Robert Armstrong

Name: Robert Armstrong
Date of Birth: November 20, 1890
Place of Birth: Saginaw, Michigan, USA

Mini-bio: Robert Armstrong is familiar to old movie buffs for his case-hardened, rapid fire vocal delivery in typical roles as promotional schemers-agents-managers-and hard-boiled officials of many sorts in ove...( read more)

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<div style="font-size:11px;text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com/actor/robert-armstrong"> <img src="http://content6.flixster.com/photo/10/18/95/10189540_tml.jpg" width="240" height="240" alt="Cabot, Wray, and Armstrong" /></a><br/><a href="http://www.flixster.com/actor/robert-armstrong">Robert Armstrong</a></div>	<a href="http://www.flixster.com/actor/robert-armstrong">Robert Armstrong</a>

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Robert Armstrong Wiki Profile

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IMDb.com Web Page for Robert Armstrong

IBDB.com; Internet Broadway Database; Listings of Broadway Productions in Which Robert Armstrong Appeared.

Find A Grave Memorial Page for Robert Armstrong

Ancestry.com; WWI Civilian Draft Registrations About Robert William Armstrong.

View the Entire Movie "The Racketeer" (1929) on Archive.org; Click "Play" Button to View Movie.

View the Entire Movie "Danger Lights" (1930) on Archive.org; Click on "Play" Button to View Movie.

View the Entire Movie "Palooka" (1934) on Archive.org; Click "Play" Button to View Movie.

View the Entire Movie "With Words and Music" (aka "The Girl Said No") (1937) on Archive.org; Click on "Play" Button to View Movie.

View the Entire Movie "Baby Face Morgan" (1942) on Google Video. Robert Armstrong played the role of "'Doc' Rogers".

Complete Performance of "The Case of the Sardonic Sergeant" (51:34), Episode No. 4 of Season 2 of "Perry Mason", Starring Robert Armstrong as "Walter Haskell". Air Date: 10/11/1958. Fancast.com.

Complete Performance of "House Guest" (49:30), Episode No. 8 of Season 1 of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", Starring Robert Armstrong as "Charles Faulkner". Air Date: 11/8/1962. Fancast.com.

King Kong - The Eighth Wonder of the World! Website devoted to all aspects of the 1933 movie.

Bay-Journal, Bay County, MI; Webpage re: Rolf Armstrong (1889-1960), Famous Artist and Uncle of Robert Armstrong; Armstrong Family History Data.

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Robert Armstrong mini-bio: Robert Armstrong is familiar to old movie buffs for his case-hardened, rapid fire vocal delivery in typical roles as promotional schemers-agents-managers-and hard-boiled officials of many sorts in over 160 films. He spent a short hitch in the infantry during World War I. Armstrong originally decided to go into law and started its study at the University of Washington. But it was not too long-and perhaps influenced by his uncle the playwright and producer Paul Armstrong - before Armstrong decided that he had a gift for acting and preferred to follow that path.

About halfway through some ten films in which he appeared in 1928 alone, Armstrong was able to give voice in the short sound sequences of early mono films. His take-charge, off-the-back teeth delivery moved him into the roles that would make him one of the busiest character men in Hollywood. King Kong (1933) would put Armstrong at stage center. It was Armstrong's defining moment for similar leading man and second lead roles to come through the 1930s - and, of course, his moment of sure type casting. The Kong sequel, The Son of Kong (1933), followed immediately. All the studios wanted him, and what followed was a flood of usually good, crowd-pleasing, if B movie roles.

Armstrong increasingly went to the small screen through the 1950s. He was a familiar face on most of the TV playhouse programs of the period and did many of the episodic oaters and crime shows of the period. He received a great send-up as a guest of Red Skelton's variety show when the oft giggling host asked him, "Say, did you ever get that monkey off that building?"

Armstrong died of cancer on April 20, 1973 in Santa Monica, California.

VITAL STATS

Robert Armstrong Information:

Eye color: Brown

Height: 5'10", weight 160 lbs.

Nickname(s): Bob

Notable feature(s): Athletic physique. No-nonsense delivery of his lines and tough-guy attitude.

Education: University of Washington (studied law, but did not graduate; left school to go into acting). Joined the glee club, played the ukulele, and organized a student dramatic club.

