1919-05-10 Shannon, Texas, USA
Charles Hugh Roberson (May 10, 1919 – June 8, 1988) was an American actor and stuntman. Roberson was born near Shannon, Texas, the son of farmer Ollie W. Roberson and Jannie Hamm Roberson. Raised on cattle ranches in Shannon, Texas, and Roswell, New Mexico, he left school at 13 to become a cowhand and oilfield roughneck. He married and took his wife and daughter to California, where he joined the Culver City Police Department and guarded the gate at MGM Studios. Following army service in World War II, he returned to the police force. During duty at Warner Bros. studios during a labor strike, he met stuntman Guy Teague, who alerted him to a stunt job at Republic Pictures. Teague had been John Wayne's stunt double for many years and was able to show him the ropes. Chuck also resembled John Carrol whom Roberson doubled in his first picture, Wyoming (1947). He played small roles and stunted in other roles in the same film. He graduated to larger supporting roles in Westerns for Wayne and John Ford, and to a parallel career as a second-unit director. His television appearances include The Lone Ranger, The Adventures of Kit Carson, Lawman, Death Valley Days, Have Gun – Will Travel, Laramie, Gunsmoke, The Virginian, Laredo, Bonanza, Daniel Boone, and The Big Valley. Roberson also appeared in Disney's television Westerns The Swamp Fox and Texas John Slaughter. They were part of The Wonderful World of Color. Before that, he portrayed a Confederate Prison Captain in The Great Locomotive Chase. In 1980 he published an autobiography, The Fall Guy: 30 Years as the Duke's Double. Roberson died of cancer on June 8, 1988, in Bakersfield, California, and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, California, next to his brother, actor Lou Roberson. Bob Dylan drew him as Long Tom in his Beaten Path series, the drawing is entitled "Untitled 1" and is based on a frame from the film Winchester '73 (1950). Roberson and Wayne Burson, another stuntman, were partners in breeding and training racehorses, with Roberson furnishing the horses from his Bakersfield, California, ranch and Burson training them.
 |
John Wayne's 'The Alamo' | Tennessean | 1992-06-06 |
 |
99 and 44/100% Dead | Gunman | 1974-08-29 |
 |
McQ | Santiago's Bodyguard (uncredited) | 1974-01-04 |
 |
Cahill: United States Marshal | Leader of Bunch | 1973-07-11 |
 |
The Stone Killer | Council Member (uncredited) | 1973-08-08 |
 |
Big Jake | Texas Ranger (uncredited) | 1971-05-26 |
 |
Rio Lobo | Corporal in Baggage Car (uncredited) | 1970-04-01 |
 |
Chisum | Trail Herder (uncredited) | 1970-07-23 |
 |
The Undefeated | Yankee Sergeant at River (uncredited) | 1969-10-04 |
 |
The Scalphunters | Scalphunter | 1968-02-29 |
 |
The Green Berets | Sgt. Griffin | 1968-07-04 |
 |
Hellfighters | Firefighter in Plane (uncredited) | 1968-11-27 |
 |
Welcome to Hard Times | Miner Fighting Bert (uncredited) | 1967-04-30 |
 |
The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin | Cook (uncredited) | 1967-03-08 |
 |
The War Wagon | Brown / Mustachioed guard at blown bridge | 1967-05-26 |
 |
Smoky | Manuel | 1966-08-03 |
 |
Nevada Smith | Deputy (uncredited) | 1966-06-10 |
|
Smoky | Chuck - a Ranch Hand | 1966-08-03 |
 |
El Dorado | Jason's Gunman | 1966-12-17 |
 |
Blindfold | Fitzpatrick's Henchman | 1966-05-23 |
 |
Black Spurs | Norton - Prisoner | 1965-05-28 |
 |
The Rounders | Brawler (uncredited) | 1965-01-08 |
 |
The Sons of Katie Elder | Townsman (uncredited) | 1965-06-23 |
 |
Cat Ballou | Armed Guard (uncredited) | 1965-06-24 |
 |
Shenandoah | Rebel Commander with Mustache | 1965-06-03 |
 |
Mail Order Bride | Saloon Brawler (uncredited) | 1964-03-10 |
 |
Advance to the Rear | Monk (uncredited) | 1964-06-10 |
 |
Cheyenne Autumn | Jessie (uncredited) | 1964-10-15 |
 |
Shock Corridor | Wilkes | 1963-09-25 |
 |
McLintock! | Sheriff Jeff Lord | 1963-11-12 |
 |
Donovan's Reef | Festus | 1963-06-12 |
 |
How the West Was Won | Officer (uncredited) | 1962-11-02 |
 |
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance | Henchman (uncredited) | 1962-04-13 |
 |
Merrill's Marauders | Officer | 1962-03-16 |
 |
Two Rode Together | Comanche (uncredited) | 1961-05-24 |
|
Two Rode Together | Comanche | 1961-05-24 |
 |
Spartacus | Slave (uncredited) | 1960-10-13 |
