Roy Castle (1932 - 1994)

Actor. Born in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, England, he was a popular British dancer, singer, comedian, actor and musician. He began his career as a talented jazz trumpet player, then entered films making his big screen debut in “Sink the Bismarck!” (1960). His other film credits included “Dr. Who and the Daleks” (1965), “The Plank” (1967), […]

Roy Chapman Andrews (1884 - 1960)

Andrews was born on January 26, 1884, in Beloit, Wisconsin. As a child, he explored forests, fields, and waters nearby, developing marksmanship skills. He taught himself taxidermy and used funds from this hobby to pay tuition to Beloit College. After graduating, Andrews applied for work at the American Museum of Natural History in New York […]

Roy Clark (1933 - 2018)

Roy Clark Country star Roy Clark, the legendary singer and multi-instrumentalist with an ear-to-ear smile who headlined the hit TV show “Hee Haw” for nearly a quarter century, has died. He was 85. A rep for the singer told Fox News Clark died on Thursday at his Tulsa, Okla., home due to complications from pneumonia. […]

Roy Cohn (1927 - 1986)

Renowned Attorney. Born in New York in 1927, Cohn graduated from Columbia Law School at 20, passed the bar at 21, and rose to become the youngest assistant U.S. attorney at the time. The case that launched his career was the 1951 trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, accused of leaking atomic secrets to the […]

Roy DeForest (1930 - 2007)

Artist. He is regarded as one of the most important artists of his generation and a founding member of modern “Funk Art”. In the 1960s, his art captured world wide attention for it’s cartoon-like images and pop-culture themes. DeForest painted compositions filled with images of birds, farm animals, humans and other figures, some of them […]

Roy DeMeo (1942 - 1983)

Organized Crime Figure. A member of the Gambino crime family, he was a loanshark, car thief, and killer who operated out of the Gemini Lounge in Flatlands, Brooklyn, New York City, New York. Beginning in the mid 1970s, he started dealing drugs and retagging stolen automobiles, accompanied by several neighborhood youths. He then became perhaps […]

Roy Drusky (1930 - 2004)

Roy Drusky Drusky charted in Cashbox with “Wait and See” and “Our Church Your Wedding” in 1959. In 1960, Drusky finally struck it big. At Decca Records, where he worked with producer Owen Bradley, he released a single called “Another”, which he co-wrote. Bradley was a well-known producer who had led legendary country singer Patsy […]

Roy E. Aitken (1882 - 1976)

Motion Picture Executive.  A movie industry pioneer, he was one of the first to produce movies independent of Thomas Edison and the Motion Picture Patents Company. Along with his brother Harry, he founded a number of early motion picture production and distribution companies, most notable being the Mutual Film Corporation, the Epoch Producing Corporation, and […]

Roy E. Glenn, Sr (1914 - 1971)

Actor. He was a popular African-American character performer who made numerous appearances on television and in films. He made his big screen debut in “Kelly the Second” (1936), followed by “Dark Manhattan” (1937). His other film credits include “The Jackie Robinson Story” (1950), “Carmen Jones” (1954), “Porgy and Bess” (1959), “A Raisin in the Sun” […]

Roy Engel (1913 - 1980)

Actor. Born in in New York City, he was a versatile performer whom appeared in 194 films and television programs over the course of his career. He began his career on ABC Radio’s “Sky King” show and made his feature film debut in “The Heats On” (1943). Some of his most memorable movie credits include […]

Roy Hartsfield (1925 - 2011)

Roy Hartsfield Was a second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball; his MLB playing and managing careers each lasted three years. Hartsfield played his entire major-league career with the Boston Braves (now the Atlanta Braves) from 1950 to 1952. He was then traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers for outfielder Andy Pafko. Hartsfield spent the […]

Roy Huggins (1914 - 2002)

Roy Huggins was educated at the University of California, Los Angeles, 1935-41. After graduation, he worked as a special representative of the U.S. Civil Service, 1941-43, and later as an industrial engineer, 1943-46. Huggins’ novels include The Double Take (1946), Too Late for Tears (1947), and Lovely Lady, Pity Me (1949). When Columbia Pictures purchased the rights […]

