Biography
Charles Hugh Roberson (May 10, 1919 – June 8, 1988) was an American actor and stuntman. 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 Guy Teague, who alerted him to a stunt job at Republic Pictures. Teague had been John Wayne's stunt double for many years and was able to show him the ropes. Chuck also resembled John Carrol whom Roberson doubled in his first picture, Wyoming (1947). He played small roles and stunted in other roles in the same film. He graduated to larger supporting roles in Westerns for Wayne and John Ford, and to a parallel career as a second-unit director. His television appearances include The Lone Ranger, The Adventures of Kit Carson, Lawman, Death Valley Days, Have Gun – Will Travel, Laramie, Gunsmoke, The Virginian, Laredo, Bonanza, Daniel Boone, and The Big Valley. Roberson also appeared in Disney's television Westerns The Swamp Fox and Texas John Slaughter. They were part of The Wonderful World of Color. Before that, he portrayed a Confederate Prison Captain in The Great Locomotive Chase. In 1980 he published an autobiography, The Fall Guy: 30 Years as the Duke's Double. Roberson died of cancer on June 8, 1988, in Bakersfield, California, and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, California, next to his brother, actor Lou Roberson. Bob Dylan drew him as Long Tom in his Beaten Path series, the drawing is entitled "Untitled 1" and is based on a frame from the film Winchester '73 (1950). Roberson and Wayne Burson, another stuntman, were partners in breeding and training racehorses, with Roberson furnishing the horses from his Bakersfield, California, ranch and Burson training them.
Acted in 126
1970s
- 1974
99 and 44/100% Dead
Gunman
- 1973
The Stone Killer
Council Member (uncredited)
- 1971
- 1970
1960s
- 1969
- 1968
- 1967
Welcome to Hard Times
Miner Fighting Bert (uncredited)
Mr. Terrific
Dawson · 1 episode
- 1966
Smoky
Manuel, Chuck - a Ranch Hand
Blindfold
Fitzpatrick's Henchman
- 1965
Black Spurs
Norton - Prisoner
The Rounders
Brawler (uncredited)
- 1964
Cheyenne Autumn
Jessie (uncredited)
Advance to the Rear
Monk (uncredited)
- 1963
- 1962
- 1961
Two Rode Together
Comanche, Comanche (uncredited)
- 1960
Sergeant Rutledge
Court-Martial Board Member (uncredited)
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
- 1957
The Hired Gun
Frank Cooper - Conroy Ranch Wrangler
Run of the Arrow
Sergeant
Panic!
TV
The Wings of Eagles
Officer (uncredited)
- 1956
The Rawhide Years
Johnny (uncredited)
The Great Locomotive Chase
Confederate Prison Captain (uncredited)
Red Sundown
Henshaw's Man
- 1955
The Second Greatest Sex
Brawler (uncredited)
The Prodigal
Chieftain
Timberjack
Lumberjack (uncredited)
- 1954
Sign of the Pagan
Mirrai
Jubilee Trail
Man at Bar (uncredited)
- 1953
Gun Belt
Oliver
Hannah Lee: An American Primitive
Cowboy
Cow Country
Stubby (as Brett Houston)
- 1952
The Blazing Forest
Lumberjack (uncredited)
The Lusty Men
Cowboy
Cattle Town
Rider
Buffalo Bill in Tomahawk Territory
Trooper (uncredited)
Indian Uprising
Taggart Man
- 1951
- 1950
Atom Man vs. Superman
Policeman on Road
Hills of Oklahoma
Cowhand (uncredited)
Cow Town
Mike Grady - Henchman (as Charles Roberson)
Outcast of Black Mesa
Kramer - Henchman (as Charles 'Chuck' Roberson)
The Capture
Employee (uncredited)
Trail of the Rustlers
Bob - Henchman (uncredited)
1940s
- 1949
Western Renegades
Jones (uncredited)
The James Brothers of Missouri
Townsman (uncredited)
Haunted Trails
Ed - Ranch Hand (uncredited)
Hellfire
Groper (uncredited)
Law of the Golden West
Wagon Driver (uncredited)
- 1948
Wake of the Red Witch
Seaman
Last of the Wild Horses
Deputy Chuck (uncredited)
Homicide for Three
Joe - Policeman
The Gallant Legion
Ranger
The Arizona Ranger
Henchman (uncredited)
California Firebrand
Gunman
- 1947
Song of Scheherazade
Midshipman (uncredited), Midshipman
Calendar Girl
Swedish Tug of War Man
- 1946
The Plainsman and the Lady
Deputy (uncredited)
Other crew 51
1980s
- 1989
1970s
- 1978
FM
Stunts
- 1976
- 1975
Rooster Cogburn
Stunt Double
Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze
Stunts
- 1974
99 and 44/100% Dead
Stunts
- 1973
- 1970
1960s
- 1969
Hard Contract
Stunts
- 1968
- 1967
- 1966
- 1965
The War Lord
Stunts
- 1964
Rio Conchos
Stunts
Cheyenne Autumn
Stunts
- 1962
- 1961
Two Rode Together
Stunts
- 1960
Sergeant Rutledge
Stunts
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
- 1957
Run of the Arrow
Stunts
The Wings of Eagles
Stunts
- 1956
The Conqueror
Stunts
- 1955
The Prodigal
Stunts
- 1954
- 1953
Hannah Lee: An American Primitive
Stunt Double
- 1952
The Lusty Men
Stunts
- 1950
Atom Man vs. Superman
Stunts
1940s
- 1949
- 1948
Angel on the Amazon
Stunts
- 1947
Directed 2
1960s
- 1969
Appearances1
1950s
- 1958
The Western: A Lost TV Special
Self