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Robert Nichols (actor)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other people named Robert Nichols, see Robert Nichols (disambiguation).
Robert Nichols
Born(1924-07-20)July 20, 1924
Oakland, California, U.S.
DiedMarch 21, 2013(2013-03-21) (aged 88)
Occidental, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
  • dancer
Years active1947–1993
Spouse(s)Jennifer Nichols (1950–2013; his death; 2 children)

Robert Nichols (July 20, 1924 – March 21, 2013) was an American character actor, singer, and dancer. His television, theater and film career spanned more than seventy years.[1]

Life and career

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Robert Nichols was born in Oakland, California, the son of Edna (née Beemer) and Ray D. Nichols, a real estate broker.[1][2] He began his career in entertainment as a student at Oakland High School.[1] Nichols enlisted with the U.S. Army during World War II, performing with the Special Services to entertain U.S. troops during the war.[1] He performed on domestic U.S. military bases and managed a jazz band in Japan during the post-war period.[1]

Nichols was awarded a scholarship for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, a drama school in London, following World War II.[1] He began performing on in theater while living in London. In 1949, Nichols made his film debut in I Was a Male War Bride, which was shot in West Germany.[1] He was deported from the United Kingdom soon after because he did not have a British work permit.[1]

In 1950, soon after his deportation, Nichols met his future wife, Jennifer, at her 19th birthday beach party near Malibu, California.[1] They became engaged after two dates and were married just two months later. Jennifer Nichols later worked as a film wardrobe supervisor.[1]

Nichols worked in American film and television throughout the 1950s.[3] In the episode "Doc Holliday Rewrites History" of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Nichols played a traveling photographer and historian.[4]

Nichols returned to the United Kingdom around 1960, where he appeared in British and European film, television and theater productions.[1][5] Nichols moved back to Los Angeles, California, in 1965.[1] He soon relocated to New York City, where he enjoyed a steady career on and off Broadway, notably the Broadway productions of The Man Who Came to Dinner, Man and Superman and Take Me Along.[1][6]

Nichols and his wife purchased property to build a home in Occidental, Sonoma County, California, in 1991.[1] He continued to act and perform until the early 2000s. His last theater role was in the musical Ragtime, appearing in Los Angeles, Chicago and Vancouver.[1]

Nichols died from heart failure at his Occidental home on March 21, 2013, at the age of 88.[1]

Filmography

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1940 Little Men Teddy Notes
1949 I Was a Male War Bride Motor Pool Mechanic Uncredited
1951 The Thing from Another World Lt. Ken MacPherson "Mac"
1951 Father Takes the Air Photographer Uncredited
1951 The Red Badge of Courage Fat Union Soldier Uncredited
1951 Disk Jockey Photographer Uncredited
1951 The Blue Veil Fred Begley, Jr. Uncredited
1952 Red Skies of Montana Felton Uncredited
1952 Hold That Line Harold Lane
1952 Jet Job Dynamo Jackson
1952 The Pride of St. Louis Eddie Uncredited
1952 Sally and Saint Anne Henry Uncredited
1952 Dreamboat Student Uncredited
1952 Monkey Business Garage Man Uncredited
1952 Battle Zone Marine Uncredited
1952 Eight Iron Men Walsh
1953 Battle Circus Pvt. Sommers Uncredited
1953 Julius Caesar Citizen of Rome Uncredited
1953 Dream Wife Elevator Boy Uncredited
1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Evans Uncredited
1953 Jennifer Orin
1954 The Command 2nd Lt. O'Hirons
1954 Prisoner of War Patrick Woodhope Uncredited
1954 The Student Prince Student at Duel Uncredited
1954 Johnny Dark Smitty
1954 The Bob Mathias Story Stanford Football Player Uncredited
1954 The Atomic Kid Bob Uncredited
1955 Tight Spot Boy Honeymooner Uncredited
1955 This Island Earth Joe Wilson
1956 Navy Wife Oscar
1956 Hold Back the Night Beany Smith
1956 Giant Mort 'Pinky' Snythe
1957 Don't Go Near the Water Lt. Cmdr. Hereford
1957 Bombers B-52 Wilbur 'Brooklyn' Stuart
1958 Imitation General Soldier Uncredited
1959 The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock Bank Manager
1962 Don't Bother to Knock American Sailor Uncredited
1962 The Amorous Prawn Sam Goulansky
1963 Follow the Boys Hulldown
1963 Come Fly with Me Nickerson Uncredited
1963 Call Me Bwana American Major
1963 The Victors 'The Squad' Member No. 5


2963 The Donna Reed Show as Mr. Moody in the ,Neighborly Gesture."

1963 Man in the Middle Lt. Harvey Bender
1964 The Yellow Rolls-Royce American Travel Agent Uncredited
1969 The Trouble with Girls Smith
1970 The Out-of-Towners Man in Airplane
1971 Escape from the Planet of the Apes Reporter Uncredited
1972 They Only Kill Their Masters Doctor Peterson
1972 Pete 'n' Tillie Party Guest Uncredited
1973 Wicked, Wicked Fred, Day Clerk
1973 Westworld 1st Male Interviewee Uncredited
1975 The Night They Robbed Big Bertha's Professor
1976 God Told Me To Fletcher
1983 Reuben, Reuben Harry Pycraft
1984 Billions for Boris Derelict
1993 So I Married an Axe Murderer Scottish Minister (final film role)

Discography

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Kovner, Guy (2013-03-26). "Robert Nichols". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  2. ^ Profile, filmreference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  3. ^ "Robert Nichols – Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
  4. ^ "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp – TV Guide". TV Guide.
  5. ^ "Robert Nichols". BFI. Archived from the original on June 16, 2019.
  6. ^ "Robert Nichols – Broadway Cast & Staff – IBDB". ibdb.com.
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