Robert F. Kortman (December 24, 1887 – March 13, 1967) was an American film actor mostly associated with

westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

, though he also appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy comedies. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1914 and 1952.

Biography

The son of a rancher, Kortman was born in

Brackettville, Texas Brackettville is a city in Kinney County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,688 at the 2010 census, down from 1,876 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kinney County. History Founded in 1852 as "Las Moras" (the name of a nearb ...

, in 1887. He spent six years in the U.S. cavalry. Director Tom Ince cast Kortman as a villain when he began working in films in 1911, and he went on to become the "favored on-screen opponent" for

William S. Hart William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) was an American silent film actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is remembered as a foremost Western star of the silent era who "imbued all of his characters with honor and inte ...

with regard to their film fights. After he left acting, Kortman was president of a cooperative water company in Arrowhead Springs, California, where he lived. Kortman was married to Gonda Durand, a

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...

bathing beauty. He died in

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

from cancer.

Selected filmography

* '' The Narrow Trail'' (1917) * '' Through the Wrong Door'' (1919) * ''

The Great Radium Mystery ''The Great Radium Mystery'' is a 1919 American silent adventure film serial directed by Robert Broadwell and Robert F. Hill. This serial is now considered a lost film. Cast * Cleo Madison as Countess Nada * Bob Reeves as Jack Turner (credite ...

'' (1919) * ''

Godless Men ''Godless Men'' is a 1920 American silent adventure drama film directed by Reginald Barker and produced and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures. It stars Russell Simpson and James "Jim" Mason as a father and son. It is based on a Saturday Evening ...

'' (1920) * '' Winners of the West'' (1921) * ''

Travelin' On ''Travelin' On'' is an album by the jazz pianist Oscar Peterson and his trio, released in 1968. It was recorded during the same sessions as '' Mellow Mood''. It was the sixth part of Peterson's '' Exclusively for My Friends'' series. Music The ...

'' (1922) * '' The Lone Hand'' (1922) * '' Another Man's Boots'' (1922) * '' The Shock'' (1923) * '' All the Brothers Were Valiant'' (1923) * ''

His Last Race ''His Last Race'' is a 1923 American film starring Australian actor Reginald Leslie "Snowy" Baker. It was billed as a "thrill-o-drama" with a story written around action scenes. Plot A horse is about to take its last race. Gangsters try to ensu ...

'' (1923) * '' The White Sheep'' (1924) * ''

The Temptress ''The Temptress'' is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film directed by Fred Niblo and starring Greta Garbo, Antonio Moreno, Lionel Barrymore, and Roy D'Arcy. It premiered on October 10, 1926. The film melodrama was based on a novel by ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Eagle of the Sea ''The Eagle of the Sea'' is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Frank Lloyd, starring Florence Vidor and featuring Boris Karloff in an uncredited role. Incomplete prints of the film exist. Cast See also * List of American films of ...

'' (1926) * ''

Unseen Enemies ''Unseen Enemies'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Al Hoxie and Claire Anderson.Langman, p. 479 Cast * Al Hoxie as 'Happened-Along' Meredith * Claire Anderson as Doris Davenport * Catherine Craig ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Devil Horse ''The Devil Horse'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code movie serial starring Harry Carey, Frankie Darro and Noah Beery, Sr. that was distributed by Mascot Pictures. This is regarded as the best of the three serials Harry Carey made in the early 1930s ...

'' (1926) * '' Duck Soup'' (1927) * '' Hills of Peril'' (1927) * '' The Noose'' (1928) * ''

Four Sons ''Four Sons'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed and produced by John Ford and written for the screen by Philip Klein from a story by I. A. R. Wylie first published in the '' Saturday Evening Post'' as "Grandmother Bernle Learns Her ...

'' (1928) * '' Fleetwing'' (1928) * '' The Black Watch'' (1929) * ''

Devil-May-Care Devil May Care may refer to: Music * ''Devil May Care'', an album by Bob Dorough, 1956 ** "Devil May Care", the title song, covered by Jamie Cullum on '' Pointless Nostalgic'', 2002 * ''Devil May Care'' (album), by Teri Thornton, 1961 * ''Devil M ...

'' (1929) * ''

Bear Shooters ''Bear Shooters'' is a 1930 '' Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 98th (tenth talking) '' Our Gang'' short that was released. Plot Spud wants to go camping and shoot many bears with Jackie, Chubby, and Farin ...

