Chuck Roberson
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Wagon Train
Junior
1957
Series
The Virginian
Wagon Driver
1962
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
Pike
1957
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
Rancher
1957
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
Man
1957
Series
Rawhide
Baxter
1959
Series
Daniel Boone
Dark Panther
1964
Series
Daniel Boone
Dutch
1964
Series
Daniel Boone
Shawnee Leader
1964
Series
Daniel Boone
Lige Henry
1964
Series
The Lucy Show
Fireman #1
1962
Series
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Brenner
1956
Series
Lawman
Stage Driver (uncredited)
1958
Series
Gunsmoke
Sgt. Keller
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Driver
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Joe
1955
Series
The Big Valley
Stage Driver
1965
Series
Lost in Space
Alien Fighter
1965
Series
Bat Masterson
Henchman about to be Sawn in Half
1958
Series
The Lone Ranger
Todd Gunder
1949
Series
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
Series
The Mod Squad
1968
Film
Spartacus
Slave (uncredited)
1960
Series
Lancer
Paul O'Brien
1968
Series
Laredo
1965
Film
The Searchers
Ranger at Wedding (uncredited)
1956
Film
Rio Bravo
Gunman (uncredited)
1959
Film
How the West Was Won
Officer (uncredited)
1962
Series
The Adventures of Kit Carson
Henchman Blake
1951
Series
The Adventures of Kit Carson
Henchman
1951
Series
The Adventures of Kit Carson
Deputy Trapp
1951
Film
El Dorado
Jason's Gunman
1966
Film
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Henchman (uncredited)
1962
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
Sam - Ranger #1
1954
Series
Mr. Terrific
Dawson
1967
Film
The Alamo
Tennesseean
1960
Film
The Big Country
Terrill Cowboy
1958
Film
Mail Order Bride
Saloon Brawler (uncredited)
1964
Film
Chisum
Trail Herder (uncredited)
1970
Film
Rio Grande
Officer / Indian Fires Arrow Into Col. York's Chest (uncredited)
1950
Film
The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin
Cook (uncredited)
1967
Film
Rio Lobo
Corporal in Baggage Car (uncredited)
1970
Film
McLintock!
Sheriff Jeff Lord
1963
Film
The Green Berets
Sgt. Griffin
1968
Series
Panic!
1957
Film
Cat Ballou
Armed Guard (uncredited)
1965
Film
Winchester '73
Long Tom (uncredited)
1950
Film
The Undefeated
Yankee Sergeant at River (uncredited)
1969
Film
Calamity Jane
Barfly (uncredited)
1953
Film
Big Jake
Texas Ranger (uncredited)
1971
Film
The Tall Men
Alva Jenkin (uncredited)
1955
Film
The War Wagon
Brown / Mustachioed guard at blown bridge
1967
Film
Nevada Smith
Deputy (uncredited)
1966
Film
Hondo
Kloori / Cavalry Sergeant Killed in Indian Attack (uncredited)
1953
Film
Donovan's Reef
Festus
1963
Film
The Sons of Katie Elder
Townsman (uncredited)
1965
Film
McQ
Santiago's Bodyguard (uncredited)
1974
Film
Cheyenne Autumn
Jessie (uncredited)
1964
Film
The Far Country
Latigo (uncredited)
1954
Film
Shenandoah
Rebel Commander with Mustache
1965
Film
Lady Godiva of Coventry
Soldier
1955
Film
The Rounders
Brawler (uncredited)
1965
Film
7 Men from Now
Mason
1956
Film
Two Rode Together
Comanche
1961
Film
Two Rode Together
Comanche (uncredited)
1961
Film
Man of the West
Rifleman-Guard on Train (uncredited)
1958
Film
Hellfighters
Firefighter in Plane (uncredited)
1968
Film
The Wonderful Country
Barton
1959
Film
Cahill: United States Marshal
Leader of Bunch
1973
