category Robert Armstrong at IMDb Robert Armstrong at AllMovie Robert Armstrong at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp Robert Armstrong at Virtual History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Armstrong actor amp oldid 1215506867, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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