Robert Ellis (August 24, 1933 – November 23, 1973) was an American film and television actor in the 1940s and 1950s, who was the last actor to play Henry Aldrich on the radio series ''

The Aldrich Family ''The Aldrich Family'', a popular radio teenage situation comedy (July 2, 1939 – April 19, 1953), was also presented in films, television and comic books. In the radio series' opening exchange, awkward teen Henry's mother called, "Hen-''ry-y-y ...

''.

Early life

Ellis was born in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, to Fern Bloomfield. He was educated in professional children's schools in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

and later studied theater arts at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

Career

He made his acting debut at age 5 and appeared in some 50 movies and television shows, sometimes billed as "Bobby Ellis." In 1948, the

Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., with the stated goal of adva ...

awarded him a special certificate for his acting and dancing role as Buster Tyme in the movie '' April Showers'', which starred

Ann Sothern Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920s ...

and Jack Carson. He portrayed Ralph Grainger, a college friend of Ronnie Burns, on the final two seasons of ''

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', sometimes called ''The Burns and Allen Show'', is a half-hour television sitcom broadcast from 1950 to 1958 on CBS. It starred George Burns and Gracie Allen, one of the most enduring acts in entertainm ...

''. He also appeared as Dexter Franklin in the Ziv Television production of '' Meet Corliss Archer''. He died of kidney failure at the age of 40 in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. At the time of his death, he was a producer of educational films.

Filmography

*'' April Showers'' (1948) as Buster Tyme *'' The Babe Ruth Story'' (1948) as George Herman Ruth as a Boy *'' Mexican Hayride'' (1948) as Mexican Boy (uncredited) *'' The Green Promise'' (1949) as Buzz Wexford *''

El Paso El Paso (; ; or ) is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 United States census, 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the List of ...

'' (1949) as Jack Elkins *'' Easy Living'' (1949) as Urchin *''

A Kiss for Corliss ''A Kiss for Corliss'' (retitled ''Almost a Bride'' before its release) is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Richard Wallace, written by Howard Dimsdale, and starring David Niven and Shirley Temple. The film, which was the last for both Wa ...

'' (1949) as Raymond Pringle *'' Walk Softly, Stranger'' (1950) as Skating Boy *'' Call Me Mister'' (1951) as Ack-Ack Ackerman *''The Guest'' (1951) film short *'' Retreat, Hell!'' (1952) as Shorty Devine *''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...

'' (1953) as Cubby (lost boy) (voice, uncredited) *'' Niagara'' (1953) as Young Man (uncredited) *''

Prisoner of War A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...

'' (1954) as Alan H. Rolfe (uncredited) *'' The Long Gray Line'' (1955) as Cadet Short (uncredited) *'' The McConnell Story'' (1955) as Bob Brown *'' Tea and Sympathy'' (1956) as Second Boy (uncredited) *'' Pillars of the Sky'' (1956) as Albie *'' Space Master X-7'' (1958) as Private Joe Rattigan *'' Gidget'' (1959) as Hot Shot *'' Don't Give Up the Ship'' (1959) as Sailor (uncredited) *'' Wake Me When It's Over'' (1960) as Corporal (uncredited)

Television roles

(1952-1953) as Henry Aldrich *Meet Corliss Archer (1951 & 1954–1955) as Dexter Franklin *''

I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes spanning six seasons. The series starred Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz, along with Vivian ...

'' (1952) as Tommy the Office Boy *Fireside Theatre (1951-1952) *Big Town (1952) *Where's Raymond? (1954) *Schlitz Playhouse (1954) *The Loretta Young Show (1954) as Tom *Public Defender (1954) as Johnny Wagner *''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in a ...

'' (1955) as Jack 'Kid' Hall *Cavalcade of America (1955) *Meet Corliss Archer (1954-1955) as Dexter Franklin *The Bob Cummings Show (1956) as Joe Depew *Telephone Time (1956) *Lux Video Theatre (1956) *The Adventures of Jim Bowie (1956) as Pat Jordan *'' The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial'' (1956) as George Barnett *The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1957) as Private Crenshaw *Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre (1957) *Navy Log (1957) as Kupper *The Sheriff of Cochise (1957) as Jaekel *''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' (1957) (Season 2 Episode 17: "My Brother, Richard") as Tommy Kopeck *''

'' (1957) (Season 2 Episode 31: "The Night the World Ended") as Reporter *Code 3 (1957) as Dewey Cushmnan / Fred Bacon *''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'' (1957) *The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1956-1958) series regular *Flight (1958) *77 Sunset Strip (1958) as Harry Warren *''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American Western (genre), Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was ...

'' (1959) as Ben (in "Wheelbarrow Johnny") *'' The Real McCoys'' (1959) as Gas Station Customer *''

The Donna Reed Show ''The Donna Reed Show'' is an American sitcom starring Donna Reed as the middle-class housewife Donna Stone. Carl Betz co-stars as her Pediatrics, pediatrician husband Dr. Alex Stone, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage childr ...

'' (1959) as Young Man (in "The Punishment") *M Squad (1960) as Tom Herrick (in "Dead Parrots Don't Talk") *Tallahassee 7000 (1961) *The Jackie Gleason Special (1973)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, Robert 1933 births 1973 deaths Male actors from Chicago American male child actors American male radio actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male film actors Columbia University School of the Arts alumni Deaths from kidney failure in California 20th-century American male actors