Friday, February 12, 2010

THE HAT SQUAD: ROBERT F. HOY

Too often the character actors go unnoticed in favor of the flashier stars, even with all of the credits to their name. I didn't want that to happen with Robert F. "Bobby" Hoy, a stuntman turned actor perhaps best known for his role as Joe Butler on the TV series 'The High Chaparral'. He also founded the Stuntman's Association and just recently he received the honor of "The Golden Boot", in recognition of his work.

Bob Hoy has passed away at the age of 82. There's
a website dedicated to his work in TV and in the movies and even though it hasn't been updated in two years, it still has plenty of fascinating information and plenty of pictures of him in many of the leading Westerns to be found in Toobworld.

But he didn't appear in just Westerns. He was often seen in Toobworld's present day as cops as well as bad guys, and as spies, soldiers, a judge, and even in a few comedy series.

Thanks to bobhoy.com, here are a few examples:

'BAT MASTERSON'

'BONANZA'
'THE HIGH CHAPARRAL'
"THE OVER THE HILL GANG"
"LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE"
'MAGNUM, P.I.'
'MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE'

And for those who still remember him from 'The High Chaparral', there's a whole section dedicated to that under-appreciated Western. And best of all from a Toobworld standpoint, there's even a biography of Hoy's character Joe Butler.

Mr. Hoy was even able to contribute a televersion of himself for the League of Themselves with an appearance on an episode of 'The Fall Guy'. Being about another ex-stunt man, but one who became a bounty hunter, 'The Fall Guy' was the perfect series to showcase Robert F. Hoy as himself.

As Red Skelton would say, "Good night and may God bless." BCnU....

No comments: