Robert Armstrong

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Robert Armstrong (around 1915)

Robert William Armstrong (born November 20, 1890 in Saginaw , Michigan , † April 20, 1973 in Santa Monica , California ) was an American actor who was best known for his leading role in King Kong and the white woman .

Life

Robert Armstrong was born the son of a boat dealer on Lake Michigan . After originally studying at the University of Washington , his uncle - the writer and theater producer Paul Armstrong - convinced him to pursue an acting career. He began his career in the theater and joined the acting company of James Gleason . In the meantime, he also served in the First World War. Between 1919 and 1926 Armstrong played in four Broadway productions, some in leading roles.

In 1928 Armstrong was able to establish himself as a film actor in Hollywood with nine films. With his masculine, serious charisma, he also took on leading roles in smaller films, while in large-scale productions he usually only played the sidekicks of the big stars. His best-known role - and a leading role - he had as the ambitious film director Carl Denham in the classic film King Kong and the White Woman (1933) under the production of Merian C. Cooper and David O. Selznick , who became legendary above all for his groundbreaking special effects. Above all, his last words in the film are remembered: "It wasn't the planes - it was beauty that killed the beast." In parallel with King Kong , Count Zaroff - Genius of Evil was filmed by the same producers , also with Armstrong in a major supporting role. In the same year he impersonated Carl Denham again in the sequel King Kong's son ; 16 years later, with panic for King Kong, he had another appearance in a King Kong film, this time in a different role. Armstrong was friends with King Kong producer Cooper and resembled him externally, both made many films together, which is why Armstrong was more often referred to as Cooper's alter ego on screen.

After his role as Carl Denham, he got some good leading and supporting roles, but without making the breakthrough to a real movie star. Armstrong had among other things a greater supporting role in The Fed next to James Cagney and played the main character in the Oscar-nominated comedy The Girl Said No . He often embodied tough guys like police officers, agents, reporters or managers. Armstrong, now over 60, turned to television in the 1950s. He had a recurring role in a total of 28 episodes of the State Trooper series (1956-1959). After appearing in the comedy For Those Who Think Young alongside James Darren and Pamela Tiffin , Armstrong retired from the business in 1964.

His first marriage was between 1920 and 1925 with the actress Peggy Allenby (1901-1966), they were divorced. His second marriage to Ethel V. Jones from 1926 to 1931 also ended in divorce. His third marriage to Gladys Dubois between 1936 and 1939 again ended in divorce. Armstrong's last marriage to Claire Louise Frisbie lasted from 1940 until his death. He died of cancer in 1973 at the age of 82, the day before the King Kong film producer Merian C. Cooper also died. He is buried in Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles .

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Commons : Robert Armstrong  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Robert Armstrong at Matineeclassics ( Memento from August 11, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ^ Robert Armstrong in the Find a Grave database . Retrieved January 7, 2015.
personal data
SURNAME Armstrong, Robert
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Armstrong, Robert William (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH November 20, 1890
PLACE OF BIRTH Saginaw , Michigan , USA
DATE OF DEATH April 20, 1973
Place of death Santa Monica , California , USA