Robert Dudley
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1889-09-12
Day of Death
1955-11-12 (66 years old)
Place of Birth
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Robert Dudley
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Dudley (September 13, 1869 – September 15*, 1955) was a dentist turned film character actor who, in his 35-year career, appeared in more than 115 films.
Dudley was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and was educated at Lake Forest College in Evanston, Illinois and Chicago, where he majored in oral surgery. In 1917 he appeared in his first film, Seven Keys to Baldpate, and then made three other silent films through 1921. After 1922 he worked consistently, appearing in three or four films a year, and making the transition to sound films in 1929 with The Bellamy Trial. Dudley often played characters with a quick temper, including jurors, shopkeepers, ticket agents, court clerks and justices of the peace, as well as an occasional farmer, hobo, or laborer. His performances in these small parts were frequently uncredited.
In the 1940s, Dudley was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in six films written and directed by Sturges. His most distinctive and memorable role for Sturges was the "Wienie King" in 1942's The Palm Beach Story, the funny little self-made rich man with a big hat who spontaneously bankrolls Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea on their escapade.
The 5' 9" Dudley, who was the founder of the "Troupers Club of Hollywood", was married to Elaine Anderson, and they had two girls, Jewell and Patricia Lee.
He made his final film, As Young as You Feel, in 1951, and died in 1955 in San Clemente, California.
*[TMDb note: The California Death Index indicates that Mr. Dudley died on 12 November 1955. That date should therefore be considered accurate and official.]
Known For
Acting
(1950)
The Jackpot
as Simpkins (uncredited)
(1948)
Sleep, My Love
as Bar Patron at The Maples
(1948)
Strike It Rich
as Pop
(1948)
Race Street
as Pop (Watchman) (uncredited)
(1947)
Christmas Eve
as Robert - Matilda's Chauffeur (uncredited)
(1947)
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
as Robert McDuffy
(1947)
Magic Town
as Dickey
(1947)
Mourning Becomes Electra
as Chemist (uncredited)
(1947)
Living in a Big Way
as Carpenter
(1946)
San Quentin
as Fuller (uncredited)
(1946)
Gallant Journey
as Process Server (uncredited)
(1946)
Singin' in the Corn
as Gramp McCoy
(1945)
(1945)
(1945)
(1944)
It Happened Tomorrow
as Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
(1944)
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
as Man (uncredited)
(1944)
The Doughgirls
as Hotel Waiter
(1944)
Belle of the Yukon
as Storekeeper (uncredited)
(1944)
Casanova Brown
as Justice Of The Peace
(1944)
Main Street Today
as Frank Hostetter (uncredited)
(1943)
Son of Dracula
as Justice of the Peace Jonathan Kirby (uncredited)
(1943)
Honeymoon Lodge
as Elderly Man
(1943)
The Ghost and the Guest
as Ben Bowron
(1943)
Happy Land
as Old Man Bowers (uncredited)
(1942)
The Palm Beach Story
as Wienie King
(1941)
Citizen Kane
as Photographer (uncredited)
(1941)
The Lady Eve
as Husband on Ship (uncredited)
(1941)
All That Money Can Buy
as Lem (uncredited)
(1940)
Stranger on the Third Floor
as Postman (uncredited)
(1940)
When the Daltons Rode
as Pete Norris - Juror
(1940)
The House of the Seven Gables
as Jury Foreman
(1940)
Lucky Partners
as Bailiff (uncredited)
(1940)
Haunted House
as Hank Edwards
(1939)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Reporter (uncredited)
(1939)
Zenobia
as Court Clerk
(1939)
Almost a Gentleman
as Farmer
(1939)
Yankee Doodle Goes to Town
as Shopkeeper (uncredited)
(1937)
The Toast of New York
as Janitor
(1937)
The Mighty Treve
as Rancher at Auction
(1936)
The Prisoner of Shark Island
as Druggist at Trial
(1936)
Fury
as Store Owner (uncredited)
(1936)
Paddy O'Day
as Robert - Chauffeur
(1936)
The Perfect Set-Up
as Theatre Employee Shooting Victim (uncredited)
(1935)
The Gilded Lily
as Store Clerk (uncredited)
(1935)
Frisco Kid
as Vigilante Leader (uncredited)
(1935)
3 Kids and a Queen
as Shopkeeper
(1934)
Wild Gold
as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
(1933)
Face in the Sky
as Minister (uncredited)
(1933)
Midnight Mary
as Mannering's Night Watchman (uncredited)
(1932)
(1932)
Three Wise Girls
as Lem - the Druggist
(1931)
An American Tragedy
as Juror (uncredited)
(1931)
Scandal Sheet
as Flint's Secretary
(1930)
Conspiracy
as Mr. Christopher (uncredited)
(1930)
Dames Ahoy
as Parson
(1930)
Burning Up
as Sheriff
(1930)
Wide Open
as Office Worker
(1929)
Dynamite
as Store Proprietor
(1929)
Shanghai Rose
as Reformer
(1929)
Big News
as Telegraph Editor
(1928)
The Night Flyer
as Freddy
(1928)
Fools for Luck
as Jim Simpson
(1927)
Casey at the Bat
as Farmer (uncredited)
(1926)
For Heaven's Sake
as Harold's Secretary (uncredited)
(1926)
The Marriage Clause
as Secretary
(1925)
A Woman of the World
as French-speaking party guest
(1925)
The Last Edition
as Yes Man
(1924)
On the Stroke of Three
as Jasper Saddler
(1923)
The Extra Girl
as Financier
(1923)
The Tiger's Claw
as Army Officer
(1922)
The Ninety and Nine
as Abner Blake
(1922)
Making a Man
as Bailey
(1921)
One a Minute
as Rogers' Attorney (uncredited)
(1921)
Traveling Salesman
as Pierce Gill
(1920)
The Fourteenth Man
as Tidmarsh
(1917)
Seven Keys to Baldpate
as Clerk