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Bob Steele (January 23, 1907 - December 21, 1988) was an American actor. He was born Robert Adrian Bradbury in Portland, Oregon, into a vaudeville family. After years of touring, the family settled down in Hollywood in the late 1910s, where his father, Robert N. Bradbury, soon found work in the movies, first as an actor, later as a director, and by 1920, he hired Bob and his twin brother Bill (1907–1971) as juvenile leads for a series of adventure movies entitled "The Adventures of Bob and Bill".
Bob's career began to take off for good in 1927, when he was hired by production company Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) to star in a series of Westerns. Bob—who was rechristened Bob Steele at FBO—soon made a name for himself, and in the late 1920s, 1930s and 1940s starred in B-Westerns for almost every minor film studio, including Monogram, Supreme, Tiffany, Syndicate, Republic (including several films of the Three Mesquiteers series) and Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) (including the initial films of their "Billy the Kid" series), plus he had the occasional role in an A-movie, as in the adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men from 1939.
In the 1940s, Bob's career as a cowboy hero was on the decline, but he kept himself working by accepting supporting roles in many big movies like Howard Hawks' The Big Sleep, or the John Wayne vehicles Island in the Sky, Rio Bravo and Rio Lobo. Besides these he also made occasional appearances in science fiction films like Atomic Submarine and Giant from the Unknown and did lots of television work, culminating in a regular supporting role in the army comedy F Troop (1965–1967), which allowed him to show his comic talent. Steele played the character of Trooper Duffy who claimed to have been "shoulder to shoulder with Davy Crockett at the Alamo"-in fact Steele played in With Davy Crockett at the Fall of the Alamo in 1926.
Bob Steele died on December 21, 1988 from emphysema after a long sickness.
Bob Steele is said to have been the inspiration for the character "Cowboy Bob" in the Dennis The Menace comic strip.
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Known For
The Big Sleep
(1946)
Lash Canino
Rio Bravo
(1959)
Matt Harris (uncredited)
Rio Lobo
(1970)
Rio Lobo Deputy (uncredited)
The Shootist
(1976)
Books' Victim in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)
McLintock!
(1963)
Train Engineer
Hang 'em High
(1968)
Jenkins
The Enforcer
(1951)
Herman
The Comancheros
(1961)
Pa Schofield (uncredited)
Something Big
(1971)
Teamster #3
Fort Worth
(1951)
Shorty
Pardners
(1956)
Shorty
Shenandoah
(1965)
Union Train Guard
Killer McCoy
(1947)
Sailor Graves
The Outcast
(1954)
Dude Rankin
Column South
(1953)
McAfee
4 for Texas
(1963)
Bank Board Member
Full Filmography
Acting
The Adventures of Bob and Bill
(1920)
Bob
Catching a Fox
(1921)
Bob
Capturing a Canadian Lynx
(1921)
Bob
A Day in the Wilds
(1921)
Bob
Catching a Koala Bear
(1921)
Bob
The Skunk
(1921)
Bob
Trapping the Coyote
(1921)
Bob
Trapping the Mountain Lion
(1921)
Bob
Trapping The Bob Cat
(1921)
Bob
Trapping the Wildcat
(1921)
Bob
Outwitting the Timber Wolf
(1921)
Catching a Coon
(1921)
Bob
The American Badger
(1921)
Bob
The Civet Cat
(1921)
Bob
Trailing the Coyote
(1921)
Bob
Dangerous Trails
(1922)
Bob
Mysterious Tracks
(1922)
The Opossum
(1922)
Just Plain Folks
(1925)
The College Boob
(1926)
Shorty Buzelle (as Bob Bradbury Jr.)
With Daniel Boone Thru the Wilderness
(1926)
Jim Bryan
With Davy Crockett at the Fall of the Alamo
(1926)
'Pinky' Smith
With Sitting Bull at the Spirit Lake Massacre
(1927)
Bob Keefe (as Bob Bradbury Jr.)
The Bandit's Son
(1927)
Bob McCall
The Mojave Kid
(1927)
Bob Saunders
Headin' for Danger
(1928)
Jimmy Marshall
Captain Careless
(1928)
Bob Gordon
Trail of Courage
(1928)
Tex Reeves
Lightning Speed
(1928)
Jack Pemberton
Man in the Rough
(1928)
Bruce Sherwood
Breed of the Sunsets
(1928)
Jim Collins
The Riding Renegade
(1928)
Bob Taylor
Sliding Home
(1928)
Student (as Robert Bradbury Jr.)
Driftin' Sands
(1928)
'Driftin' Sands
The Cowboy and the Outlaw
(1929)
George Hardcastle
A Texas Cowboy
(1929)
Dick Carlysle
The Invaders
(1929)
Laughing at Death
(1929)
Bob Thornton
The Amazing Vagabond
(1929)
Jimmy Hobbs
Come and Get It!
