Dewey Robinson
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Dewey Robinson (August 17, 1898 – December 11, 1950) was an American film
character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...
who appeared in more than 250 films made between 1931 and 1952.


Career

Dewey Robinson was born in
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134 ...
, in 1898, and made his
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
debut in 1922 in the melodrama ''The Last Warning'', which ran for seven months and 238 performances. Several years later, in 1925, he appeared in a comedy, ''Solid Ivory'', his final Broadway production. In 1931, Robinson, a big, barrel-chested man at who easily conveyed physical menace, made his first film when he played a waiter in
George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head ...
's '' Tarnished Lady'', starring
Tallulah Bankhead Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several prominent films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's '' L ...
. That performance did not receive screen credit, and this was often the case over Robinson's career, although he was in the billed main cast in ''
Murder on the Campus ''Murder on the Campus'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Richard Thorpe. The film is also known as ''On the Stroke of Nine'' in the United Kingdom. It is based on the novel ''The Campanile Murders'', by Whitman Chambers (App ...
'' (1934), ''
Navy Secrets ''Navy Secrets'' is a 1939 American espionage film. Directed by Howard Bretherton, the film stars Fay Wray, Grant Withers, and Dewey Robinson. It was released on February 8, 1939. The screenplay by Harvey Gates was based on the short story "Shore ...
'' (1939) and ''
There Goes Kelly ''There Goes Kelly'' is a 1945 American comedy mystery film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Jackie Moran, Wanda McKay and Sidney Miller. It was produced and distributed by Monogram Pictures. It is a remake of the 1940 film '' Up in the Air ...
'' (1945). Because of his size and physical presence, Robinson worked often during periods when gangster movies were the rage.Erickson, Hal
Allmovie biography
/ref> Notable early roles for Robinson include a polo-playing hood in '' Little Giant'' (1933) starring
Edward G. Robinson Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg; December 12, 1893January 26, 1973) was a Romanian-American actor of stage and screen, who was popular during the Hollywood's Golden Age. He appeared in 30 Broadway plays and more than 100 films duri ...
, a supervisor of slaves in
Eddie Cantor Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Familiar to Broadway, radio, movie, and early television audiences ...
's '' Roman Scandals'' that same year, and the
Ben Turpin Bernard "Ben" Turpin (September 19, 1869 – July 1, 1940) was an American comedian and actor, best remembered for his work in silent films. His trademarks were his cross-eyed appearance and adeptness at vigorous physical comedy. Turpin wo ...
short '' Keystone Hotel'' in 1935. In the 1940s, Robinson was part of
Preston Sturges Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. In 1941, he won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film '' The Great McGinty'' (1940), h ...
' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in eight films written and directed by Sturges. In 1950, near the end of his career, Robinson played a Brooklyn Dodgers fan in '' The Jackie Robinson Story'' who progressed from bigotry to exuberant support of
Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...
. Robinson died in
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
, on December 11, 1950, from a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
, but because he worked so prolifically, films in which he appeared continued to be seen until 1952, when ''
At Sword's Point ''At Sword's Point'', also known as ''The Sons of the Three Musketeers'', is a 1952 American historical action adventure film directed by Lewis Allen and starring Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'Hara. It was shot in Technicolor by RKO Radio Pictur ...
'', a Musketeer adventure, was released. He was cremated.''Resting Places''
/ref>


