Robert Golden Armstrong Jr. (April 7, 1917 – July 27, 2012) was an American actor and playwright. Originally from a small town just outside Birmingham, Alabama, he was recognizable for his Southern accent and distinctive weathered features.
Armstrong was part of director Sam Peckinpah’s Production Posse, appearing in Peckinpah films such as Ride the High Country, The Ballad of Cable Hogue, and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. He was also Gen. Phillips in the original Predator. He was lifelong friends with Andy Griffith, having attended the University of North Carolina with him, and appeared on an episode of The Andy Griffith Show.
Married three times—to Ann Neale, Susan M. Guthrie, and Mary Craven—Armstrong had four children. He died of natural causes on July 27, 2012.
Not to be confused with Robert Armstrong, the actor best known for his role as Carl Denham in King Kong (1933).
Works with R. G. Armstrong:
open/close all folders
Film
- 1957 A Face in the Crowd: Television Prompter Operator (Uncredited Role)
- 1958 From Hell To Texas: Hunter Boyd
- 1958 Never Love A Stranger: Flix
- 1959 No Name on the Bullet: Asa Canfield
- 1960 The Fugitive Kind: Sheriff Jordan Talbott
- 1960 Ten Who Dared: Oramel Howland
- 1962 Ride the High Country: Joshua Knudsen
- 1964 He Rides Tall: Joshua “Josh” [Mc Cloud=]
- 1965 Major Dundee: Reverend Dahlstrom
- 1967 El Dorado: Kevin MacDonald
- 1969 Eighty Steps To Jonah: Mackray
- 1970 Tiger By The Tail: Ben Holmes
- 1970 The Ballad of Cable Hogue: Quittner
- 1970 The Mc Masters: Watson
- 1970 The Great White Hope: Cap’n Dan
- 1971 JW Coop: Dan Sawyer
- 1972 The Final Comedown: Mr. Freeman
- 1972 The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid: Clell Miller
- 1973 Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid: Ollinger
- 1973 White Lightning: Big Bear
- 1973 My Name Is Nobody: Honest John
- 1975 Boss Nigger: Mayor Griffin
- 1975 Race with the Devil: Sheriff Taylor
- 1975 White Line Fever: Prosecutor
- 1976 Stay Hungry: Thor Erickson
- 1976 Dixie Dynamite: Charlie White – Bank President
- 1977 Mr Billion: Sheriff T. C. Bishop
- 1977 The Car: Amos
- 1977 The Pack: Cobb
- 1978 Heaven Can Wait (1978): General Manager
- 1978 Devil Dog The Hound Of Hell: Dunworth
- 1978 Fast Charlie The Moonbeam Rider: Al Barber
- 1980 Where the Buffalo Roam: Judge Simpson
- 1981 Raggedy Man: Rigby
- 1981 The Pursuit Of DB Cooper: Dempsey
- 1981 Reds!: Government Agent
- 1982 The Beast Within: Doc Schoonmaker
- 1982 Hammett: Lt O’Hara
- 1983 Lone Wolf McQuade: T. Tyler
- 1984 Children of the Corn (1984): Diehl
- 1986 The Best of Times: Schutte
- 1986 Red Headed Stranger: Sheriff Reese Scoby
- 1987 Predator: Gen. Phillips
- 1990 Dick Tracy: Pruneface
- 1993 Warlock: The Armageddon: Franks
- 1995 Payback 1995: Mac
- 1996 Invasion Of Privacy: Sam Logan – Storekeeper
- 1999 Purgatory: Coachman
- 2001 The Waking: Edward Sloan
Television
- 1958 Jefferson Drum: Kreiger (1 episode)
- 1958 Have Gun – Will Travel: Jaffey/Mayor S. J. Lovett (2 episodes)
- 1958 The Californians: Malone (2 episodes)
- 1958 The Rifleman: Sheriff Fred Tomlinson (2 episodes)
- 1958 Bronco: Reverend Hardin (1 episode)
- 1958 Zane Gray Theatre: Sheriff Fred Tomlinson/Sheriff Les Houghton (2 episodes)
- 1958-59 Sugarfoot: Clay Calhoun/Lou Stoner (2 episodes)
- 1958-59 The Texan: Cliff Clifford/Big Sam Aldridge (2 episodes)
- 1958-62 Perry Mason: Matthew Bartlett/Harry Bright/John Gregory (3 episodes)
- 1959 Lawman: Gabe Dallas/Major Ben Rogers (2 episodes)
- 1959 Wanted: Dead or Alive: Asa Wynter (1 episode)
- 1959 Riverboat: Rothgate (1 episode)
- 1959-60 Maverick: Colonel Karl Bent/Wellington Cosgrove (2 episodes)
- 1959-65 Rawhide: Enoch Talby/Burke/Gantry Hobson/Sheriff John Keeley (4 episodes)
- 1959-66 Bonanza: Andrew Holloway/Nathan Clay/Col. Keith Jarrell (3 episodes)
- 1960 Mr. Lucky: Mike Haley (1 episode)
