Theodore Roberts

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Theodore Roberts as Moses in The Ten Commandments  (1923)

Theodore Roberts (born October 8, 1861 in San Francisco , California , USA , † December 14, 1928 in Hollywood , California, USA ) was an American film and theater actor .

Life

The son of a captain in the United States Navy received appropriate military training at the California Military Academy in Oakland , but decided at the age of 17 to try it as an actor in the theater. After a decade that Roberts spent on smaller stages and at vaudeville , he made his debut on Broadway in May 1899 with the play We'Uns of Tennessee .

At the beginning of the 20th century, Roberts was a sought-after actor on Broadway, whose best-known plays included Uncle Tom's Cabin (performed from April to June 1901) and Much Ado About Nothing , which only appeared for a few days in March 1904. One of the longest-performed pieces in which Roberts was seen was Hamlet , which was presented from November 1912 to February 1913 .

Roberts' film career is thanks to Cecil B. DeMille when he engaged him in 1914 for his film drama The Call of the North . Although he was only seen in front of the camera for 14 years, Roberts appeared in more than 100 silent films . The best-known of these today is the Bible epic The Ten Commandments , produced in 1923 , in which Roberts embodied the biblical prophet Moses . These and other roles, but also his striking appearance, contributed to Roberts receiving the affectionate nickname "The Grand Duke of Hollywood" (German: "The Great Duke of Hollywood").

In his private life, Roberts was one of the wealthiest actors of his time. His fortune was estimated at $ 20,000; he also owned a yacht worth another $ 10,000. He was married to the actress Florence Smythe from 1905 until her death in August 1925 . The couple had no children.

Roberts could never get over the death of his wife, so that he increasingly withdrew into private life. He died of uremia three years later at the age of 67 . The fact that around 2,000 people were present at his funeral in Los Angeles shows how popular Roberts was in his day .

Today a star on the Walk of Fame commemorates Theodore Roberts.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Roberts, Theodore
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American film and stage actor
DATE OF BIRTH October 8, 1861
PLACE OF BIRTH San Francisco , California , USA
DATE OF DEATH December 14, 1928
Place of death Hollywood , California , USA