Quick Facts
| Full Name: | Pernell Roberts |
| Age: | 81 years |
| Birthday: | 18 May |
| Birthplace: | Waycross, Georgia |
| Nationality: | American |
| Gender: | Male |
| Horoscope: | Taurus |
| Wife: | Dr. Eleanor Criswell |
| Net Worth: | $10 million |
| Height: | 6 feet 0 inches (1.83m) |
| Profession: | Actor, singer |
| Kids: | one: Jonathan Christopher Roberts (died) |
Pernell Roberts was an American actor and singer. Pernell Roberts is best known for his role in the western TV series ‘Bonanza.’ He has also made contributions to the music industry.
How many times did Pernell marry?
Roberts had four marriages. In 1951, he married Vera Mowry, a professor of theater history at Washington State University. Their marriage ended a few years later. As a result, they had a son named Jonathan Christopher Roberts, who died in a motorcycle accident in 1989.
On October 15, 1962, he married Judith Anna LeBrecque. As a result, the marriage lasted nearly a decade before dissolving in 1971. He later married Kara Knack, but they divorced in 1996.
Similarly, he married Dr. Eleanor Criswell in 1997 and remained married to her until the end of his life. And, sadly, he died of pancreatic cancer on January 24, 2010, in Malibu, California, USA.
When was Pernell Roberts Born?
Pernell Elven Roberts Jr. was born on May 18, 1928. He is from Waycross, Georgia in the United States. Pernell was the only child of Minnie Myrtle Morgan Roberts and Pernell Elven Roberts, Sr. Furthermore, his father worked as a ‘Dr. Pepper’s salesman.
During his high school years, he discovered his passion for acting by performing in school and church plays. As a result, he discovered his singing talent at the same time. He also sang at local “USO” shows and learned how to play the horn.
Pernell attended the ‘Georgia Institute of Technology,’ but he did not graduate. In 1946, he enlisted in the Army, and he later served in the ‘United States Marine Corps’ for two years.
Furthermore, even while serving his country, he did not lose touch with his artistic side. As a result, he was a member of the ‘Marine Corps Band,’ where he played the horn and tuba. Roberts also had a solid understanding of the sousaphone and percussion instruments at the time.
His first encounter with classical theater occurred during his time at the ‘University of Maryland,’ though he did not graduate from there either. His years there brought him closer to his destiny as an actor. Furthermore, as a student, he performed in four productions, two of which were ‘Othello’ and ‘Antigone.’
How tall was Pernell Roberts?
He was 6 feet taller and weighed around 80 kilos at the time. His hair was gray, and his eyes were a light brown color. Aside from these, no other information about his body stats is available.
He wasn’t on any social media platforms at the time. In terms of earnings, he had a net worth of $10 million.
Career Line of Pernell Roberts
- Pernell made his professional stage debut in 1949, with ‘The Man Who Came to Dinner,’ at the ‘Olney Theatre’ in Olney, Maryland. Soon after, he appeared as ‘Dan’ in Emlyn Williams’ Night Must Fall and as ‘Alfred Doolittle’ in GB Shaw’s hugely successful play ‘Pygmalion’ at the ‘Bryn Mawr College Theatre,’ Philadelphia.
- His first claim to fame was as a theater actor. Furthermore, he relocated to Washington, DC in 1950. And, for the first five years of the decade, he worked extensively as a stage artist.
- Similarly, for two years, he performed at the ‘Arena Stage’ and was a part of several productions, including ‘The Adding Machine,’ ‘Twelfth Night,’ ‘Taming of the Shrew,’ ‘Children of Darkness,’ ‘The Glass Menagerie,’ ‘Julius Caesar,’ ‘The Importance of Being Earnest,’ and ‘She Stoops to Conquer.’
- Similarly, in 1952, he relocated to New York and began working on ‘Broadway’ and ‘Off-Broadway’ projects. Following that, he appeared in ‘Off-Broadway’ operas and ballets at the ‘North American Lyric Theatre,’ the ‘Equity Library Theatre,’ and other prestigious venues.
- Furthermore, he worked in several ‘Broadway’ productions, including ‘Tonight in Samarkand,’ ‘The Lovers,’ ‘Merchant of Venice,’ ‘Doctor Faustus,’ ‘St. Joan,’ ‘The Duchess of Malfi,’ and ‘Measure for Measure.’
- Pernell made his television debut in 1956, in an episode of the anthology series ‘Kraft Television Theater’ titled ‘Shadow of Suspicion.’ It was followed by a string of guest appearances in series such as ‘Whirlybirds,’ ‘Gunsmoke,’ ‘Buckskin,’ and ‘Sugarfoot.’ In 1957, Roberts signed his first film contract for ‘Desire Under the Elms.’
- Similarly, in 1959, he landed a career-defining role in the ‘NBC’ western series ‘Bonanza.’ Roberts was in the series for six years, and this was his most talked-about performance.
- His folk album, ‘Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies,’ was released by RCA Victor in 1963. Additionally, some of his most well-known songs include ‘Shady Grove,’ ‘They Call the Wind Mariah,’ ‘The Water is Wide,’ ‘A Quiet Girl,’ ‘In the Pines,’ and ‘Sylvie.’ His music was praised.
- Similarly, he returned to the stage in the 1970s with Ingrid Bergman’s Captain Brassbound’s Conversion’.
- In the 1980s and 1990s, he appeared in a slew of TV shows and films, including ‘The Wild Wild West,’ ‘The Night Train to Kathmandu,’ and ‘Donor.’ His last TV appearance was in a 1997 episode of ‘Diagnosis: Murder.’
- Furthermore, ‘Bonanza,’ a western TV series, was the most significant project of his acting career. As a result, he was involved with the show for six years.
- Roberts won the ‘Drama Desk Award’ for ‘Best Actor’ in 1955 for his performance in a ‘Off-Broadway’ production of ‘Macbeth.’
- Similarly, he was nominated for a ‘Emmy Award.’ It was for his performance in ‘Trapper John, M.D.’ in 1981 that he received the award for ‘Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.’
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