CINEFILER

Robert Webber

Born
October 14, 1924
Died
May 19, 1989
Over his 40-year career as one of Hollywood's veteran character actors, Robert Webber always marked his spot by playing all types of roles and was not stereotyped into playing just one kind of character. Sometimes he even got to play a leading role (see Hysteria (1965)). Webber first started out in small stage shows and a few Broadway plays and served a stint in the army before he landed the role of Juror 12 in 12 Angry Men (1957). He was also known for numerous war films, playing Lee Marvin's general in The Dirty Dozen (1967) or as real-life Admiral Frank J. Fletcher in Midway (1976). Webber's other best known movies include The Great White Hope (1970), Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978), 10 (1979) (as composer Dudley Moore's lyricist partner), Private Benjamin (1980), Wild Geese II (1985) and co-starring with Richard Dreyfuss and Barbra Streisand as prosecutor Francis McMillian in Nuts (1987). In 1989 he died of Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in Malibu, California, shortly after completing the 1988 TV production Something Is Out There (1988) (TV). He bore a resemblance to character actor Kevin McCarthy.
Known For
12 Angry Men
(1957)
Juror 12
Private Benjamin
(1980)
Col. Clay Thornbush
Midway
(1976)
Admiral Jack Fletcher
Harper
(1966)
Dwight Troy
The Dirty Dozen
(1967)
General Denton
10
(1979)
Hugh
Nuts
(1987)
Francis MacMillan
Sunday Lovers
(1980)
Henry Morrison (segment "The French Method")
The Silencers
(1966)
Sam Gunther
The Sandpiper
(1965)
Ward Hendricks
Revenge of the Pink Panther
(1978)
Philippe Douvier
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
(1974)
Sappensly
S.O.B.
(1981)
Ben Coogan
Highway 301
(1950)
William "Bill" Phillips
Wrong Is Right
(1982)
Harvey
Hysteria
(1965)
Chris Smith
Full Filmography
Acting
Highway 301
(1950)
William "Bill" Phillips
12 Angry Men
(1957)
Juror 12
The Nun and the Sergeant
(1962)
Sgt. McGrath
The Stripper
(1963)
Ricky Powers
Hysteria
(1965)
Chris Smith
The Sandpiper
(1965)
Ward Hendricks
The Third Day
(1965)
Dom Guardiano
A Statue for 'The Sandpiper'
(1965)
Self
The Silencers
(1966)
Sam Gunther
Harper
(1966)
Dwight Troy
Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round
(1966)
Milo Stewart
The Hired Killer
(1966)
Clint Harris
The Dirty Dozen
(1967)
General Denton
Don't Make Waves
(1967)
Rod Prescott
Every Man Is My Enemy
(1967)
Tony Costa
Manon 70
(1968)
Ravaggi
The Big Bounce
(1969)
Bob Rodgers
The Movie Murderer
(1970)
Karel Kessler
The Great White Hope
(1970)
Dixon
Hauser's Memory
(1970)
Dorsey
$
(1971)
Attorney
Thief
(1971)
James Calendar
Macédoine
(1971)
Sanderberg
Cutter
(1972)
Meredith
Double Indemnity
(1973)
Edward Norton
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
(1974)
Sappensly
Murder or Mercy
(1974)
Dr. Eric Stoneman
Amy Prentiss
(1974)
Sam Burton
Pacific Challenge
(1975)
Narrator
The Dangerous Mission
(1975)
Sergeant John Lewis
Death Stalk
(1975)
Hugh Webster
Flatfoot in Hong Kong
(1975)
Sam Accardo
Midway
(1976)
Admiral Jack Fletcher
Hit Squad
(1976)
Mr. Douglas
Madame Claude
(1977)
Howard
The Choirboys
(1977)
Deputy Chief Riggs
Death Steps in the Dark
(1977)
Inspector
The Accuser
(1977)
Le cadre américain
Revenge of the Pink Panther
(1978)
Philippe Douvier
Casey's Shadow
(1978)
Mike Marsh
The Young Runaways
(1978)
Fred Lockhart
10
(1979)
Hugh
Courage fuyons
(1979)
Charley
The Streets of L.A.
(1979)
Ralph Salkin
Gardenia
(1979)
Tony Caruso
Private Benjamin
(1980)
Col. Clay Thornbush
All Stars
(1980)
Harry Stabling
Sunday Lovers
(1980)
Henry Morrison (segment "The French Method")
S.O.B.
(1981)
Ben Coogan
The Two Lives of Carol Letner
(1981)
Ed Leemans
Wrong Is Right
(1982)
Harvey
Who Dares Wins
(1982)
General Ira Potter
Don't Go to Sleep
(1982)
Dr. Cole
Not Just Another Affair
(1982)
Professor Wally Dawson
Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land
(1983)
Felix
Shooting Stars
(1983)
Woodrow Norton
Getting Physical
(1984)
Hugh Gibley
No Man's Land
(1984)
Will Blackfield
Cover Up
(1984)
Mason Carter
Wild Geese II
(1985)
Robert McCann
Answers
(1985)
Ted Talbot (Segment "Twinkle, Twinkle")
Half Nelson
(1985)
Harrison
In Like Flynn
(1985)
Col. Harper
Assassin
(1986)
Calvin Lantz
Nuts
(1987)
Francis MacMillan
The Ladies
(1987)
Jerry
Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
Data provided by TMDB