IMDb.com Web Page for Robert ArmstrongIBDB.com; Internet Broadway Database; Listings of Broadway Productions in Which Robert Armstrong Appeared.Find A Grave Memorial Page for Robert ArmstrongWikipedia Page for Robert Armstrong"Jimmy Lydon on Robert Armstrong", excerpt from the book, "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" by Tom Weaver, pp 5-14."Players at Play" (1929); Robert Armstrong is among the Pathe Studio actors and actresses profiled; Robert is shown in a clip from the silent movie, "Celebrity" (1928), where he plays boxer "Kid Reagan"; NOTE: there may be no copy of "Celebrity" available, so this footage may be all that is left of the movie.View the entire movie, "Big News" (1929), on Archive.org. Click the "Play" button to view the movie. Robert Armstrong played the role of "Steve Banks". Carole Lombard, billed as "Carol Lombard", also starred in the film.View the Entire Movie "The Racketeer" (1929) on Archive.org; Click "Play" Button to View Movie.View the Movie "Danger Lights" (1930) on Archive.org; Click on "Play" Button to View Movie. Note: About Twenty Minutes of this Movie Have Been Omitted Between the "Dance" Scene and the "Washout" Scene; It is During this Time that Mary and Larry's Love Story is Told..From "Milwaukee Magazine", October, 1930. Cover story about the movie, "Danger Lights" (1930). The cover photo is from the shooting location of the movie. The extensive article, which runs from pages 1 to 5, contains numerous black and white photos taken during the making of the film. Robert Armstrong starred as "Larry Doyle", Jean Arthur as "Mary Ryan", Louis Wolheim as "Dan Thorn" and Hugh Herbert as "Professor, the Hobo".Webpage from "Legendary Joan Crawford" Website Pertaining to the Movie, "Paid" (1930), Co-Starring Robert Armstrong; webpage contains plot synopsis, trivia, reviews and photos.In-depth examination of the 1931 radio program, "Knights of the Road", starring Robert Armstrong and James Gleason, as given on the website, "The Digital Deli Too".View the Entire Movie "The Most Dangerous Game" (1932) on Archive.org; Click "Play" Button to View Movie.View the Entire Movie, "Palooka" (1934), on Archive.org; Click "Play" Button to View Movie.Live performance of an original Lux Radio play, "Is Zat So", starring James Cagney as A. B. "Hap" Hurley and Robert Armstrong in the role of "Eddie 'Chick' Cowan". Broadcast September 7, 1936. Robert Armstrong played the role of "Cowan" in the Broadway production of the stage play which ran during 1925-26. The play also ran in London, England with Armstrong playing "Cowan" and James Gleason, the play's co-author, playing the role of "Hurley".Article from AV Web about the Pasped Skylark airplane that was used in the 1936 movie, "Without Orders" which starred Robert Armstrong as "Wad. Madison" and Sally Eilers.View the Entire Movie "With Words and Music" (aka "The Girl Said No") (1937) on Archive.org; Click on "Play" Button to View Movie.View the Entire Movie "Let's Get Tough" (1942) on Archive.org; Click "Play" Button to View Movie. Robert Armstrong played the role of "Officer 'Pops' Stevens". View the Entire Movie "Baby Face Morgan" (1942) on Google Video. Robert Armstrong played the role of "'Doc' Rogers".View the entire movie, "Blood on the Sun" (1944). Robert Armstrong played the role of "Col. Hideki Tojo".View Part I/V of "Incident Before Black Pass" from the TV Show, "Rawhide", Originally Broadcast May 19, 1961 (Season 3, Episode 27); Robert Armstrong Played the Role of "Stone"; To See the Next Four Segments, Look to the Right on the Youtube Screen to Find the Next Installment."He Was Their Stage Coach", by Michael F.Blake, May 28, 1999. Article about director John Ford's staging of the play, "What Price Glory?" in 1949. Robert Armstrong was one of the many stars participating.Bay-Journal, Bay County, MI; Webpage re: Rolf Armstrong (1889-1960), Famous Artist and Uncle of Robert Armstrong; Armstrong Family History Data.Bay-Journal, Bay County, MI; Webpage re: Series of Articles from the Bay City Daily Tribune (MI) and the HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY MICHIGAN Regarding Robert Armstrong's Grandfather, Richard, His Father, William, Richard's 19th Century Boating Business, and Other Armstrong Family Members.
