ROY ROBERTS

March 19, 1906

Roy Roberts was born Roy Barnes Jones 

in Dade City, near Tampa, Florida.  He began his acting career on the stage, first appearing on Broadway in May 1931 before making his motion picture debut in Gold Bricks, a 1936 two-reel comedy short released by 20th Century-Fox. 

He appeared in numerous films in secondary parts and returned to perform on Broadway in such productions as Twentieth Century, My Sister Eileen, and Carnival in Flanders until he began making guest appearances on television series, becoming one of the most recognizable faces on TV. 

His first time with Lucille Ball was in an uncredited role in Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949). 

His TV debut came in a 1952 episode of the anthology series “Suspense” titled “The Invisible Killer.” 

He first worked for Desilu in a 1955 episode of “December Bride” called “The Shoplifter.”  He was also seen in episodes of “The Danny Thomas Show,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “My Three Sons” and “The Andy Griffith Show,” all filmed on the Desilu Studios backlot. 

Roberts joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” at the start of season five, but not as the role he would become known for, bank president Mr. Cheever, but as the Admiral in “Lucy and the Submarine” (TLS S5;E2) in September 1966. 

In “Lucy’s Substitute Secretary” (TLS S5;E19) he becomes a recurring character on the show as Harrison Cheever, Mr. Mooney’s boss, doing 14 episodes through the end of the series. 

″Lucy and Tennessee Ernie Ford” (TLS S5;E21) ~ February 27, 1967. 
Roberts also did six episodes of “The Beverly Hillbillies” as Bank President John Cushing, a rival of banker Mr. Drysdale. It is very likely that “The Lucy Show” cast Roberts as the much-anticipated Mr. Cheever after seeing him play Cushing. He also appeared on CBS’s other two rural sitcoms, “Green Acres” and “Petticoat Junction,” all as different characters. 

“Lucy Gets Trapped” (TLS S6;E2) ~ September 18, 1967 

“Lucy and the French Movie Star” (TLS S6;E3) ~ September 25, 1967 (starring

Jacques Bergerac)

“Lucy and the Starmaker” (TLS S6;E4) ~ October 2, 1967 (starring Frankie Avalon) 

“Lucy Gets Jack Benny’s Account” (TLS S6;E6) ~ October 16, 1967

“Little Old Lucy” (TLS S6;E7) ~ October 23, 1967 

“Lucy Gets Mooney Fired” (TLS S6;E9) ~ November 6, 1967 

“Lucy, the Philanthropist” (TLS S6;E11) ~ November 20, 1967 

“Lucy Gets Involved” (TLS S6;E17) ~ January 15, 1968

“Mooney’s Other Wife” (TLS S6;E18) ~ January 22, 1968 

“Lucy and the Stolen Stole” (TLS S6;E19) ~ January 29, 1968 

“Lucy Helps Ken Berry” (TLS S6;E21) ~ February 19, 1968

“Lucy and the ‘Boss of the Year’ Award” (TLS S6;E24) ~ March 11, 1968
This is Roberts’ final appearance as well as the series finale. 

Roberts returned to Lucille Ball Productions for five episodes of “Here’s Lucy,” staring with the on-location episodes that opened season two, “Lucy Goes To The Air Force Academy: Part One” (HL S2;E1) ~ September 22, 1969 and “Lucy Goes To The Air Force Academy: Part 2″ (HL S2;E2) ~ September 29, 1969

In “Lucy and the Astronauts” (HL S4;E5) S4;E5 ~ October 11, 1971. Roberts played Dr. Jamison. 

“Lucy Goes To Prison” (HL S5;E18 ~ January 22, 1973. Roberts played Warden Maginetti. 

“Lucy is N.G. as an R.N.” (HL S6;E17 ~ January 21, 1974. Roberts played Dr. Hunnicutt. 

The same evening this episode originally aired, Roberts also appeared on “Gunsmoke,” “Here’s Lucy’s” lead-in on CBS. Roberts played Mr. Bodkin in 19 episodes of the long-running Western. Like his character of Mr. Cheever on “The Lucy Show,” Mr. Bodkin was a banker. These two back-to-back episodes are Roberts’ last television appearances before his death a year later. In that year, he also starred in two feature films: Chinatown (1974) and The Strongest Man in the World (1975).

Roy Roberts died on May 28, 1975 a age 69. He was married to Lillian Moore from 1947 to his passing.