Pernell Roberts American stage, film and television actor; singer Date of Birth: 18.05.1928 Country: USA

1. Pernell Roberts Biography
2. Early Life and Career
3. Role in 'Bonanza' and Later Career
4. Personal Life and Hobbies

Pernell Roberts Biography

Pernell Elvin Roberts Jr. was an American actor of theater, film, and television, as well as a singer. He was widely known for his portrayal of Adam Cartwright, the eldest son of Ben Cartwright, in the western series "Bonanza". Roberts played this role from 1959 to 1965. He is also remembered for his role as Dr. John "Trapper" McIntyre, the main character in the series "Trapper John, M.D." from 1979 to 1986.

Early Life and Career

Pernell Elvin Roberts Jr. was born on May 18, 1928, in Waycross, Georgia. He was the only son of Pernell Elvin Roberts Sr. and Minnie Myrtle Morgan Roberts. During his school years, Roberts played the French horn, participated in school and church plays, and sang in a show for the local USO organization, entertaining the U.S. armed forces. He attended Georgia Tech but did not graduate.

During his two-year service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Roberts played the tuba and French horn, as well as excelling in playing the sousaphone and percussion. He was first introduced to classical theater at the University of Maryland, where he acted in four productions, including "Othello" and "Antigone", before dropping out to pursue a career in summer theater.

In 1949, Roberts made his professional stage debut in the play "The Man Who Came to Dinner" at the Olney Theatre in Maryland, alongside Moss Hart and Kitty Carlisle. He moved to Washington D.C. in 1950, performing at the Arena Stage Theater. His performances included plays such as "The Adding Machine", "The Deletable Judge", "The Taming of the Shrew", "Playboy of the Western World", "The Scarecrow", and "Three Men on a Horse". In 1952, he moved to New York City, where he appeared in off-Broadway productions and ballets. Later, he made his Broadway debut in plays such as "The Lovers" with Joanne Woodward and "A Clearing in the Woods" with Robert Culp and Kim Stanley. He won the Drama Desk Award in 1955 for his portrayal of Macbeth in an off-Broadway production, followed by his role as Mercutio in "Romeo and Juliet".

In 1956, Roberts moved to Los Angeles and made his television debut in an episode of the series "Kraft Television Theater". He received invitations to appear in various series, including "Whirlybirds", "Gunsmoke", "Sugarfoot", and "Cheyenne". Signing a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1957, he made his big-screen debut in the drama film "Desire Under the Elms" playing the character Peter Cabot. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Roberts also portrayed characters such as Chocktaw Neal in the comedy western film "The Sheepman".

Role in 'Bonanza' and Later Career

Roberts gained widespread recognition for his role as Adam Cartwright in the western series "Bonanza". His character was known for his politeness, depth, silence, seriousness, but did not undergo much character development throughout the series. As primarily a theater actor, Roberts found it challenging to adapt to the demands of a television series. He even accused NBC of perpetuating banality and contributing to the dehumanization of society. Despite this, Roberts was critical of his own work, stating, "I am never satisfied with my performance."

Not wanting to renew his contract for the series, Roberts left "Bonanza". In the final two films based on the series, it was explained that his character, Adam, was in Australia, equal to his father, mainly involved in engineering and construction businesses.

In 1973, Roberts received a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for his performance in the play "Welcome Home" at the Ivanhoe Theatre in Chicago.

Personal Life and Hobbies

Roberts was married four times. In 1961, he married Vera Mowry, a professor of theater history at Washington State University and later at Hunter College. After their divorce, he married American actress Judith Anna LeBreque on October 15, 1962, but they divorced in 1971. From 1972 to 1996, he was married to Kara Knack. Finally, Roberts married Eleanor Criswell, and they remained together until his death from pancreatic cancer on January 24, 2004.

Aside from his acting career, Roberts enjoyed cooking, reading literature, playing tennis, swimming, and running.