Theodore Roberts

• Name — Theodore Roberts • Born — 8 October 1861 • Birthplace — San Francisco, California, U.S. • Died — 14 December 1928 • Place of death — Hollywood, California, U.S. • Resting Place — Hollywood Forever Pineland 124 • Occupation — Film, stage actor • Relatives — Florence Roberts (cousin)

Roberts was born in San Francisco, California. He was a cousin of the stage actress Florence Roberts. His choice of a career disappointed his mother (who wanted him to become a minister) and his father (who wanted him to learn a trade).

Roberts debuted on stage at the Baldwin Theatre in San Francisco in 1880. He went on to act with a barnstorming troupe on the West Coast but tired of that lifestyle after several years and left acting for a time to command a schooner owned by his father. On stage again in the 1890s he acted with Fanny Davenport in her play Gismonda (1894) and later in The Bird of Paradise (1912). His Broadway career began with We'Uns of Tennessee (1899) and ended with Believe Me Xantippe (1913). • Illustration — Roberts as Moses in Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments (1923) • Illustration — Signed drawing of Theodore Roberts by Manuel Rosenberg for the Cincinnati Post, 1926 He started his film career in the 1910s in Hollywood, and was often associated in the productions of Cecil B. DeMille. He portrayed Moses in the biblical prologue of DeMille's The Ten Commandments (1923). One of his last film appearances was as the heroine's father in The Cat's Pajamas (1926). Roberts also performed in vaudeville. After the end of a marriage, he spent six months in a New York jail because he refused to pay alimony.

Roberts died of uremic poisoning in Hollywood, California at age 67 and is buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

• Illustration — Advertisement for Anton the Terrible in Moving Picture World, 1916 • Year — Title • 1914 — The Ghost Breaker • The Man from Home • What's His Name • The Call of the North • 1915 — Temptation • The Arab • The Wild Goose Chase • The Woman • The Captive • The Unafraid • After Five • The Girl of the Golden West • The Unknown • 1916 — The Trail of the Lonesome Pine • The Dream Girl • Common Ground • The Storm • 1917 — Nan of Music Mountain • The Devil-Stone • The Little Princess • Joan the Woman • 1918 — The Squaw Man • The Hidden Pearls • We Can't Have Everything • Old Wives for New • M'Liss • Such a Little Pirate • Arizona • 1919 — Don't Change Your Husband • The Winning Girl • The Poor Boob • For Better, for Worse • The Woman Thou Gavest Me • Love Insurance • Male and Female • What Every Woman Learns • Everywoman • 1920 — Suds • Double Speed • Judy of Rogue's Harbor • Something to Think About • 1921 — Forbidden Fruit • Sham • The Affairs of Anatol • Miss Lulu Bett • Hail the Woman • You're Fired • 1922 — Across the Continent • Our Leading Citizen • Saturday Night • Night Life in Hollywood • 1923 — Grumpy • The Ten Commandments • 1925 — Locked Doors • 1929 — Noisy Neighbors