Roger Mobley

Last updated
Roger Mobley
RogerMobley WonderfulWorldOfDisney c1968.jpg
Mobley in The Wonderful World of Disney, circa 1968
Born (1949-01-16) January 16, 1949 (age 74)
Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
Occupation(s)Child actor (1958-1967)
Green Beret (1968-1970)
Police officer
Spouse
Sharie Barclay Mobley
​
​
(m. 1968)​
Children3
Website www.facebook.com/roger.mobley.16

Roger Lance Mobley (born January 16, 1949) is a former child actor in the 1950s and 1960s who made more than 118 television appearances and co-starred in nine feature films in a nine-year career. [1] He served in the Green Berets (46th Special Forces Company) during the Vietnam War, and was subsequently a police officer in Beaumont, Texas. [1]

Contents

Background

Mobley is one of eight children of Arthur Lance Mobley and Charlene V. Mobley. Lance Mobley, as the father was known, was born in Centralia in southern Illinois, and a retired pipefitter at the time of his death in a hospital in Beaumont, Texas. Charlene and he married in 1939, when he was 17, and she was 15. [2] The couple moved from Indiana in the early 1950s to Pecos in Reeves County in West Texas before they headed in 1957 to Whittier, near Los Angeles.

Acting

Mobley with Earl Holliman in The Wide Country (1962) EHandRGinTWC.jpg
Mobley with Earl Holliman in The Wide Country (1962)

Mobley (pronounced "Mahbley" [3] ) sang with his older brother and sister in The Little Mobley Trio in Texas where the family then lived. After moving to California when Mobley was six or seven, the trio appeared on the Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour with disappointing results.

They were spotted, though, by Lola Moore, then the pre-eminent agent for child actors, who expressed an interest in Roger and arranged his audition for the part of eight-year-old Homer "Packy" Lambert in the NBC Saturday-morning Western television series, Fury , starring Peter Graves, Bobby Diamond, and William Fawcett. He appeared in 38 episodes of the series. [4]

In 1964, after having been impressed with Mobley's performance as Gustav in Emil and the Detectives , Walt Disney signed him to the title role in the highly acclaimed and Emmy-nominated "Adventures of Gallegher" serials for the Wonderful World of Color . Gallegher is an amateur sleuth newspaper reporter, a character created by author Richard Harding Davis. [1]

After 9 years and appearances in 118 television programs or feature films, Mobley's career was interrupted at the age of 18 by military service. Mobley eventually graduated Parachute Jump School (Fort Benning, Georgia) and JFK Special Warfare School (Fort Bragg, North Carolina) and was assigned to the 6th Special Group (Fort Bragg) and the 46th Special Special Forces Co., 1st Special Forces (1969-1970), before being honorably discharged in 1970. Upon his return home to Whittier, Mobley found that only $6,000 earnings from his extensive film work as a child had been saved for him. His new bride and he moved to Texas, where he landed a position on the Beaumont, Texas Police Dept.