Family: Married Jeanne Kent (div.); Peggy Allenby (div.); Gladys DuBois ? - Div. Dec. 31, 1939; Claire Louise Frisbie Armstrong (the former wife of Rolf Armstrong) Jan. 1, 1940 - Apr. 20, 1973, his death; Robert's family was originally from Saginaw and Bay City, Michigan. His parents were William and Mina ("Minnie") (nee Lahman) Armstrong. He was the nephew of playwright Paul Armstrong and the nephew of Rolf (born John Scott) Armstrong, the famous artist. Robert was an only child. He was of Scottish ancestry.

Resides in: In the early 1930s, Robert built an authentic Mexican hacienda residence in the Coldwater Canyon section of Beverly Hills. In 1952, Robert bought a home in the Will Rogers Estates in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, CA and apparently still resided there at the time of his death (Starlog, April 2006, p. 65).

Religious affiliations:

Political affiliation:

Personal interests/hobbies: Golf; squash. Was Harlequin (President) of the Masquers, 1940, a Hollywood social club for actors.

Charities/Causes:

Other: BIRTH: Born Robert William Armstrong (see above link for WWI Civilian Draft Registrations about Robert William Armstrong).
MILITARY SERVICE: Served in the Army in World War I. /Enlisted in the infantry as a Private, emerged as a First Lt.
BURIAL: Supposedly buried at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, CA, in the Garden of Roses, unmarked. The Garden of Roses is for the communal burial of ashes (see above link for Find A Grave). However, according to the article, "Thrills of a Lifetime" by Jimmy Lydon, Robert's friend, and Tom Weaver, in Starlog, April 2006, p. 65, Robert's ashes were scattered in a location that is still unknown to Lydon.
ENGAGEMENT: According to Robert's friend, Jimmy Lydon, Robert was once briefly engaged to actress Carole Lombard (Starlog, April 2006, p. 63).

Last update: Oct 29 2008, 9:51 PM EDT by lgrds (content history | content tools) (help)

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Robert Armstrong Biography Robert Armstrong Quotes Robert Armstrong Best Movies and Characters

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Comments

lgrds

Robert - I am thinking of you today on the 118th anniversary of your birth. I am grateful for your life and career. Rest in peace with Jesus, dear one, and know that you are loved and missed so very much. Happy Birthday. XOXO November 20, 2008

posted 2 days ago
lgrds

On this Veterans' Day 2008, remembering 1st Lt. Robert William Armstrong, United States Army Infantry, World War I. Thank you for your service to our country. God bless and rest in peace. XOXO

posted 11 days ago
lgrds

I've now added addtional links so that the following films, in addition to "Danger Lights", may be viewed in their entirety: "The Racketeer" (1930); "Palooka" (1934); "With Words and Music" (aka "The Girl Said No") (1937) and "Baby Face Morgan" (1942).
Happy viewing!

posted 72 days ago
lgrds

I found a site where you can watch the ENTIRE movie "DANGER LIGHTS" (1930) for FREE!!!!
Here is the link:
http://www.archive.org/details/danger_lights
You will have to type this link into the main address bar of your browser, or else copy and paste it in the main address bar.
This is a somewhat hard-to-find movie.
It is a wonderful chance to see Robert Armstrong in a rare romantic role.
Jean Arthur costars as Robert's love. They make a lovely, but unlikely couple. Robert is an out-of-work engineer turned hobo. Jean is the daughter of a railroad man and is engaged to a prominent railroad boss who has been a benefactor to her family. When she falls in love with Robert, trouble develops.
There are many interesting scenes in this movie which is a must for railroad enthusiasts. There is rare footage of two steam locomotives going head-to-head in a pushing contest.
There are also exciting scenes in the last part of the movie--I won't add a spoiler here.
Worth the view.

posted 112 days ago
lgrds

I've been viewing some of Robert's earlier movies, such as Racketeer (with Carole Lombard), Paid (with Joan Crawford), Iron Man (with Jean Harlow), Danger Lights (with Jean Arthur), Be Yourself (with Fanny Brice), A Girl in Every Port (with Louise Brooks) etc., and have enjoyed them very much.
Robert was on well on his way to becoming a leading man in movies. He worked with the most beautiful women in Hollywood and had the best directors. He played romantic parts and tough-guy roles early on.
It seems as though after King Kong, his career started on a decline, yet I can't understand why. Why was he typecast? I realize that he came to Hollywood later in life---age 37---so maybe younger actors were given top consideration. After seeing his early movies, I now regard Robert as one of my favorite actors.

posted 114 days ago