Film
The Wings of Eagles
Officer (uncredited)
1957
Film
The Fighting Kentuckian
Militiaman (uncredited)
1949
Film
Night Passage
Roan
1957
Film
The Lusty Men
Cowboy
1952
Film
Sergeant Rutledge
Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)
1960
Film
The Stone Killer
Council Member (uncredited)
1973
Film
The King and Four Queens
Posseman
1956
Film
The Scalphunters
Scalphunter
1968
Film
Ten Wanted Men
Gunfighter (uncredited)
1955
Film
Wake of the Red Witch
Seaman
1948
Film
Shock Corridor
Wilkes
1963
Film
The Prodigal
Chieftain
1955
Film
The Flame
Policeman (uncredited)
1947
Film
Forty Guns
Howard Swain
1957
Film
The Great Locomotive Chase
Confederate Prison Captain (uncredited)
1956
Film
Blackbeard, the Pirate
Mounted Soldier
1952
Film
Way of a Gaucho
Gaucho
1952
Film
Run of the Arrow
Sergeant
1957
Film
The Hired Gun
Frank Cooper - Conroy Ranch Wrangler
1957
Film
Raiders of the Seven Seas
Spanish Officer (uncredited)
1953
Film
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd
Pirate (uncredited)
1952
Film
The Lone Gun
Luke (uncredited)
1954
Film
Blindfold
Fitzpatrick's Henchman
1966
Film
Advance to the Rear
Monk (uncredited)
1964
Film
Merrill's Marauders
Officer
1962
Film
Welcome to Hard Times
Miner Fighting Bert (uncredited)
1967
Film
The Rawhide Years
Johnny (uncredited)
1956
Film
Hi-Jacked
Police Officer (uncredited)
1950
Film
Gun Belt
Oliver
1953
Film
Black Spurs
Norton - Prisoner
1965
Film
Red Sundown
Henshaw's Man
1956
Film
The Capture
Employee (uncredited)
1950
Film
The Second Greatest Sex
Brawler (uncredited)
1955
Film
Hannah Lee: An American Primitive
Cowboy
1953
Film
The Plainsman and the Lady
Deputy (uncredited)
1946
Film
99 and 44/100% Dead
Gunman
1974
Film
The Western: A Lost TV Special
Self
1958
Film
Song of Scheherazade
Midshipman (uncredited)
1947
Film
Song of Scheherazade
Midshipman
1947
Film
Albuquerque
Man at Gambling Table (uncredited)
1948
Film
Sign of the Pagan
Mirrai
1954
Film
Buffalo Bill in Tomahawk Territory
Trooper (uncredited)
1952
Film
Timberjack
Lumberjack (uncredited)
1955
Film
Atom Man vs. Superman
Policeman on Road
1950
Film
Cow Country
Stubby (as Brett Houston)
1953
Film
Kentucky Rifle
Indian (uncredited)
1956
Film
Outcasts of Black Mesa
Kramer - Henchman (as Charles 'Chuck' Roberson)
1950
Film
Jubilee Trail
Man at Bar (uncredited)
1954
John Wayne's 'The Alamo'
Tennessean
1992
Film
Last of the Wild Horses
Deputy Chuck (uncredited)
1948
Film
The Blazing Forest
Lumberjack (uncredited)
1952
Film
Jesse James Rides Again
Lafe
1947
Film
Hellfire
Groper (uncredited)
1949
Film
Roughshod
Deputy (uncredited)
1949
Film
Indian Uprising
Taggart Man
1952
Film
Law of the Golden West
Wagon Driver (uncredited)
1949
Film
The Arizona Ranger
Henchman (uncredited)
1948
Film
Cattle Town
Rider
1952
Film
Smoky
Manuel
1966
Film
Smoky
Chuck - a Ranch Hand
1966
Film
Haunted Trails
Ed - Ranch Hand (uncredited)
1949
Film
The James Brothers of Missouri
Townsman (uncredited)
1949
Film
Stampede
Sandy (uncredited)
1949
Film
Homicide for Three
Joe - Policeman
1948
Film
Calendar Girl
Swedish Tug of War Man
1947
Film
Cow Town
Mike Grady - Henchman (as Charles Roberson)
1950
Film
California Firebrand
Gunman
1948
Film
Western Renegades
Jones (uncredited)
1949
Film
The Gallant Legion
Ranger
1948
Film
Hills of Oklahoma
Cowhand (uncredited)
1950
Film
Trail of the Rustlers
Bob - Henchman (uncredited)
1950