Chuck Roberson
Encyclopedia
Charles Hugh "Chuck" Roberson (May 10, 1919 – June 8, 1988) was an American cowboy, actor, and stuntman. He was nicknamed "Bad Chuck" by director John Ford
, for whom he worked many times, to distinguish him from "Good Chuck," stuntman Chuck Hayward
. Roberson was reportedly the rowdier of the two, thus the nicknames.
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 Fred Kennedy, who alerted him to a stunt job at Republic Pictures
. Roberson got the job, due both to his expert horsemanship and his resemblance to John Carroll
, whom Roberson doubled in his first picture, Wyoming (1947). His close physical resemblance to John Wayne
led to nearly 30 years as Wayne's stunt double. He often played small roles and stunted in other roles in the same film, which frequently resulted in his "shooting" himself once the picture was cut together. He graduated to larger supporting roles in westerns for Wayne and John Ford, and to a parallel career as a second-unit director.
In 1979 he published an autobiography entitled “The Fall Guy: 30 Years as the Duke's Double” (ISBN 088839036X). Roberson died of cancer in Bakersfield, California
and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, next to his brother, actor Lou Roberson.
John Ford
John Ford was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath...
, for whom he worked many times, to distinguish him from "Good Chuck," stuntman Chuck Hayward
Chuck Hayward
Charles B. Hayward was an American motion picture stuntman and actor. He was associated particularly with the films of John Wayne...
. Roberson was reportedly the rowdier of the two, thus the nicknames.
Roberson was born near Shannon, Texas
Shannon, Texas
Shannon is an unincorporated community on Farm to Market Road 175 20 miles southwest of Henrietta in far south central Clay County, Texas, United States, approximately 1/2 mile north of the Jack County line.-History:...
, the son of farmer Ollie W. Roberson and Jannie Hamm Roberson. Raised on cattle ranches in Shannon, Texas, and Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County in the southeastern quarter of the state of New Mexico, United States. The population was 48,366 at the 2010 census. It is a center for irrigation farming, dairying, ranching, manufacturing, distribution, and petroleum production. It is also...
, he left school at 13 to become a cowhand and oilfield roughneck. He married and took his wife and daughter to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 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.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
studios during a labor strike, he met stuntman Fred Kennedy, who alerted him to a stunt job at Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
. Roberson got the job, due both to his expert horsemanship and his resemblance to John Carroll
John Carroll (actor)
John Carroll was an American actor and singer. He was born Julian Lafaye in New Orleans, Louisiana....
, whom Roberson doubled in his first picture, Wyoming (1947). His close physical resemblance to John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
led to nearly 30 years as Wayne's stunt double. He often played small roles and stunted in other roles in the same film, which frequently resulted in his "shooting" himself once the picture was cut together. He graduated to larger supporting roles in westerns for Wayne and John Ford, and to a parallel career as a second-unit director.
In 1979 he published an autobiography entitled “The Fall Guy: 30 Years as the Duke's Double” (ISBN 088839036X). Roberson died of cancer in Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, next to his brother, actor Lou Roberson.