Robert R. Phillips (April 10, 1925 – November 5, 2018) was an American film and television actor.
Life and career Phillips was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was a self-defense instructor while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and later played football for the Chicago Bears and the Washington Redskins. Phillips was also a police officer in the Los Angeles Police Department and Illinois State Police. He was a personal bodyguard for the 31st Governor of Illinois, Adlai Stevenson II.
Phillips began his film and television career in the 1950s, when a film producer suggested he should become an actor, and gave him a role in a film, and the TV series Tightrope! was based on aspects of his life.
Phillips retired as a police officer after being injured while working undercover, and attended acting school in the early 1950s. Phillips was hired by studios as a minder for Lee Marvin, to prevent him getting into fights after hours. He appeared in two films with actor Richard Jaeckel: The Gun Runners (1958) and The Dirty Dozen (1967).
His other film roles included appearances in The Killers (1964) and Cat Ballou (1965), Dimension 5 (1966), Hour of the Gun (1967), Mackenna's Gold (1969), Slaughter (1972), The Slams (1973), I Escaped from Devil's Island (1973), The Dion Brothers (1974), Capone (1975, as Bugs Moran), Mitchell (1975), Mean Johnny Barrows (1975), The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) and Walking Tall: Final Chapter (1977).
Phillips also guest-starred in numerous television programs including Star Trek: The Original Series (in the episode "The Cage"), Gunsmoke, The Rockford Files, Bonanza, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Wild Wild West, Rawhide, Mission: Impossible, The High Chaparral, Mannix, The Fall Guy and Planet of the Apes. His last credit was for the western television series Bordertown.
Death Phillips died November 5, 2018, at the age of 93.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1953 Code Two Henchman Uncredited1956 UFO (1956 film) Edward J. Ruppelt 1958 The Gun Runners Outlaw Uncredited1962 Hell Is for Heroes Jeep driver 1964 The Killers George Fleming 1965 Cat Ballou Klem Uncredited1966 The Silencers 1st Armed Man 1966 Dimension 5 George 1967 The Dirty Dozen Corporal Morgan 1967 Hour of the Gun Frank Stilwell 1969 Mackenna's Gold Monkey 1970 Darker than Amber Griff 1972 Slaughter Frank 1973 The Student Teachers 1973 Detroit 9000 Captain Chalmers 1973 The Slams Cohalt 1973 I Escaped from Devil's Island Blassier 1974 The Dion Brothers Gino 1975 Capone Bugs Moran 1975 Mitchell Chief Albert Pallin 1975 Mean Johnny Barrows Ben 1975 Adios Amigo Notary 1976 The Killing of a Chinese Bookie Phil 1977 The Car Metcalf 1977 Walking Tall: Final Chapter Johnny 1977 Telefon Highway Patrolman #1 1984 Delta Pi Pud 1987 Cry Freedom Speaker at Funeral 1997 A Time to Revenge Billy Two Feathers (final film role)
References
External links
Robert Phillips at Turner Classic Movies Rotten Tomatoes profile