Robert Dudley
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- 12 September 1889 · Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Died
- 12 November 1955
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 84
- 1950The Jackpot as Simpkins (uncredited)
- 1948Strike It Rich as Pop
- 1948Race Street as Pop (Watchman) (uncredited)
- 1948Sleep, My Love as Bar Patron at The Maples
- 1947Mourning Becomes Electra as Chemist (uncredited)
- 1947Christmas Eve as Robert - Matilda's Chauffeur (uncredited)
- 1947Magic Town as Dickey
- 1947Living in a Big Way as Carpenter
- 1947The Sin of Harold Diddlebock as Robert McDuffy
- 1946Singin' in the Corn as Gramp McCoy
- 1946San Quentin as Fuller (uncredited)
- 1946Gallant Journey as Process Server (uncredited)
- 1945San Antonio
- 1945The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry
- 1945Lady on a Train
- 1944Belle of the Yukon as Storekeeper (uncredited)
- 1944The Doughgirls as Hotel Waiter
- 1944The Miracle of Morgan's Creek as Man (uncredited)
- 1944Casanova Brown as Justice Of The Peace
- 1944It Happened Tomorrow as Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
- 1944Main Street Today as Frank Hostetter (uncredited)
- 1943Happy Land as Old Man Bowers (uncredited)
- 1943Son of Dracula as Justice of the Peace Jonathan Kirby (uncredited)
- 1943Honeymoon Lodge as Elderly Man
- 1943The Ghost and the Guest as Ben Bowron
- 1942The Palm Beach Story as Wienie King
- 1941All That Money Can Buy as Lem (uncredited)
- 1941Citizen Kane as Photographer (uncredited)
- 1941The Lady Eve as Husband on Ship (uncredited)
- 1940When the Daltons Rode as Pete Norris - Juror
- 1940Stranger on the Third Floor as Postman (uncredited)
- 1940Lucky Partners as Bailiff (uncredited)
- 1940Haunted House as Hank Edwards
- 1940The House of the Seven Gables as Jury Foreman
- 1939Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as Reporter (uncredited)
- 1939Yankee Doodle Goes to Town as Shopkeeper (uncredited)
- 1939Zenobia as Court Clerk
- 1939Almost a Gentleman as Farmer
- 1937The Toast of New York as Janitor
- 1937The Mighty Treve as Rancher at Auction
- 1936Fury as Store Owner (uncredited)
- 1936The Prisoner of Shark Island as Druggist at Trial (uncredited)
- 1936The Perfect Set-Up as Theatre Employee Shooting Victim (uncredited)
- 1936Paddy O'Day as Robert - Chauffeur
- 1935Frisco Kid as Vigilante Leader (uncredited)
- 19353 Kids and a Queen as Shopkeeper
- 1935The Gilded Lily as Store Clerk (uncredited)
- 1934Wild Gold as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
- 1933Midnight Mary as Mannering's Night Watchman (uncredited)
- 1933Face in the Sky as Minister (uncredited)
- 1932Three Wise Girls as Lem - the Druggist
- 1932Broken Lullaby
- 1931An American Tragedy as Juror (uncredited)
- 1931Scandal Sheet as Flint's Secretary
- 1930Conspiracy as Mr. Christopher (uncredited)
- 1930Dames Ahoy as Parson
- 1930Wide Open as Office Worker
- 1930Burning Up as Sheriff
- 1929Dynamite as Store Proprietor
- 1929Big News as Telegraph Editor
- 1929Shanghai Rose as Reformer
- 1928Fools for Luck as Jim Simpson
- 1928Skinner's Big Idea as Gibbs
- 1928The Night Flyer as Freddy
- 1927Broadway Madness as Thomas
- 1927After Midnight as Sugar Daddy (uncredited)
- 1927Casey at the Bat as Farmer (uncredited)
- 1926The Marriage Clause as Secretary
- 1926For Heaven's Sake as Harold's Secretary (uncredited)
- 1925A Woman of the World as French-speaking party guest
- 1925The Last Edition as Yes Man
- 1925Kentucky Pride as Preacher (uncredited)
- 1924On the Stroke of Three as Jasper Saddler
- 1923The Extra Girl as Financier
- 1923Sixty Cents an Hour as Storekeeper
- 1923The Tiger's Claw as Army Officer
- 1923Nobody's Bride as Uncle Peter Standish
- 1922The Ninety and Nine as Abner Blake
- 1922Making a Man as Bailey
- 1921One a Minute as Rogers' Attorney (uncredited)
- 1921Traveling Salesman as Pierce Gill
- 1920The Fourteenth Man as Tidmarsh
- 1918Out of a Clear Sky as Father
- 1917Seven Keys to Baldpate as Clerk