 |
Sergeant Rutledge | Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited) | 1960-05-25 |
 |
The Alamo | Tennesseean | 1960-10-23 |
 |
The Wonderful Country | Barton | 1959-10-21 |
 |
Rio Bravo | Gunman (uncredited) | 1959-03-08 |
 |
The Big Country | Terrill Cowboy | 1958-09-30 |
 |
Man of the West | Rifleman-Guard on Train (uncredited) | 1958-10-01 |
 |
The Western: A Lost TV Special | Self | 1958-06-08 |
 |
The Hired Gun | Frank Cooper - Conroy Ranch Wrangler | 1957-09-20 |
 |
Run of the Arrow | Sergeant | 1957-09-05 |
 |
Night Passage | Roan | 1957-07-24 |
 |
Forty Guns | Howard Swain | 1957-09-10 |
 |
The Wings of Eagles | Officer | 1957-01-31 |
 |
Seven Men from Now | Mason | 1956-07-24 |
 |
The King and Four Queens | Posseman | 1956-12-21 |
 |
The Great Locomotive Chase | Confederate Prison Captain (uncredited) | 1956-06-08 |
 |
Red Sundown | Henshaw's Man | 1956-03-01 |
 |
The Searchers | Ranger at Wedding (uncredited) | 1956-05-16 |
 |
Kentucky Rifle | Indian (uncredited) | 1956-07-01 |
 |
The Rawhide Years | Johnny (uncredited) | 1956-07-01 |
 |
Lady Godiva of Coventry | Soldier | 1955-11-02 |
 |
Ten Wanted Men | Gunfighter (uncredited) | 1955-02-01 |
 |
The Second Greatest Sex | Brawler (uncredited) | 1955-09-30 |
 |
The Prodigal | Chieftain | 1955-05-06 |
 |
Timberjack | Lumberjack (uncredited) | 1955-02-18 |
 |
The Tall Men | Alva Jenkin (uncredited) | 1955-09-22 |
 |
Jubilee Trail | Man at Bar (uncredited) | 1954-05-15 |
 |
The Lone Gun | Luke (uncredited) | 1954-04-25 |
 |
The Far Country | Latigo (uncredited) | 1954-02-12 |
 |
Sign of the Pagan | Mirrai | 1954-11-24 |
 |
Calamity Jane | Barfly (uncredited) | 1953-11-04 |
 |
Gun Belt | Oliver | 1953-07-24 |
 |
Raiders of the Seven Seas | Spanish Officer (uncredited) | 1953-05-27 |
 |
Cow Country | Stubby (as Brett Houston) | 1953-04-25 |
 |
Hondo | Kloori / Cavalry Sergeant Killed in Indian Attack (uncredited) | 1953-11-26 |
 |
Hannah Lee: An American Primitive | Cowboy | 1953-07-13 |
 |
Blackbeard, the Pirate | Mounted Soldier | 1952-12-24 |
 |
The Blazing Forest | Lumberjack (uncredited) | 1952-12-01 |
 |
The Lusty Men | Cowboy | 1952-10-24 |
 |
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd | Pirate (uncredited) | 1952-12-27 |
 |
Way of a Gaucho | Gaucho | 1952-10-16 |
 |
Buffalo Bill in Tomahawk Territory | Trooper (uncredited) | 1952-02-08 |
 |
Indian Uprising | Taggart Man | 1952-01-02 |
 |
Cattle Town | Rider | 1952-09-06 |
 |
Cow Town | Mike Grady - Henchman (as Charles Roberson) | 1950-05-19 |
 |
Atom Man vs. Superman | Policeman on Road (uncredited) | 1950-07-20 |
 |
Hi-Jacked | Police Officer (uncredited) | 1950-07-07 |
 |
Outcasts of Black Mesa | Kramer - Henchman (as Charles 'Chuck' Roberson) | 1950-04-13 |
 |
Rio Grande | Officer / Indian Fires Arrow Into Col. York's Chest (uncredited) | 1950-11-15 |
 |
Winchester '73 | Long Tom (uncredited) | 1950-07-12 |
 |
Trail of the Rustlers | Bob - Henchman (uncredited) | 1950-02-02 |
 |
The Capture | Employee (uncredited) | 1950-04-08 |
 |
Hills of Oklahoma | Cowhand (uncredited) | 1950-06-01 |
 |
Roughshod | Deputy (uncredited) | 1949-05-11 |
 |
The James Brothers of Missouri | Townsman (uncredited) | 1949-08-31 |
 |
Western Renegades | Jones (uncredited) | 1949-10-08 |
 |
Hellfire | Groper (uncredited) | 1949-05-29 |
 |
Stampede | Sandy (uncredited) | 1949-05-01 |
 |
Haunted Trails | Ed - Ranch Hand (uncredited) | 1949-08-21 |
 |
The Fighting Kentuckian | Militiaman (uncredited) | 1949-09-15 |
 |
Law of the Golden West | Wagon Driver (uncredited) | 1949-05-23 |
 |
The Arizona Ranger | Henchman (uncredited) | 1948-05-14 |
 |
Albuquerque | Man at Gambling Table (uncredited) | 1948-02-20 |
 |
California Firebrand | Gunman | 1948-04-01 |
 |
Wake of the Red Witch | Seaman | 1948-12-30 |
 |
The Gallant Legion | Ranger | 1948-05-24 |
 |
Last of the Wild Horses | Deputy Chuck (uncredited) | 1948-12-27 |
 |
Homicide for Three | Joe - Policeman | 1948-12-08 |
 |
Song of Scheherazade | Midshipman | 1947-02-26 |
 |
Calendar Girl | Swedish Tug of War Man | 1947-01-31 |
|
Song of Scheherazade | Midshipman (uncredited) | 1947-02-26 |
 |
The Flame | Policeman (uncredited) | 1947-11-24 |
 |
Jesse James Rides Again | Lafe | 1947-08-02 |
 |
The Plainsman and the Lady | Deputy (uncredited) | 1946-11-11 |
