Robert Nichols (July 20, 1924 – March 21, 2013) was an American character actor, singer, and dancer. His television, theater and film career spanned more than seventy years.
Life and career Robert Nichols was born in Oakland, California, the son of Edna (née Beemer) and Ray D. Nichols, a real estate broker.Profile, filmreference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2017. He began his career in entertainment as a student at Oakland High School. Nichols enlisted with the U.S. Army during World War II, performing with the Special Services to entertain U.S. troops during the war. He performed on domestic U.S. military bases and managed a jazz band in Japan during the post-war period.
Nichols was awarded a scholarship for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, a drama school in London, following World War II. He began performing on in theater while living in London. In 1949, Nichols made his film debut in I Was a Male War Bride, which was shot in West Germany. He was deported from the United Kingdom soon after because he did not have a British work permit.
In 1950, soon after his deportation, Nichols met his future wife, Jennifer, at her 19th birthday beach party near Malibu, California. They became engaged after two dates and were married just two months later. Jennifer Nichols later worked as a film wardrobe supervisor.
Nichols worked in American film and television throughout the 1950s. In the episode "Doc Holliday Rewrites History" of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Nichols played a traveling photographer and historian.
Nichols returned to the United Kingdom around 1960, where he appeared in British and European film, television and theater productions. Nichols moved back to Los Angeles, California, in 1965. He soon relocated to New York City, where he enjoyed a steady career on and off Broadway, notably the Broadway productions of The Man Who Came to Dinner, Man and Superman and Take Me Along.
Nichols and his wife purchased property to build a home in Occidental, Sonoma County, California, in 1991. He continued to act and perform until the early 2000s. His last theater role was in the musical Ragtime, appearing in Los Angeles, Chicago and Vancouver.
Nichols died from heart failure at his Occidental home on March 21, 2013, at the age of 88.
Filmography 1940 Little Men Teddy Notes1949 I Was a Male War Bride Motor Pool Mechanic Uncredited1951 The Thing from Another World Lt. Ken MacPherson "Mac" 1951 Father Takes the Air Photographer Uncredited1951 The Red Badge of Courage Fat Union Soldier Uncredited1951 Disk Jockey Photographer Uncredited1951 The Blue Veil Fred Begley, Jr. Uncredited1952 Red Skies of Montana Felton Uncredited1952 Hold That Line Harold Lane 1952 Jet Job Dynamo Jackson 1952 The Pride of St. Louis Eddie Uncredited1952 Sally and Saint Anne Henry Uncredited1952 Dreamboat Student Uncredited1952 Monkey Business Garage Man Uncredited1952 Battle Zone Marine Uncredited1952 Eight Iron Men Walsh 1953 Battle Circus Pvt. Sommers Uncredited1953 Julius Caesar Citizen of Rome Uncredited1953 Dream Wife Elevator Boy Uncredited1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Evans Uncredited1953 Jennifer Orin 1954 The Command 2nd Lt. O'Hirons 1954 Prisoner of War Patrick Woodhope Uncredited1954 The Student Prince Student at Duel Uncredited1954 Johnny Dark Smitty 1954 The Bob Mathias Story Stanford Football Player Uncredited1954 The Atomic Kid Bob Uncredited1955 Tight Spot Boy Honeymooner Uncredited1955 This Island Earth Joe Wilson 1956 Navy Wife Oscar 1956 Hold Back the Night Beany Smith 1956 Giant Mort 'Pinky' Snythe 1957 Don't Go Near the Water Lt. Cmdr. Hereford 1957 Bombers B-52 Wilbur 'Brooklyn' Stuart 1958 Imitation General Soldier Uncredited1959 The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock Bank Manager 1962 Don't Bother to Knock American Sailor Uncredited1962 The Amorous Prawn Sam Goulansky 1963 Follow the Boys Hulldown 1963 Come Fly with Me Nickerson Uncredited1963 Call Me Bwana American Major 1963 The Victors 'The Squad' Member No. 5 2963 The Donna Reed Show as Mr. Moody in the Neighborly Gesture."1963 Man in the Middle Lt. Harvey Bender 1964 The Yellow Rolls-Royce American Travel Agent Uncredited1969 The Trouble with Girls Smith 1970 The Out-of-Towners Man in Airplane 1971 Escape from the Planet of the Apes Reporter Uncredited1972 They Only Kill Their Masters Doctor Peterson 1972 Pete 'n' Tillie Party Guest Uncredited1973 Wicked, Wicked Fred, Day Clerk 1973 Westworld 1st Male Interviewee Uncredited1975 The Night They Robbed Big Bertha's Professor 1976 God Told Me To Fletcher 1983 Reuben, Reuben Harry Pycraft 1984 Billions for Boris Derelict 1993 So I Married an Axe Murderer Scottish Minister (final film role)
Discography Jerome Kern: Show Boat, conducted by John McGlinn, EMI, 1988
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