(1929)
Breezy Smith
The Land of Missing Men
(1930)
Steve O'Neil
The Oklahoma Cyclone
(1930)
Jim Smith aka The Oklahoma Cyclone
Near the Rainbow's End
(1930)
Jim Bledsoe
Headin' North
(1930)
Jim Curtis
The Oklahoma Sheriff
(1930)
Western Honor
(1930)
Bob
The Hunted Men
(1930)
Dick Stockdale
Breezy Bill
(1930)
Breezy Bill
The Man from Nowhere
(1930)
Terry Norton
The Nevada Buckaroo
(1931)
Buck Hurley, aka The Nevada Kid
The Sunrise Trail
(1931)
Texas, aka Tex
Near the Trail's End
(1931)
Marshal Johnny Day
The Ridin' Fool
(1931)
Steve Kendall
Texas Buddies
(1932)
Ted Garner
Hidden Valley
(1932)
Bob Harding
Riders of the Desert
(1932)
Bob Houston
The Man from Hell's Edges
(1932)
Bob Williams aka 'Flash' Manning
Son of Oklahoma
(1932)
Dan Clayton
South of Santa Fe
(1932)
Tom Keene
The Fighting Champ
(1932)
Brick Loring
Young Blood
(1932)
Nick aka The Kid
Law of the West
(1932)
Bob Carruthers, alias Bob Morgan
The Mystery Squadron
(1933)
Fred Cromwell
Galloping Romeo
(1933)
Bob Rivers
Ranger's Code
(1933)
Bob Baxter
Trailing North
(1933)
Lee Evans aka Curly the Kid
The Gallant Fool
(1933)
Kit Denton
Breed of the Border
(1933)
Speed Brent
The Brand of Hate
(1934)
Rod Camp
A Demon for Trouble
(1934)
Bob Worth
Western Justice
(1934)
Jim / Ace
Alias John Law
(1935)
Everett Tarkington 'John' Clark
The Rider of the Law
(1935)
Bob Marlow
Sundown Saunders
(1935)
Jim Sundown Saunders
No Man's Range
(1935)
Jim Hale
Tombstone Terror
(1935)
Jimmy Dixon / Duke Dixon
Smokey Smith
(1935)
Smokey Smith
Big Calibre
(1935)
Bob Neal
Powdersmoke Range
(1935)
Jeff Ferguson aka Guadalupe Kid
Kid Courageous
(1935)
Bob Bannister
Trail of Terror
(1935)
Spike Manning
Brand of the Outlaws
(1936)
Gary Gray
Last of the Warrens
(1936)
Ted Warren
The Law Rides
(1936)
Bruce Conway
Cavalry
(1936)
Ted Thorne
The Gun Ranger
(1936)
Dan Larson
The Kid Ranger
(1936)
Ray Burton
The Trusted Outlaw
(1937)
Dan Ward
Gun Lords of Stirrup Basin
(1937)
Dan Stockton
Border Phantom
(1937)
Larry O'Day
Arizona Gunfighter
(1937)
Colt Ferron
Doomed at Sundown
(1937)
Dave Austin
Ridin' the Lone Trail
(1937)
Bob McArthur
Colorado Kid
(1937)
Colorado Kid
Lightnin' Crandall
(1937)
Bob Crandall, aka Lightnin' Crandall
The Red Rope
(1937)
Tom Shaw
Paroled - To Die
(1938)
Doug Redfern
Thunder in the Desert
(1938)
Bob Radford
The Feud Maker
(1938)
Tex Ryan aka Wind River Kid
Desert Patrol
(1938)
Dave Austin
Durango Valley Raiders
(1938)
Keene Cordner
Of Mice and Men
(1939)
Curley
Feud of the Range
(1939)
Bob Gray
Riders of the Sage
(1939)
Bob Burke
The Pal from Texas
(1939)
Bob Barton
Mesquite Buckaroo
(1939)
Bob Allen
El Diablo Rides
(1939)
Bob
Smoky Trails
(1939)
Bob Archer
Under Texas Skies
(1940)
Tucson Smith
The Carson City Kid
(1940)
Lee Jessup, aka Morgan Reynolds
Billy the Kid Outlawed
(1940)
Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid in Texas
(1940)
Billy the Kid
Lone Star Raiders
(1940)
Tucson Smith
The Trail Blazers
(1940)
Tucson Smith
Billy the Kid's Gun Justice
(1940)
Billy the Kid
City for Conquest
(1940)
Kid Callahan (uncredited)
Pinto Canyon
(1940)
Sheriff Bob Hall
Wild Horse Valley
(1940)
Bob Evans
Billy the Kid's Range War
(1941)
Billy the Kid
Prairie Pioneers
(1941)
Tucson Smith
Gangs of Sonora
(1941)
'Tucson' Smith
Outlaws of Cherokee Trail
(1941)
'Tucson' Smith
Gauchos of El Dorado
(1941)
'Tucson' Smith
Billy the Kid in Santa Fe
(1941)
Billy the Kid
West of Cimarron
(1941)
Tucson Smith