'' (1930) * ''

The Lone Defender ''The Lone Defender'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code Mascot serial film starring Rin Tin Tin. It was Mascot's first all-sound serial (the second to have any sound at all, after the partial sound in '' The King of the Kongo''). It was Rin Tin Tin' ...

'' (1930) * ''

Women Everywhere ''Women Everywhere'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code musical adventure film directed by Alexander Korda and starring J. Harold Murray, Fifi D'Orsay, and George Grossmith, Jr. It is set amongst the French Foreign Legion in North Africa. The fi ...

'' (1930) * '' Trader Horn'' (1931) (scenes deleted) * ''

The Vanishing Legion ''The Vanishing Legion'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western film serial from Mascot, directed by Ford Beebe and B. Reeves Eason. Stars Harry Carey and Edwina Booth were originally intended to be in the studio's previous serial, '' King of th ...

'' (1931) * ''

The Lightning Warrior ''The Lightning Warrior'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code Mascot movie serial starring Rin Tin Tin in his last role. It is regarded as one of the better Mascot serials. A number of the production's outdoor action sequences were filmed on the rocky ...

'' (1931) * ''

Pardon Us ''Pardon Us'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Laurel and Hardy film. It was the duo's first starring feature-length comedy film, produced by Hal Roach and Stan Laurel, directed by James Parrott, and originally distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1 ...

'' (1931) * '' The Last Parade'' (1931) * ''

Beau Hunks ''Beau Hunks'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code Laurel and Hardy film, directed by James W. Horne. The title is a reference to the Beau Geste trilogy (''Beau Geste'' (1924), ''Beau Sabreur'' (1926) and ''Beau Ideal'' (1927) and the Hollywood films ...

'' (1931) * ''

The Fighting Fool ''The Fighting Fool'' is a 1932 American pre-Code Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and released by Columbia Pictures starring Tim McCoy, Marceline Day, and William V. Mong. Cast * Tim McCoy as Sheriff Tim Collins * Marceline Day as J ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Last of the Mohicans ''The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757'' is a historical romance written by James Fenimore Cooper in 1826. It is the second book of the ''Leatherstocking Tales'' pentalogy and the best known to contemporary audiences. '' The Pathfinder ...

'' (1932) * ''

Come On, Tarzan ''Come On, Tarzan'' is a 1932 American pre-Code western film starring Ken Maynard, Merna Kennedy, and Niles Welch. A ranch foreman at odds with his female boss, fights outlaws who are killing horses for dog food.Taliaferro, John (2002). ''Ta ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Pride of the Legion ''The Pride of the Legion'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime film directed by Ford Beebe Ford Beebe (November 26, 1888 – November 26, 1978) was a screenwriter and director. He entered the film business as a writer around 1916 and over the n ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Whispering Shadow ''The Whispering Shadow'' is a 1933 American pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Pictur ...

'' (1933) * ''

Before Midnight ''Before Midnight'' is a 2013 American romantic drama film directed by Richard Linklater, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. The sequel to ''Before Sunrise'' (1995) and ''Before Sunset'' (2004), it is the third instal ...

'' (1933) * ''

The Midnight Patrol ''The Midnight Patrol'' is a short American pre-Code comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy released August 3, 1933. Plot Laurel and Hardy play two policemen on night patrol, hence the title. They are given instructions to investigate a reporte ...

'' (1933) * '' The Fugitive'' (1933) * '' Rainbow Ranch'' (1933) * '' Mystery Mountain'' (1934) * ''

The Miracle Rider ''The Miracle Rider'' is a 1935 American Western film serial directed by B. Reeves Eason and Armand Schaefer for Mascot. It stars silent movie cowboy star Tom Mix in his last major film role. Plot summary Zaroff ( Charles Middleton), a rancher ...

'' (1935) * ''

Lawless Range ''Lawless Range'' is a 1935 American Western film released by Republic Pictures, directed by Robert N. Bradbury and starring John Wayne. He appears as a "singing cowboy" in the film, with his singing voice dubbed by Glenn Strange, who later ...

'' (1935) * ''

Wild Mustang The mustang is a free-roaming horse of the Western United States, descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but because they are descended from once-domesticated animals, they ...

'' (1935) * ''

The Lonely Trail ''The Lonely Trail'' is a 1936 American Western film starring John Wayne and Ann Rutherford. Plot Though he fought for the North in the Civil War, John is asked by the Governor of Texas to get rid of some troublesome carpetbaggers. He enlists ...

'' (1936) * ''

Winds of the Wasteland ''Winds of the Wasteland'' is a 1936 Western film directed by Mack V. Wright and starring John Wayne and Phyllis Fraser. The film was released by Republic Pictures. The film was later released in a colorized version on home video/dvd under t ...

