Robert W. Tessier (June 2, 1934 – October 11, 1990) was an American actor and

stuntman A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...

who was best known for playing heavy, menacing characters in films and on television.

Early life

Born in

Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as of ...

, of

Abenaki The Abenaki (Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was predom ...

and French descent, Tessier served as a

paratrooper A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...

in the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

earning both a

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

and

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...

Performing career

Tessier was an accomplished

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

rider doing stunts in the circus. These skills helped him secure his first film role in ''

The Born Losers ''The Born Losers'' is a 1967 American outlaw biker film.Gary A. Smith, ''The American International Pictures Video Guide'', McFarland 2009 p 32 The film introduced Tom Laughlin as the half-Indian Green Beret Vietnam veteran Billy Jack. Since 19 ...

'' directed by

Tom Laughlin Thomas Robert Laughlin Jr. (August 10, 1931 – December 12, 2013) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, author, educator, and activist. Laughlin was best known for his series of ''Billy Jack'' films. He was married to actress De ...

. With his shaven head, size and threatening appearance, Tessier went on to play a series of villainous roles on both TV and in film. Tessier starred as the menacing convict "Connie Shokner" in the 1974 comedy-drama '' The Longest Yard'' with

Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...

(whom he counted as one of his friends) and as Kevin in '' The Deep''. He also played alongside

Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his "granite features and brawny physique," he gained international fame for his starring roles in action, Western, and war ...

, as a bare knuckle fighter in the film '' Hard Times'' and as a main villain in '' Breakheart Pass''. In his spare time, Tessier was an accomplished

cabinet maker A cabinet is a case or cupboard with shelves and/or drawers for storing or displaying items. Some cabinets are stand alone while others are built in to a wall or are attached to it like a medicine cabinet. Cabinets are typically made of wood (s ...

often making pieces for his co-stars.

Death

Tessier died of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

October 11, 1990, aged 56. He was survived by his six children, mother and two sisters.

Filmography

* ''

'' (1967) – Cueball (as Robert W. Tessier) * ''

The Glory Stompers ''The Glory Stompers'' is a 1967 outlaw biker film. Plot After a standoff between two biker gangs in California, members of the Black Souls, led by the vicious and unstable Chino (Dennis Hopper) ambush Darryl (Jody McCrea), leader of the Glory S ...

'' (1967) – Magoo * ''

The Sidehackers : ''You may have been looking for Five the Hard Way (Prison Break episode)'' ''The Sidehackers'' (also known as ''Five the Hard Way'') is a 1969 American action film about motorcycle racing with a twist. Each motorcycle has a sidehack (a sidecar ...

'' (1968) – Jake (as Bob Tessier) * ''

Run, Angel, Run! ''Run, Angel, Run!'' is a 1969 film directed by Jack Starrett and starring William Smith and Valerie Starrett. It was the 17th highest-grossing film of 1969.

'' (1969) – Gang Leader (uncredited) * ''

Five the Hard Way : ''You may have been looking for Five the Hard Way (Prison Break episode)'' ''The Sidehackers'' (also known as ''Five the Hard Way'') is a 1969 American action film about motorcycle racing with a twist. Each motorcycle has a sidehack (a sidecar w ...

'' (1969) – Jake (as Bob Tessier) * ''The Babysitter'' (1969) – Laurence Mackey * ''

Cry Blood, Apache ''Cry Blood, Apache'' is a 1970 Western (genre)#Film, western film directed by Jack Starrett and assistant director Robert Tessier. The film released by Liberty Entertainment was from an original story by Harold Roberts with a screenplay by Sea ...

'' (1970) – Two Card Charlie * ''

The Hard Ride ''The Hard Ride'' is a 1971 action film about a U.S. Marine who promises to take care of a dead friend's motorcycle and is threatened by a rival Motorcycle club, biker gang in the process. The film was written and directed by Burt Topper and star ...

'' (1971) * ''The Jesus Trip'' (1971) – Duncan * ''

Private Duty Nurses ''Private Duty Nurses'' is a 1971 American film written and directed by George Armitage. It is a sequel to '' The Student Nurses'' (1970) for New World Pictures. Roger Corman says they got the idea for the title after being sent a letter of compla ...

'' (1971) – Super bouncer * ''Outlaw Riders'' (1971) – Beans (as Bob Tessier) * ''

The Velvet Vampire ''The Velvet Vampire'', also known as ''Cemetery Girls'', is a 1971 American vampire film directed by Stephanie Rothman. It stars Celeste Yarnall, Michael Blodgett, Sherry Miles, Gene Shane, Jerry Daniels, Sandy Ward, and Paul Prokop. It has been ...

'' (1971) – Biker (as Bob Tessier) * ''Gentle Savage'' (1973) – Greywolf * '' The Longest Yard'' (1974) – Connie Shokner * ''How Come Nobody's on Our Side?'' (1975) – Bike Rider (as Bob Tessier) * '' Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze'' (1975) – Dutchman * '' Hard Times'' (1975) – Jim Henry * '' Breakheart Pass'' (1975) – Levi Calhoun * '' The Deep'' (1977) – Kevin * ''

Another Man, Another Chance ''Another Man, Another Chance'' (''Un autre homme, une autre chance'', UK title: ''Another Man, Another Woman'') is a 1977 French western film directed by Claude Lelouch. Plot France in 1870: Napoleon III has just lost the war against Prussia ...

