|
Pernell Elven Roberts, Jr. (May 18, 1928January 24, 2010) was an American stage, film and television actor, as well as a singer. In addition to guest starring in over 60 television series, he was best known for his roles as Ben Cartwright's eldest son Adam Cartwright on the Western TV series ''Bonanza'' (1959–1965), and as chief surgeon Dr. John McIntyre, the title character on ''Trapper John, M.D.'' (1979–1986).〔 〕 He was also known for his lifelong activism, which included participation in the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965〔 and pressuring NBC to refrain from hiring whites to portray minority characters. ==Early life== Roberts was born in 1928 in Waycross, Georgia, the only child of Pernell Elven Roberts, Sr. (1907–1980), a Dr Pepper salesman, and Minnie (Betty) Myrtle Morgan Roberts (1910–1988). During his high school years, Pernell played the horn, acted in school and church plays and sang in local USO shows. He attended, but did not graduate from, Georgia Tech. Enlisting in 1946, he served for two years in the United States Marine Corps. He played the tuba and horn in the Marine Corps Band, and he was also skilled at playing the sousaphone and percussion.〔 He later attended, also without graduating, the University of Maryland, where he had his first exposure to acting in classical theatre. He appeared in four productions while a student, including ''Othello'' and ''Antigone'', but left school to act in summer stock. In 1949, he made his professional stage debut with Moss Hart and Kitty Carlisle in ''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' at the Olney Theatre in Olney, Maryland. Later, he spent eight weeks at the Bryn Mawr College Theatre in Philadelphia, portraying Dan in Emlyn Williams' ''Night Must Fall'' and Alfred Doolittle in Bernard Shaw's ''Pygmalion''.〔''Washington Post'' Sept. 24, 1950 Page L2〕 Roberts moved to Washington, D.C. in 1950 and supported himself with a variety of jobs while performing with the Arena Stage Theater for two years. He performed in numerous productions, including Steinbeck's ''Burning Bright, The Adding Machine, The Firebrand, The Deletable Judge, The Taming of the Shrew'' ("Petruchio"), ''Playboy of the Western World, Children of Darkness, School for Wives, The Inspector General, The Glass Menagerie, Mr. Arcularis, Twelfth Night, The Scarecrow, The Importance of Being Earnest, Julius Caesar, She Stoops to Conquer, School for Scandal, Three Men on a Horse, Faith of Our Fathers'' (Sesquicentennial Amphitheatre) and ''Dark of the Moon''. He performed with the Port Players, in Milwaukee, in the comedy ''To Dorothy a Son,'' and other productions. "Roberts again is master of all situations, as he has been in the 9 previous productions of the season".〔Christopher Matthew, "Players Give Comedy Well", ''The Milwaukee Journal'', 1953〕 He performed with the Brattle Theatre's production of ''Othello'' and ''Henry IV Part I'', which was later brought to the New York City Center (''Playbill'', January 1957) and later, ''Guys and Dolls'' with the Cohassett Music Circus.〔Adrian Slifka, "Pernel Roberts Set To Portray Surgeon in New Comedy Drama", ''Youngstown Vindicator'', June 19, 1979, Pg.16〕 In 1952 he moved to New York City, where he appeared first off-Broadway in one-act operas and ballets with the North American Lyric Theatre, with the Shakespearewrights, at the Equity Library Theatre, and later on Broadway with performances in ''Tonight in Samarkand'' (also in Washington, D.C.) ''The Lovers'' opposite Joanne Woodward, and ''A Clearing in the Woods'' with Robert Culp and Kim Stanley. He won a Drama Desk Award in 1955 for his performance in an off-Broadway rendition of ''Macbeth'', which was followed by the role of Mercutio in ''Romeo and Juliet''. He performed in ''Twelfth Night, Merchant of Venice, Dr. Faustus, The Taming of the Shrew'' at the American Shakespeare Festival, and later on Broadway. He performed in ''St. Joan'' (1954, Cleveland), ''Down in the Valley'' (at the Provincetown Playhouse), ''The Duchess of Malfi, ''Measure for Measure'' and ''King John.'' . In 1956, he returned to the Olney Theatre, starring opposite Jan Farrand in ''Much Ado About Nothing'' with the "Players, Inc. Group".〔Richard L. Coe, "Big Season On For Shakespeare", ''The Washington Post and Times Herald''; July 8, 1956, pg, H3〕 The same year, Roberts made his television debut in the "Shadow of Suspicion" episode of ''Kraft Television Theater'', followed by guest- starring roles in ''Whirlybirds'', ''Gunsmoke'', ''Cimarron City'', ''Buckskin'', ''Sugarfoot'' and ''Cheyenne''.〔IMDB〕 He signed a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1957 and made his film debut a year later as one of Burl Ives' contentious sons in ''Desire Under the Elms'' (1958). The film was nominated for a Best Cinematography Academy Award. He also landed character roles in such features as ''The Sheepman.'' He continued to guest star on television shows such as episodes of ''Shirley Temple Storybook Theater'' (''The Emperor's New Clothes, Rumplestiltskin, The Sleeping Beauty,'' and ''Hiawatha''), the live-broadcast ''Matinee Theater'', where he starred again in Shakespeare's ''Much Ado About Nothing'', and in ''The Heart's Desire''. This was followed by appearances in ''Trackdown'', ''Buckskin'', and episodes of ''Zane Grey Theater''. Roberts guest-starred as Captain Jacques Chavez on the NBC adventure series ''Northwest Passage'' (1958), based on the life of Major Robert Rogers in the French and Indian War. He appeared with fellow guest star Fay Spain in the 1958 episode "Pick up the Gun" of ''Tombstone Territory'' and played the lead villain in the 31st episode ("Hey Boy's Revenge") of ''Have Gun – Will Travel'', portraying a killer boss exploiter of Chinese Coolie laborers.〔Bonanza Dcanary.com/Pernell〕 In 1959 Roberts guest starred in episodes of ''General Electric Theater'', ''Cimarron City, Sugarfoot, Lawman, One Step Beyond, Bronco, 77 Sunset Strip, The Detectives'' and ''House Call.''〔 Also in 1959, he co-starred with James Coburn in the film ''Ride Lonesome''. "If Roberts felt typecast by Westerns, they also provided his finest role in this film, arguably the greatest of the B-films, starring Randolph Scott and directed by Budd Boetticher. Roberts recognised the film's classic structure; his engaging outlaw, Sam Boone, counterpoints Scott's granite-faced Ben Brigade, maintaining the tension of whether they will work together or clash. He similarly played off James Coburn, who was making his film debut as Boone's quiet sidekick, Whit."〔 Michael Carlson, "Pernell Roberts: Versatile actor best known as Adam Cartwright of 'Bonanza'", ''The Independent'' 01 February 2010 (full text )〕 The same year he was cast in ''Bonanza''. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Pernell Roberts」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|