'' (1936) * ''

The Vigilantes Are Coming ''The Vigilantes Are Coming'' is a 1936 American Republic film serial directed by Ray Taylor and Mack V. Wright. It was the third of the sixty six serials made by Republic Pictures (and the third released in 1936). This serial was filmed betwee ...

'' (1936) * ''

Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island Robinson may refer to: People and names * Robinson (name) Fictional characters * Robinson Crusoe, the main character, and title of a novel by Daniel Defoe, published in 1719 Geography * Robinson projection, a map projection used since the 1960 ...

'' (1936) * ''

Romance Rides the Range ''Romance Rides the Range'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Harry L. Fraser and written by Tom Gibson. The film stars Fred Scott, Cliff Nazarro, Marion Shilling, Buzz Barton, Bob Kortman and Theodore Lorch. The film was released ...

'' (1936) * ''

Wild West Days ''Wild West Days'' (1937) is a Universal film serial based on a Western novel by W. R. Burnett. Directed by Ford Beebe and Clifford Smith and starring Johnny Mack Brown, George Shelley, Lynn Gilbert, Frank Yaconelli, Bob Kortman, Russell Simp ...

'' (1937) * '' Luck of Roaring Camp'' (1937) * ''

Anything for a Thrill ''Anything for a Thrill'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Joseph O'Donnell and Stanley Lowenstein. The film stars Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, June Johnson, Ann Evers, Johnstone White and Horace Murphy. ...

'' (1937) * '' Sandflow'' (1937) * '' Texas Trail'' (1937) * ''

The Oklahoma Kid ''The Oklahoma Kid'' is a 1939 Western film starring James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. The film was directed for Warner Bros. by Lloyd Bacon. Cagney plays an adventurous gunslinger in a broad-brimmed cowboy hat while Bogart portrays his blac ...

'' (1939) as Juryman (uncredited) * ''

Adventures of Red Ryder ''The Adventures of Red Ryder'' is a 1940 12-chapter Republic movie serial directed by William Witney and John English and starring Don "Red" Barry and Noah Beery, Sr., based on the Western comic strip '' Red Ryder''. This serial is t ...

'' (1940) * ''

Lady from Louisiana ''Lady from Louisiana'' is a 1941 American Western film starring John Wayne and Ona Munson. It was produced and directed by Bernard Vorhaus. The Louisiana State Lottery Company organizes a lottery in 1890s New Orleans, with lottery funds used ...

'' (1941) * ''

The Lone Rider Rides On ''The Lone Rider Rides On'' is a 1941 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars George Houston as the Lone Rider and Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones, with Hillary Brooke, Karl Hac ...

'' (1941) * ''

Fugitive Valley ''Fugitive Valley'' is a 1941 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby. The film is the eighth in Monogram Pictures' "Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" King as Dusty and Max "Alibi" Terhune as ...

'' (1941) * ''

Thundering Hoofs ''Thundering Hoofs'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and starring Tim Holt. It was the first of many films Holt made with Selander.Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, ''The RKO Story.'' New Rochelle, New York: Arlington ...

'' (1942) * ''

Days of Old Cheyenne ''Days of Old Cheyenne'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by Elmer Clifton and starring Don 'Red' Barry, Lynn Merrick and William Haade.Martin p.306 The film's art direction is by Russell Kimball. Cast * Don 'Red' Barry as Clint Ros ...

'' (1943) * ''

Black Hills Express ''Black Hills Express'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by John English and starring Don 'Red' Barry, Wally Vernon and Ariel Heath.Martin p.306 The film's art direction was by Russell Kimball. Partial cast * Don 'Red' Barry as L ...

'' (1943) * ''

Lucky Cowboy ''Lucky Cowboy'' is a 1944 American two-reel Western (genre), Western film directed by Josef Berne using a screenplay by Robert Stephen Brode. The film starred Eddie Dew, Julie Gibson, Bob Kortman, and LeRoy Mason. External links

* 1944 f ...

'' (1944) * ''

Stagecoach Outlaws ''Stagecoach Outlaws'' is a 1945 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Fred Myton. The film stars Buster Crabbe, Al St. John, Frances Gladwin, Ed Cassidy, I. Stanford Jolley and Kermit Maynard. The film was released on ...

'' (1945)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kortman, Bob 1887 births 1967 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Male actors from Texas Deaths from cancer in California Male Western (genre) film actors 20th-century American male actors