Robert Armstrong
- Birthday
- Nov 20, 1890
- Birthplace
- Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Bio: Robert Armstrong is familiar to old movie buffs for his case-hardened, rapid fire vocal delivery in typical roles as promotional schemers-agents-managers-and hard-boiled officials of many sorts in over 160 films. He spent a short hitch in the infantry during World War I. Armstrong originally decided to go into law and started its study at the University of… More
Bio: Robert Armstrong is familiar to old movie buffs for his case-hardened, rapid fire vocal delivery in typical roles as promotional schemers-agents-managers-and hard-boiled officials of many sorts in over 160 films. He spent a short hitch in the infantry during World War I. Armstrong originally decided to go into law and started its study at the University of Washington. But it was not too long-and perhaps influenced by his uncle the playwright and producer Paul Armstrong - before Armstrong decided that he had a gift for acting and preferred to follow that path.
About halfway through some ten films in which he appeared in 1928 alone, Armstrong was able to give voice in the short sound sequences of early mono films. His take-charge, off-the-back teeth delivery moved him into the roles that would make him one of the busiest character men in Hollywood. King Kong (1933) would put Armstrong at stage center. It was Armstrong's defining moment for similar leading man and second lead roles to come through the 1930s - and, of course, his moment of sure type casting. The Kong sequel, The Son of Kong (1933), followed immediately. All the studios wanted him, and what followed was a flood of usually good, crowd-pleasing, if B movie roles.
Armstrong increasingly went to the small screen through the 1950s. He was a familiar face on most of the TV playhouse programs of the period and did many of the episodic oaters and crime shows of the period. He received a great send-up as a guest of Red Skelton's variety show when the oft giggling host asked him, "Say, did you ever get that monkey off that building?"
Armstrong died of cancer on April 20, 1973 in Santa Monica, California.
Most Popular
Filmography
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My Favorite Spy (2013)
- Actor
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Kansas City Princess (2012)
- Actor
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Rock That Uke (2007)
- Actor
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Sixes and the One Eyed King (2006)
- Actor
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Rock That Uke (2003)
- Actor
- See all 75 films
Robert Armstrong Videos
King Kong
2 minutes 57 seconds
Return Of The Bad Men
29 seconds
Blood On The Sun
2 minutes 59 seconds
Nobody's Baby
3 minute
Paid
3 minutes 53 seconds
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