As of 2022, his marriage to his high school sweetheart is still intact after 54 years, and they have three children, 12 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Mobley and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1958-1960 Fury Homer "Packy" Lambert38 episodes
1959 Buckskin Noah WesleyEpisode: "Mr. Rush's Secretary" (with Jane Darwell)
1959 Bachelor Father Little LeaguerEpisode: "Bentley Goes to Washington" (with Whit Bissell, Sue Ane Langdon, and Flip Mark)
1959 A Dog's Best Friend Pip WheelerFilm (with Bill Williams and Marcia Henderson)
1959-1963 Wagon Train Multiple rolesEight episodes
1960 Hawaiian Eye Stevie HughesEpisode: "With This Ring" (with Paul Richards and Ruta Lee)
1960-1961 The Detectives Boy and PaulTwo episodes: "A Barrel Full of Monkeys" and "Shuttle"
1961 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Little MartinEpisode: "The Scar" (with Lew Ayres, Mort Mills, Patricia Barry, and Alan Hale, Jr.)
1961 The Donna Reed Show Tony Martin, Jr.Episode: "Tony Martin Visits" (with Tony Martin)
1961 Outlaws Davey MorganEpisode: "Blind Spot" (with Gary Merrill)
1961 National Velvet Bradley Walton, IIIEpisode: "The Riding Mistress" (with Richard Deacon and Beverly Lunsford)
1961 The Runaway Felipe RobertoFilm
1961 The Silent Call Guy BrancatoFilm (with Gail Russell and David McLean)
1961 The Loretta Young Show Henry Sands, Jr.Episode: "Not in Our Stars" (with Loretta Young and H. M. Wynant)
1961 Boy Who Caught a Crook KidChildren's film
1961 Gunsmoke Thad FerrinEpisode: "Miss Kitty" (with Frank Sutton, Harold J. Stone, and Dabbs Greer)
1961-1962 87th Precinct Danny and Lane Conners, respectivelyEpisodes: "Lady Killer" and "A Bullet for Katie"
1961 and 1963 Death Valley Days Little Matt Denby and Matt, respectivelyEpisodes: "The Madstone" (with Myron Healey) and "Deadly Decision" (with James Caan)
1961 and 1965 Dr. Kildare Jamie Carroll and Alan Burnside, respectivelyEpisodes: "Hit and Run" and "The Time Buyers"
1962 Straightaway DaleEpisode: "A Moment in the Sun" (with Robert Blake)
1962 The Tall Man David HarperEpisode: "St. Louis Woman" (with Jan Clayton and Russ Conway)
1962 Alcoa Premiere Lonnie Dunlap"Second Chance" (with Earl Holliman, Andrew Prine, Cliff Robertson, Jacqueline Scott, Roy Barcroft, and Don "Red" Barry)
1962 Frontier Circus Andy JukesEpisode: "Mighty Like Rogue" (with J. Pat O'Malley, Jena Engstrom, and Joby Baker)
1962 The Law and Mr. Jones Tommy PierceEpisode: "The Boy Who Said 'No'" (with Russell Johnson and Eve McVeagh)
1962 Jack the Giant Killer PeterAdventure film
1962 The Virginian Homer TatumEpisode: "Throw a Long Rope" (with fellow guest stars John Anderson, Ted Knight, and Jacqueline Scott)
1962 The Wide Country (series spun off from Alcoa Premiere episode above)Billy-Joe PerryEpisode: "Journey Down a Dusty Road" (with Wallace Ford)
1962 Cheyenne Gabe Morse and Billy ZacharyEpisodes "The Idol" and "Sweet Sam"
1962 Going My Way Miles CorbinEpisode: "Ask Me No Questions" (with Kevin McCarthy and Joanne Linville)
1962 Empire Kieran HaskellEpisode: "When the Gods Laugh" (with James Gregory)
1962-1963 Our Man Higgins Jamie and Jamie MacDermott, respectivelyTwo episodes: "Golf Partner" and "The Royal and Ancient Game" (both with Roy Roberts)
1963 Inside Danny Baker Danny BakerTelevision film
1963 Route 66 Joby PaxtonEpisode: "Somehow It Gets to Be Tomorrow" (with Martin Balsam)
1963 I'm Dickens, He's Fenster RalphEpisode: "Number One Son"
1963 The Dakotas Christopher DeusEpisode: "Feud at Snake River"
1963 Dime with a Halo JoseFilm
1964 Insight The UrchinEpisode: "The Urchin"
1964 Ben Casey Paul Hamilton, Jr.Episode: "Keep Out of Reach of Adults" (with Richard Kiley and Geraldine Brooks)
1964 Destry Toby BradyEpisode: "Red Brady's Kid"
1964 Emil and the Detectives GustavFilm
1964-1980 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Multiple roles17 episodes
1965 The Farmer's Daughter Alan PageEpisode: "Follow the Leader"
1967-1968 Dragnet Audie Fulton and Charles L. Vail, respectivelyEpisodes: "The Big Kids" and "The Big Departure"
1979 The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again SentryFilm
1980 The Kids Who Knew Too Much Police sergeantTelevision film

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Liberty</span> Military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina formerly known as Fort Bragg

Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg, is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 29,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cumberland and Hoke counties, and borders the towns of Fayetteville, Spring Lake, and Southern Pines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States invasion of Grenada</span> 1983 invasion of Grenada by the United States

The United States invasion of Grenada began at dawn on 25 October 1983. The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada, 100 miles (160 km) north of Venezuela. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. military, it resulted in military occupation within a few days. It was triggered by the strife within the People's Revolutionary Government, which resulted in the house arrest and execution of the previous leader and second Prime Minister of Grenada, Maurice Bishop, and the establishment of the Revolutionary Military Council, with Hudson Austin as Chairman. The invasion resulted in the appointment of an interim government, followed by elections in 1984.

