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]
Robert Nichols | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 20, 1924 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 21, 2013 (aged 88) Occidental, California, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1947–1993 |
| Spouse(s) | Jennifer Nichols (1950–2013; his death; 2 children) |
Life and career
editRobert 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
edit| 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 |
|
| 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
editReferences
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ Profile, filmreference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- ^ "Robert Nichols – Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
- ^ "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp – TV Guide". TV Guide.
- ^ "Robert Nichols". BFI. Archived from the original on June 16, 2019.
- ^ "Robert Nichols – Broadway Cast & Staff – IBDB". ibdb.com.