The Great Train Robbery
(1941)
Tom Logan
Pals of the Pecos
(1941)
Tucson Smith
Saddlemates
(1941)
Tucson Smith
Billy The Kid's Fighting Pals
(1941)
Billy the Kid
Raiders of the Range
(1942)
Tucson Smith
The Phantom Plainsmen
(1942)
Tucson Smith
Code of the Outlaw
(1942)
Tucson Smith
Shadows on the Sage
(1942)
'Tucson' Smith / Curly Joe
Westward Ho
(1942)
Tucson Smith
Valley of Hunted Men
(1942)
Tucson Smith
Riders of the Rio Grande
(1943)
Tucson Smith
Death Valley Rangers
(1943)
Bob Steele
Revenge of the Zombies
(1943)
Sheriff
Santa Fe Scouts
(1943)
Tucson Smith
The Blocked Trail
(1943)
Tucson Smith
Thundering Trails
(1943)
Tucson Smith
Marked Trails
(1944)
Bob Stevens
Outlaw Trail
(1944)
Bob
Westward Bound
(1944)
Bob Steele
Arizona Whirlwind
(1944)
Bob Steele
Sonora Stagecoach
(1944)
Bob Steele
Trigger Law
(1944)
Bob Steele
The Utah Kid
(1944)
Bob Roberts
Northwest Trail
(1945)
RCMP Matt O'Brien
Wildfire
(1945)
Happy Haye
Navajo Kid
(1945)
Tom "The Navajo Kid" Kirk
The Big Sleep
(1946)
Lash Canino
Rio Grande Raiders
(1946)
Jeff Carson
Sheriff of Redwood Valley
(1946)
The Reno Kid
Thunder Town
(1946)
Jim Brandon
Six Gun Man
(1946)
Stormy Storm
Ambush Trail
(1946)
Curley Thompson
Exposed
(1947)
Chicago
Twilight on the Rio Grande
(1947)
Dusty Morgan
Bandits of Dark Canyon
(1947)
Ed Archer
Killer McCoy
(1947)
Sailor Graves
Cheyenne
(1947)
Bucky
South of St. Louis
(1949)
Slim Hansen
The Savage Horde
(1950)
Dancer
The Enforcer
(1951)
Herman
Cattle Drive
(1951)
Charlie "Careless" Morgan
Fort Worth
(1951)
Shorty
Silver Canyon
(1951)
Walt Middler
The Lion and the Horse
(1952)
Matt Jennings
Rose of Cimarron
(1952)
Rio
Bugles in the Afternoon
(1952)
Rider Who Announces Custer Is Dead
Column South
(1953)
McAfee
Savage Frontier
(1953)
Sam Webb
San Antone
(1953)
Bob Coolidge
Island in the Sky
(1953)
Wilson
Drums Across the River
(1954)
Billy Costa
The Outcast
(1954)
Dude Rankin
The Spoilers
(1955)
Miner
Last of the Desperados
(1955)
Charlie Bowdre
The Fighting Chance
(1955)
Curly
The Steel Jungle
(1956)
Dan Bucci
Gun for a Coward
(1956)
Durkee
Pardners
(1956)
Shorty
Duel at Apache Wells
(1957)
Joe Dunn
The Parson and the Outlaw
(1957)
Ace Jardine
Decision at Sundown
(1957)
Irv
Giant from the Unknown
(1958)
Sheriff Parker
Once Upon a Horse...
(1958)
Bob Steele
The Bonnie Parker Story
(1958)
Armored Truck Guard (uncredited)
Pork Chop Hill
(1959)
Col. Kern
The Atomic Submarine
(1959)
"Grif" Griffin
Rio Bravo
(1959)
Matt Harris (uncredited)
Hell Bent for Leather
(1960)
Jared
Texas John Slaughter: Geronimo's Revenge
(1960)
Ben
The Comancheros
(1961)
Pa Schofield (uncredited)
Six Black Horses
(1962)
Puncher
The Wild Westerners
(1962)
Casey Banner
McLintock!
(1963)
Train Engineer
4 for Texas
(1963)
Bank Board Member
Wall of Noise
(1963)
Trainer
Bullet for a Badman
(1964)
Sheriff (uncredited)
Requiem for a Gunfighter
(1965)
Max Smith
The Bounty Killer
(1965)
Red - Henchman
Town Tamer
(1965)
Ken
Shenandoah
(1965)
Union Train Guard
Taggart
(1965)
Hang 'em High
(1968)
Jenkins
Doc
(1969)
Toby
The Great Bank Robbery
(1969)
First Guard
Rio Lobo
(1970)
Rio Lobo Deputy (uncredited)
Something Big
(1971)
Teamster #3
Skin Game
(1971)
Bidder (uncredited)
Charley Varrick
(1973)
Bank Guard (uncredited)
Nightmare Honeymoon
(1974)
Charlie
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
(1976)
(archive footage)
The Shootist
(1976)
Books' Victim in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)
Writing