Kenny Blank, also known as Kenn Michael, is an American actor, musician and director. Blank is best known for his role as Michael Peterson in the television series The Parent 'Hood from 1995 to 1997 for which he also composed some music, as well as his appearance in Eddie Murphy's 1992 film, Boomerang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claude Jarman Jr.</span> American actor

Claude Jarman Jr. is an American former child actor, entrepreneur, former executive director of the San Francisco International Film Festival and former director of Cultural Affairs for the City of San Francisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Withers</span> American actress and childrens radio show host (1926–2021)

Jane Withers was an American actress and children's radio show host. She became one of the most popular child stars in Hollywood in the 1930s and early 1940s, with her films ranking in the top ten list for box-office gross in 1937 and 1938.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gene Reynolds</span> American actor, producer, writer, and director (1923–2020)

Eugene Reynolds Blumenthal was an American screenwriter, director, producer, and actor. He was one of the developers and producers of the TV series M*A*S*H.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Aaker</span> American actor (1943–2021)

Lee William Aaker was an American child actor, producer, carpenter, and ski instructor known for his appearance as Rusty of "B-Company" in the 1950s television program The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. He was the final surviving cast member of the series. In 1952, Lee Aaker appeared in Desperate Search with Howard Keel and Keenan Wynn.

Gary Dickson Gray was an American child actor in films, and as an adult in television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whittier Christian High School</span> Private school in La Habra, California, United States

Whittier Christian High School is a non-profit, non-denominational, Christian high school located in La Habra, California. It was founded in 1958. The high school has a gymnasium named the Leon Davis Event Center, after the school worker Leon Davis. Whittier Christian is also nicknamed "Dub-C".

<i>Fury</i> (American TV series) American TV series or program

Fury is an American Western television series that aired on NBC from 1955 to 1960. It stars Peter Graves as Jim Newton, who operates the Broken Wheel Ranch in California; Bobby Diamond as Jim's adopted son, Joey Clark Newton, and William Fawcett as ranch hand Pete Wilkey. Roger Mobley co-starred in the two final seasons as Homer "Packy" Lambert, a friend of Joey's.

Richard Ross Eyer is an American former child actor who worked during the 1950s and 1960s. He then became a teacher and taught at elementary schools in Bishop, California until he retired in 2006. He is the older brother of Robert Eyer (1948-2005), another child actor of the period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abel Fernandez</span> American actor (1930–2016)

Abel Gonzalez Fernandez was an American actor who played in movies from 1953 to 2002. He was best known for his role as Federal Agent William "Bill" Youngfellow on the 1959–1963 ABC Television series The Untouchables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobs Watson</span> American actor and Methodist minister (1930–1999)

Robert Ball Watson, credited as Bobs Watson, was an American actor and Methodist minister.

Mickey Sholdar is an American actor.

<i>Airborne</i> (1962 film) 1962 film

Airborne is a 1962 American drama film written and directed by James Landis and starring Bobby Diamond. As of 2009 it is in the Public Domain and can be streamed on YouTube or downloaded via the Internet Archive. The film tells the story of a young man (Diamond) and his journey to become a US paratrooper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Gray (actor)</span> American actor (1938–)

William Thomas Gray is an American actor, competitive motorcycle racer and inventor. He is best known for his role as Bud on the television series Father Knows Best (1954-1960).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Ernest</span> American actor

George Ernest was an American actor and Office of Strategic Services (OSS) combat photographer/cameraman during World War II. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1930 and 1942.

Bernard Bragg was a deaf actor, producer, director, playwright, artist, and author who is notable for being a co-founder of the National Theatre of the Deaf and for his contributions to Deaf performing culture. According to The New York Times, Bragg was "regarded by many as the leading professional deaf actor in the country".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Chapin</span> American actor

Michael Chapin is an American former child actor in film and television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Leslie (actor)</span> American film and television actor

William Leslie was an American film and television actor.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Roger Mobley biography". Broken Wheel Ranch. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Lance Mobley obituary". The Beaumont Enterprise, August 27, 2002. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Fury and My Friend Flicka". YouTube . Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  4. ↑ Feature Players, Vol. 3, Tom and Jim Goldrup, 1997, Ben Lomond, California, p. 204.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.