- 1960 The Westerner: Shell Davidson (1 episode)
- 1960 The Tall Man: Neal Bailey (1 episode)
- 1960-61 Cheyenne: Angus Bennett/Nathanael Grimm (2 episodes)
- 1960-62 Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Captain Bone/Fred Riordan (2 episodes)
- 1960-62 Laramie: Matthews/Sam Jarrad/Jud/Marshal Al Dawson/Vic Prescott (5 episodes)
- 1961 Bat Masterson: Marshal William MacWilliams (1 episode)
- 1961 The Andy Griffith Show: Farmer Flint (1 episode)
- 1961 Everglades: Luther Jacks (1 episode)
- 1961-67 Gunsmoke: Capt. Benter/Major/Jud Briar/Argonaut/Carl Anderson (5 episodes)
- 1962 Frontier Circus: Uriah Foster (1 episode)
- 1962 The Twilight Zone (1959): Contractor (1 episode)
- 1962 Tales Of Wells Fargo: Hanson (1 episode)
- 1962 Eighty Seventh Precinct: Franklin Phelps (1 episode)
- 1962 Surfside 6: Paul Wyatt (1 episode)
- 1962 Wagon Train: John Muskie/General Kirby (2 episodes)
- 1962-63 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour: William Downey/John Cooley (2 episodes)
- 1963 Wide Country: Charlie Devlin (1 episode)
- 1963-65 Death Valley Days: Steve/Bundage (2 episodes)
- 1963-65 The Fugitive: Sheriff Bradley/Tully Gage/Marshal Matt Peters (3 episodes)
- 1963-67 The Virginian: Ben Winters/Frederick Harley (2 episodes)
- 1964 ''Kraft Suspense Theatre': 'Sheriff Harder (1 episode)
- 1965 Slatterys People: Jonathan Blaine (1 episode)
- 1965 The Big Valley: Wallace Miles (1 episode)
- 1965-67 The F.B.I.: Sheriff Crowley/George Cray/George David Owens (3 episodes)
- 1966 The Time Tunnel: Allan Pinkerton (1 episode)
- 1966-67 THE Cat: Captain McAllister
- 1967 Cimarron Strip: William Payne (1 episode)
- 1967 The Felony Squad: Arnie Kale (1 episode)
- 1967 The Guns Of Will Sonnett: Collin Atwood (1 episode)
- 1967-68 Daniel Boone: Jarvis/Joseph Garth (2 episodes)
- 1967-68 The Invaders (1967): Gus Flagg/Police Capt. Bill Battersea (2 episodes)
- 1968 The Doris Day Show: Henry R. Pritchart (1 episode)
- 1968 Lancer: Gant Foley (1 episode)
- 1969 Here Come the Brides: Lijah (1 episode)
- 1969-70 Hawaii Five-O: Capt. Wade/Warden (2 episodes)
- 1970 The High Chaparral: Ed Henderson (1 episode)
- 1971 Alias Smith and Jones: Max (1 episode)
- 1971-73 Cannon: Sheriff/Banner (2 episodes)
- 1972 Hec Ramsey: Ben Ritt (1 episode)
- 1972 The Sixth Sense 1972: Jack Preston (1 episode)
- 1974 Marcus Welby, M.D.: Grandee MacAllister (1 episode)
- 1974 McMillan & Wife: Sheriff Farraday (1 episode)
- 1974 The Manhunter: Sheriff Mosley (2 episodes)
- 1974 Police Story (1973): Elwood Fraser (1 episode)
- 1976 Movin' On: Sam Jellico (1 episode)
- 1976 Ellery Queen: Stan Buffo (1 episode)
- 1976 Switch: Detective Wills (1 episode)
- 1977 Starsky & Hutch: “Dad” Watson (1 episode)
- 1977 Baretta: Fayso (1 episode)
- 1979 Vegas: Wellman (1 episode)
- 1979 Fantasy Island: Capt. Hawks (1 episode)
- 1979-83 The Dukes of Hazzard: Tom Pryor/Calloway (2 episodes)
- 1980 Charlie's Angels: Sebastian Craig (1 episode)
- 1980 Skag: Zanski (1 episode)
- 1981 Darkroom: Sheriff Dodson (1 episode)
- 1981-85 Trapper John, M.D.: Bates/George/Ralph/Telephone Repairman/Repairman (6 episodes)
- 1982 Dynasty: Alfred Grimes (3 episodes)
- 1984 Matt Houston: Bert (1 episode)
- 1987 Werewolf (1987): Dawson (1 episode)
- 1987-89 Friday the 13th: The Series: Lewis Vendredi (6 episodes)
- 1988-89 'War And Remembrance: Gen. “Moose” Fitzgerald
- 1989 Matlock: Sheriff Dalton Parks (2 episodes)
- 1991 Silk Stalkings: Mr. Cameron (1 episode)
- 1991 Quantum Leap: Davison (1 episode)
- 1992-93 L.A. Law: Frank Osgood (2 episodes)
- 1994 Walker, Texas Ranger: Frank Dodge (1 episode)
- 1995 Cybill: Stitch Sullivan (1 episode)
- 1997 Good Guys Bad Guys: Clergyman (1 episode)
- 1997-98 Millennium (1996): The Old Man (5 episodes)
Stage
- 1955-56 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: Dr. Baugh/Big Daddy
- 1959-61 The Miracle Worker: Captain Keller
Music Video
- 1991 Metallica – “Enter Sandman”