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Flixster members are collaborating to create the definitive resource for Robert Armstrong information on the Internet. We're adding all the images, info, and ideas that best tell this actor's unique story. To add your knowledge of Robert Armstrong, just log in and click the EasyEdit button at the top of the wiki pages. (Click here for help.) |  Robert Armstrong mini-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.
| VITAL STATS | Robert Armstrong Information:
|  | Eye color: Brown; hair color: dark brown. |
| | Height: 5'10", weight 160 lbs. |
| | Nickname(s): Bob |
| | Notable feature(s): Athletic physique. No-nonsense delivery of his lines and tough-guy attitude. |
| | Education: University of Washington (studied law, but did not graduate; left school to go into acting). Joined the glee club, played the ukulele, and organized a student dramatic club. |
| | Family: Married: 1) Peggy Allenby: 1919? - 4/1925 (div.). 2) Jeanne Kent: June, 1926, London, England - July 27, 1931, California (div.). 3) Gladys DuBois: Jan. 10, 1936, Yuma, AZ - Dec. 31, 1939 (div.); Gladys and Robert separated in Mar., 1938; 4) Claire Louise Frisbie Armstrong (the former wife of Robert's uncle, Rolf Armstrong) Jan. 1, 1940 - Apr. 20, 1973 (Robert's death). Robert's family was originally from Saginaw and Bay City, Michigan. His parents were William and Mina ("Minnie") (nee Lahman) Armstrong. He was the nephew of playwright Paul Armstrong and the nephew of Rolf (born John Scott) Armstrong, the famous artist. Robert was an only child. He was of Scottish ancestry. |
| | Resides in: In 1929, Robert Armstrong and his wife, actress Jeanne Kent Armstrong (who had used the stage name, "Ethel Kent"), were living in the 1900 block of North Alexandria Avenue in Los Angeles. (Source: 1929 Los Angeles City Directory) The house is still standing. In 1930, Robert and Jeanne were listed as living in the 1300 block of North Crescent Heights Blvd., in Los Angeles. This building appears to still be standing and is an apartment building. (Source for address: U.S. Census, 1930, enumeration district 19-831, Los Angeles County, Beverly Hills Township, Crescent Precincts 3&4.) In the early 1930s, Robert built an authentic Mexican hacienda residence in the Coldwater Canyon section of Beverly Hills. In the book, Edith Head by David Chierichetti, p. 145, it states: "In 1951, the Ihnens [Bill Ihnen and Edith Head] moved into their famous house, Casa Ladera. It appealed to Bill because it was real Spanish hacienda with thick adobe walls, built originally in the 1930s for actor Robert Armstrong by real laborers imported from Mexico. Bette Davis had owned it afterwards and added a small wing off the kitchen for her mother." The address of this house is 1700 Coldwater Canyon Rd. It is currently the home of actress Carrie Fisher. (Source: seeing-stars.com) In January, 1946, Robert lists his and his wife, Claire Louise's, residence as the 1600 block of Lindacrest Dr., Beverly Hills, CA. (Source document from Ancestry.com) In 1950, he was still living at the Linda Crest (sic) address according to the Beverly Hills (1950) City and Telephone Directory. In 1952, Robert bought a home in the Will Rogers Estates in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, CA and apparently still resided there at the time of his death (Starlog, April 2006, p. 65). |
| | Religious affiliations: |
| | Political affiliation: According to the "Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 1632, Los Angeles County, California, 1936", Robert Armstrong was registered as: "Armstrong, Robert, 1700 Coldwater Canyon Drive, Actor, D". The letter "D" stands for "Democrat". |
| | Personal interests/hobbies: Golf; squash. Was Harlequin (President) of the Masquers, 1940, a Hollywood social club for actors. |
| | Charities/Causes: |
| Other: BIRTH: Born Robert William Armstrong (source: 1900 U.S. Federal Census; WWI Civilian Draft Registrations about Robert William Armstrong).
MILITARY SERVICE: Served in the Army in World War I. Enlisted in the infantry as a Private, emerged as a First Lt. (Source: Hollywood Players, The Thirties, by James Robert Parish and William T. Leonard, p. 34.)
BURIAL: Supposedly buried at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, CA, in the Garden of Roses, unmarked. The Garden of Roses is for the communal burial of ashes (see above link for Find A Grave). However, according to the article, "Thrills of a Lifetime" by Jimmy Lydon, Robert's friend, and Tom Weaver, in Starlog magazine, April 2006, p. 65, Robert's ashes were scattered in a location that is still unknown to Lydon.
ENGAGEMENT: According to Robert's friend, Jimmy Lydon, Robert was once briefly engaged to actress Carole Lombard (source: Starlog magazine, April 2006, p. 63).
HOBBIES: Golf; squash. (source: the 1936-1937 edition of the International Motion Picture Almanac p 112. ) |
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