Robert Charles Totten (February 5, 1937 – January 27, 1995) was an American television director, writer, and actor, best known for directing 25 Gunsmoke episodes, Henry Fonda's adaptation of The Red Pony, and Louis L'Amour's The Sacketts miniseries.
Career In addition to directing, Totten also co-starred in Gunsmoke playing the role of Corley, opposite of Nehemiah Persoff, in the 1969 episode "The Mark of Cain." He also played Cleavus Lukens, the childhood friend of Festus in an episode named for his role.
As director, writer, and actor, Totten is a member all three guilds; the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild.
Awards Totten was nominated at the 25th Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in Drama - Adaptation for his work on the 1973 television film, The Red Pony.
Death Totten died at the age of 57 on January 27, 1995, from a heart attack at his home in Sherman Oaks, California.
Filmography A partial filmography follows.
Film Director Year Title Role 1963 The Quick and the Dead 1969 Death of a Gunfighter Credited as Alan Smithee 1970 The Wild Country 1976 Pony Express Rider Also writer
Actor Year Title Role 1979 The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again Blainey
Television Writer Gunsmoke (1968) - "Nowhere to Run" (S13E18)
Director
Gunsmoke (1966–71) "My Father's Guitar" (S11E21) "My Father, My Son" (S11E30) "Prime of Life" (S11E32) "The Good People" (S12E5) "The Wrong Man" (S12E7) "The Newcomers" (S12E11) "Saturday Night" (S12E16) "Mail Drop" (S12E19) "Mistaken Identity" (S12E26) "Nitro!" (S12E28 & S12E29) "The Wreckers" (S13E1) "A Hat" (S13E6) "Major Glory" (S13E8) "Blood Money" (S13E19) "Hill Girl" (S13E20) "The First People" (S13E23) "Waco" (S14E11) "Stryker" (S15E2) "A Matter of Honor" (S15E9) "Stark" (S16E3) "The Scavengers" (S16E10) "Jenny" (S16E15) "Murdoch" (S16E20) "The Lost" (S17E1)
Other shows (1962–90)
The Gallant Men (1962) - S1E13 "Advance and Be Recognized" Hawaiian Eye (1962–1963) "Lament for a Saturday Warrior" (S4E5) "To See, Perchance to Dream" (S4E9) "Two Too Many" (S4E16) "The Long Way Home" (S4E19) Temple Houston (1963) "Letter of the Law" (S1E3) "Gallows in Galilee" (S1E6) "Jubilee" (S1E8) "Seventy Times Seven" (S1E11) The Virginian (1964) - "The Secret of Brynmar Hall" (S2E26) Bonanza (1965) "Dead and Gone" (S6E27) "A Natural Wizard" (S7E13) The Legend of Jesse James (1965–1966) Daniel Boone (1966) - "The Gun" (S2E20) Iron Horse (1966) - "Cougar Man" (S1E7) The Monroes (1966) - "War Arrow" (S1E9) The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1966) The Lamb Who Hunted Wolves (S1E16 & S1E17) Brother Love (S1E21) Mission: Impossible (1968) The Phoenix (S3E23) Recovery (S3E25) Dan August (1970) - "When the Shouting Dies" (S1E10) Bearcats! (1971) Kung Fu (1973) "The Tong" (S2E7) "The Hoots" (S2E10) The Red Pony (1973) Huckleberry Finn (1975) The Fitzpatricks (1977) - "Say Goodbye to Buddy Bonkers" (S1E10) The Sacketts (1979) Enos (1981) - "House Cleaners" (S1E7) Magnum, P.I. (1981) - "Double Jeopardy" (S2E19) The Young Riders (1990) - "The Man Behind the Badge" (S1E21)
Actor Year Title Role Episode1969-1974Gunsmoke Corley "The Mark of Cain" Ben Miller "The Long Night" Tully "Hackett" Abner "Gentry's Law" Blacksmith "Captain Sligo" Cleavus Lukens "Cleavus" Josh Walker "Alias Festus Haggen" Eli Snider "Talbot" 1970 Cutter's Trail Thatcher TV movie 1974 Dirty Sally Cave "My Fair Laddie"1983-1987Simon & Simon Mechanic Feltzer "The Secret of the Chrome Eagle" Man #1 "Lost Lady"
References
External links