Robert Brubaker (October 9, 1916 – April 15, 2010) was an American character actor best known for his roles in television and movie westerns, including Gunsmoke and 40 Guns to Apache Pass.

Robert Brubaker
Brubaker in an episode of The Public Defender (1955)
Born(1916-10-09)October 9, 1916
DiedApril 15, 2010(2010-04-15) (aged 93)
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California
OccupationActor
Years active1936–1979

Early years

edit

Brubaker was born in Robinson, Illinois, on October 9, 1916, the son of George Brubaker.[1] His interest in acting developed when he was a student[2] at Robinson Township High School. He dropped out of Northwestern University after two years[1] and went to New York.[2]

Military service

edit

During World War II, Brubaker was an aircraft commander in the U.S. Army Air Force. Later, he served during the Berlin Airlift and during the Korean War he was a part of the Strategic Air Command.[2]

Career

edit

Brubaker debuted as a professional actor in Oh Say Can You Sing, Dance or Act (1936), a production of the Federal Theatre Project.[2] While he worked at radio station KMPC, Brubaker caught the attention of an executive of Paramount Pictures,[1] and his film debut came in a bit part in Blonde Alibi (1946).[2]

Brubaker portrayed a deputy in the syndicated television series U.S. Marshal.[3] He was the only actor to have two recurring roles on the television series, Gunsmoke,[4] portraying both a bartender named Floyd and a stagecoach driver named Jim Buck (often uncredited).[2] Some of Brubaker's other credits included the Rock Hudson film, Seconds, and television crime dramas The Walter Winchell File and Perry Mason, and the television police drama The Asphalt Jungle.

Later years

edit

After he left acting, Brubaker worked for Forest Lawn Cemetery as a director in the training department. When he retired from that job, he moved to Lake Elsinore, California.[1]

Death

edit

Brubaker died on April 15, 2010, at the age of 93 in Riverside, California. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, in Southern California.[4]

Partial filmography

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Goldrup, Tom and Jim (2012). The Encyclopedia of Feature Players of Hollywood, Volume 1. BearManor Media. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Lentz, Harris M. III (2011). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2010. McFarland. pp. 48–49. ISBN 9780786441754. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  3. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 1134. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  4. ^ a b Aaker, Everett (2017). Television Western Players, 1960-1975: A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland. p. 72. ISBN 9781476662503. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
edit