Selected filmography

* '' Tarnished Lady'' (1931) as Tony the Waiter (uncredited) * ''
Enemies of the Law ''Enemies of the Law'' is a 1931 American crime film directed by Lawrence C. Windom and starring Mary Nolan, Johnnie Walker (actor), Johnnie Walker and Lou Tellegen.Wagner p.128 Cast * Mary Nolan as Florence Vinton * Johnnie Walker (actor), Johnni ...
'' (1931) as Tony Catello * ''
Six Hours to Live ''Six Hours to Live'' is a 1932 American pre-Code science fiction drama film directed by William Dieterle and starring Warner Baxter, Miriam Jordan and John Boles.Solomon p.336 Cast * Warner Baxter as Capt. Paul Onslow * Miriam Jordan as Ba ...
'' (1932) * ''
The Woman from Monte Carlo ''The Woman from Monte Carlo'' is an American pre-Code film produced by Warner Bros. subsidiary First National Pictures (with the Vitaphone logo) in 1931 and released on January 9, 1932. It was directed by Michael Curtiz and gave top billing to ...
'' (1932) * '' Blonde Venus'' (1932) (uncredited) * ''
The Big Broadcast ''The Big Broadcast'' is a 1932 American pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Bing Crosby, Stuart Erwin, and Leila Hyams. Based on the play ''Wild Waves'' by William Ford Manley, the film is about a radio-sing ...
'' (1932) * '' The Little Giant'' (1933) * '' She Done Him Wrong'' (1933) * '' Her Forgotten Past'' (1933) * ''
A Lady's Profession ''A Lady's Profession'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and written by Malcolm Stuart Boylan, Walter DeLeon and Nina Wilcox Putnam. The film stars Alison Skipworth, Roland Young, Sari Maritza, Kent Taylo ...
'' (1933) * '' Soldiers of the Storm'' (1933) * '' Laughing at Life'' (1933) * ''
Notorious but Nice ''Notorious but Nice'' is a 1933 pre-Code American sound film drama directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Marian Marsh, Betty Compson and Don Dillaway. It was produced and distributed by B movie studio Chesterfield Motion Pictures. The film su ...
'' (1933) * '' Roman Scandals'' (1933) * '' Shadows of Sing Sing'' (1933) * ''
Murder on the Campus ''Murder on the Campus'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Richard Thorpe. The film is also known as ''On the Stroke of Nine'' in the United Kingdom. It is based on the novel ''The Campanile Murders'', by Whitman Chambers (App ...
'' (1934) * '' The Big Shakedown'' (1934) * ''
Student Tour ''Student Tour'' is a 1934 American musical film directed by Charles Reisner, written by Ralph Spence and Philip Dunne, and starring Jimmy Durante, Charles Butterworth, Maxine Doyle, Phil Regan, Douglas Fowley and Nelson Eddy. It was releas ...
'' (1934) as Huan Lu (uncredited) * '' Palooka from Paducah'' (1935, Short) * ''
One Run Elmer ''One Run Elmer'' is a 1935 American short comedy film featuring Buster Keaton, and directed by Charles Lamont. Plot Elmer is the owner of a gas station somewhere on the desert highway. One day a family of ruthless businessmen show up and ere ...
'' (1935, Short) * '' Pursuit'' (1935) * '' Keystone Hotel'' (1935, Short) * ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...
'' (1935) * ''
Too Tough to Kill ''Too Tough to Kill'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by D. Ross Lederman and starring Victor Jory. Cast * Victor Jory as John O'Hara * Sally O'Neil as Ann Miller * Johnny Arthur as Willie Dent * Robert Gleckler as Bill Anderson * Mo ...
'' (1935) * ''
Missing Girls ''Missing Girls'' is a 1936 American film directed by Phil Rosen. Cast * Roger Pryor as Reporter Jimmie Dugan *Muriel Evans as Dorothy Benson *Sidney Blackmer as Dan Collins *Noel Madison as Ben Davis *Ann Doran as Ann Jason * George Cooper a ...
'' (1936) * '' All American Chump'' (1936) * ''
Slave Ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea coast ...
'' (1937) * '' The 13th Man'' (1937) * ''
New Faces of 1937 ''New Faces of 1937'' is a 1937 American musical film directed by Leigh Jason and starring Joe Penner, Milton Berle and Harriet Hilliard. Its plot is similar to '' The Producers'' (1968). Intended as the first film of an annual RKO Pictures revu ...
'' (1937) * '' Marry the Girl'' (1937) * '' The Toast of New York'' (1937) * ''
Navy Secrets ''Navy Secrets'' is a 1939 American espionage film. Directed by Howard Bretherton, the film stars Fay Wray, Grant Withers, and Dewey Robinson. It was released on February 8, 1939. The screenplay by Harvey Gates was based on the short story "Shore ...
'' (1939) * '' Sky Bandits'' (1940) * '' The Great McGinty'' (1940) * '' Christmas in July'' (1940) (uncredited) * ''
Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of History of music publishing, music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the American popular music, popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It origin ...
'' (1940) * '' Sullivan's Travels'' (1941) (uncredited) * '' Isle of Missing Men'' (1942) * '' The Palm Beach Story'' (1942) * '' 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge'' (1942) * ''
Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
'' (1942) as Bouncer at Rick's (uncredited) * '' The Ghost Ship'' (1943) * ''
The Woman of the Town ''The Woman of the Town'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by George Archainbaud and written by Aeneas MacKenzie. The film stars Claire Trevor, Albert Dekker, Barry Sullivan, Henry Hull, Porter Hall, Percy Kilbride and Clem Bevans. ...
'' (1943) * '' Timber Queen'' (1944) * '' Trocadero'' (1944) * '' San Diego, I Love You'' (1944) * '' Hail the Conquering Hero'' (1944) (uncredited) * ''
Murder, My Sweet ''Murder, My Sweet'' (released as ''Farewell, My Lovely'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1944 American film noir, directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley (in her final film before retirement). The film ...
'' (1944) (uncredited) * '' The Great Moment'' (1944) (uncredited) * ''
There Goes Kelly ''There Goes Kelly'' is a 1945 American comedy mystery film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Jackie Moran, Wanda McKay and Sidney Miller. It was produced and distributed by Monogram Pictures. It is a remake of the 1940 film '' Up in the Air ...
'' (1945) * ''
Fashion Model A model is a person with a role either to promote, display or advertise commercial products (notably fashion clothing in fashion shows) or to serve as a visual aid for people who are creating works of art or to pose for photography. Thoug ...
'' (1945) * ''
The Lady Confesses ''The Lady Confesses'' is a 1945 American film noir directed by Sam Newfield. Plot While on the verge of being divorced, Norma Craig disappears. Seven years later, when her husband, Larry Craig, plans to marry a girl Vicki McGuire, Norma returns ...
'' (1945) * ''
Stairway to Light ''Stairway to Light'' is a 1945 American short drama film directed by Sammy Lee. It was one of '' John Nesbitt's Passing Parade'' series. Set in Paris during the French Revolution, it tells the story of Philippe Pinel and his efforts in pointi ...
'' (1945 short) * '' Black Market Babies'' (1945) * '' Pardon My Past'' (1945) * ''
The Bells of St. Mary's ''The Bells of St. Mary's'' (1945) is an American musical comedy-drama film, produced and directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. Written by Dudley Nichols and based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a priest ...
'' (1945) as Pedestrian (uncredited) * ''
The Michigan Kid ''The Michigan Kid'' is a 1947 American Cinecolor Western film directed by Ray Taylor and starring Jon Hall, Victor McLaglen, Rita Johnson, and Andy Devine. It was Hall's first film after getting out of the army and filming began 15 April 19 ...
'' (1947) * '' Killer Dill'' (1947) * ''
The Checkered Coat ''The Checkered Coat'' is a 1948 American drama film directed by Edward L. Cahn and written by John C. Higgins. The film stars Tom Conway, Noreen Nash, Hurd Hatfield, James Seay, Garry Owen and Marten Lamont. The film was released on July 16, 1 ...
'' (1948) * '' River Lady'' (1948) * '' The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend'' (1949) (uncredited) * '' Hellfire'' (1949) * ''
Buccaneer's Girl ''Buccaneer's Girl'' is a 1950 American Technicolor romantic adventure film directed by Frederick de Cordova starring Yvonne De Carlo and Philip Friend. Plot Deborah McCoy, a New Orleans singer, is on a ship that is captured by the forces of th ...
'' (1950) * '' The Jackie Robinson Story'' (1950) (uncredited) * '' Father of the Bride'' (1950) as Moving Man with lamp (uncredited) * '' At War with the Army'' (1950) * '' Skipalong Rosenbloom'' (1951) * ''
At Sword's Point ''At Sword's Point'', also known as ''The Sons of the Three Musketeers'', is a 1952 American historical action adventure film directed by Lewis Allen and starring Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'Hara. It was shot in Technicolor by RKO Radio Pictur ...
'' (1952)


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Dewey 1898 births 1950 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors Male actors from New Haven, Connecticut 20th-century American male actors