'' (1977) – Blacksmith * '' Hooper'' (1978) – Amtrac * '' Starcrash'' (1979) – Chief Thor * '' The Villain'' (1979) – Mashing Finger * ''

Steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

'' (1979) – Cherokee * ''

The Cannonball Run ''The Cannonball Run'' is a 1981 action comedy film. It was directed by Hal Needham, produced by Hong Kong's Golden Harvest films, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Filmed in Panavision, it features an all-star ensemble cast, including Burt ...

'' (1981) – Biker (as Bob Tessier) * ''

The Sword and the Sorcerer ''The Sword and the Sorcerer'' is a 1982 American sword and sorcery fantasy film co-written and directed by Albert Pyun, and starring Lee Horsley, Kathleen Beller, Simon MacCorkindale, George Maharis, Richard Lynch, and Richard Moll. The plot ...

'' (1982) – Verdugo * ''

Double Exposure In photography and cinematography, a multiple exposure is the superimposition of two or more exposures to create a single image, and double exposure has a corresponding meaning in respect of two images. The exposure values may or may not be ide ...

'' (1982) – Bartender * '' The Lost Empire'' (1985) – Koro * '' Avenging Angel'' (1985) – Tattoo Artist * ''The Fix'' (1985) – Spook * ''No Safe Haven'' (1987) – Randy * ''One Man Force'' (1989) – Wilson * ''

Beverly Hills Brats ''Beverly Hills Brats'' is a 1989 American comedy film. Directed by Jim Sotos, the film starred Peter Billingsley, Martin Sheen, Burt Young, Terry Moore, George Kirby, Ruby Keeler (in her final film) and Whoopi Goldberg in a cameo role. Plot ...

'' (1989) – Slick * '' Future Force'' (1989) – Becker * ''Nightwish'' (1989) – Stanley * ''Fertilize the Blaspheming Bombshell'' (1990) – Devil-master * ''Fists of Steel'' (1991) – Saylor (final film role)

Television

* ''

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...

'' (1974) – Aztec Warrior * ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adolescence in the Midwestern United States, American M ...

'' (Survival, 1975) – Chief Jack Lame Horse (as Jack Lame Horse) * ''

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 Pathfinde ...

'' (1977) – Magua * ''

Centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...

'' (1978–1979) – Rude Water * ''Desperate Women'' (1978) – Outlaw (uncredited) * ''

Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset lifes ...

'' (1979) "Max in love" episode – Mover #1 * ''

Starsky & Hutch ''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a ''Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by th ...

'' (2-part episode in 1979) – Soldier * ''The Billion Dollar Threat'' (1979) – Benjamin * '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' (2 episodes both in 1979) – Marcos * ''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television series ...

'' (1980) – Mitch Henderson * ''

The Incredible Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...

'' (1980) – Johnny * ''

Vega$ ''Vegas'' (stylized as ''Vega$'') is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 20, 1978, to June 3, 1981, with the pilot episode airing April 25, 1978. ''Vegas'' was produced by Aaron Spelling and created by Mich ...

'' (1980) – Sawyer * ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...

'' (1981) – Flynt * ''

The Fall Guy ''The Fall Guy'' is an American action/adventure television series produced for ABC and originally broadcast from November 4, 1981, to May 2, 1986. It starred Lee Majors, Douglas Barr, and Heather Thomas as Hollywood stunt performers who moonli ...

'' (1981–1986) – Thug / Harvey / Garvey / Prisoner * ''

CHiPs ''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The serie ...

'' (1982) – Zorn * ''

The A-Team ''The A-Team'' is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from January 1983 to March 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The four members of the team were tried by court marti ...

'' (1983–1985) – Mute / Scully * ''

Manimal ''Manimal'' is an American superhero television series created by Glen A. Larson and Donald R. Boyle, it ran on NBC from September 30 to December 17, 1983. The show centers on the character Jonathan Chase ( Simon MacCorkindale), a shape-shiftin ...

'' (1983) – Sailor Poker Player (as Robert W. Tessier) * '' The Rousters'' (1983) – Bender * ''

Magnum, P.I. ''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...

'' (1984) – Murderer * '' Spenser: For Hire'' (1985) – Conan * ''

Amazing Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances i ...

'' (1986) – Woodsman * ''

Sledge Hammer! ''Sledge Hammer!'' is an American satirical police sitcom produced by New World Television that ran for two seasons on ABC from September 23, 1986 to February 12, 1988. The series was created by Alan Spencer and stars David Rasche as Inspector ...

'' (1987) – Stoolie * ''

B.L. Stryker ''B.L. Stryker'' is an American detective drama that aired on ABC from February 13, 1989, to May 5, 1990, as part of the '' ABC Mystery Movie'' umbrella group, along with '' Columbo'', and ''Kojak''. Tom Selleck was one of the series' executive p ...

'' (1989)

References

External links

* * *
First of a series of commercials Tessier did for Midas Muffler in the 1980s
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tessier, Robert 1934 births 1990 deaths 20th-century American male actors Actors from Lowell, Massachusetts American male film actors American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent American stunt performers Deaths from cancer in Massachusetts Military personnel from Massachusetts Recipients of the Silver Star United States Army personnel of the Korean War United States Army soldiers Abenaki people