Roy Lichtenstein (1923 - 1997)

Roy Lichtenstein was born in New York City, into an upper-middle-class Jewish family. His father, Milton, was a real estate broker, his mother, Beatrice (Werner), a homemaker. He was raised on the Upper West Side and attended public school until the age of twelve. He then enrolled at New York’s Franklin School for Boys, remaining there for his secondary education. Lichtenstein […]

Roy Lunn (1925 - 2017)

In 1953, Roy  Lunn joined Ford Motor Company in England and was assigned the task of starting a new Research Center in Birmingham. This center made the first prototype of what became the 105-E Anglia. Lunn transferred to Ford plant in Dagenham as the car’s product planning manager to follow the 105-E into mass production. He […]

Roy Mark Hofheinz (1912 - 1982)

Businessman. Legendary Houston politician, developer, and entrepeneur.  Brought major league baseball to Houston.  As “Father of the Astrodome”, he created the concept of domed stadiums and luxury boxes.  Briefly owned Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. He is buried at Glenwood Cemetery, the marker at Forest Park Westheimer is actually a cenotaph. (bio by: […]

Roy Orbison (1936 - 1988)

Roy Orbison American singer-songwriter, best known for his trademark sunglasses, distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country and western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis. His greatest success came with Monument Records between 1960 and […]

Roy Porter (1946 - 2002)

Roy Porter grew up in South London and attended Wilson’s School in Camberwell. He won a scholarship to Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he studied under J. H. Plumb. His contemporaries included Simon Schama and Andrew Wheatcroft. He achieved a double starred first and became a junior Fellow in 1968, studying under Robert M. Young and […]

Roy Raymond (1947 - 1993)

Roy Larson Raymond (April 15, 1947 – August 26, 1993) was an American businessman who founded the Victoria’s Secret lingerie retail store. Raymond was an alumnus of Tufts University and Stanford Graduate School of Business. Roy Raymond worked for the Vicks company in their marketing department. On June 12, 1977, he opened the first Victoria’s Secret store at […]

Roy Roberts (1906 - 1975)

Born Roy Barnes Jones in Dade City in Pasco County, near Tampa, Florida, Roy Roberts began his acting career on the stage, first appearing on Broadway in May 1931 before making his motion picture debut in Gold Bricks, a 1936 two-reel comedy short released by 20th Century-Fox. He appeared in numerous films in secondary parts […]

Roy Rogers (1911 - 1998)

Roy Rogers In 1944, Rogers appeared in his first film with actress Dale Evans. The Cowboy and the Señorita sparked an irresistible on-screen chemistry between the two, and Evans quickly gained the nickname “Queen of the Cowgirls,” to match the moniker of her on-and-off-screen sweetheart. Between the years of 1944 and 1951, they appeared in nearly 30 […]

Roy Ward Baker (1916 - 2010)

Born in London where his father was a Billingsgate fish merchant, Roy Ward Baker was educated at a Lycée in Rouen, France, and at the City of London School. From 1934 to 1939, he worked for Gainsborough Pictures, a British film production company based in the Islington district of London. His first jobs were menial, […]

Roy Wilkins (1901 - 1981)

Wilkins was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1901. His mother died when he was four years old, after which Wilkins and his siblings were raised by an aunt and uncle in St. Paul, Minnesota, where they attended local schools. Wilkins graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in sociology in 1923. In 1929, […]

Royal Beal (1899 - 1969)

Actor. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts, he was best remembered for his role as Brigadier General Gordon on the TV series, “The Phil Silvers Show”. His other television credits include “Goodyear Television Playhouse”, “Kraft Television Theatre”, “The Philco Television Playhouse”, “Route 66” and “I Spy”. For feature films, he appeared in “Boomerang!” (1947), “Lost Boundaries” (1949), […]

Royal C. Cline (1970 - 1938)

Alcatraz Prison Guard, Murder Victim. Hired as a prison guard in 1931, Cline was first assigned to the US Detention Farm at La Tuna, Texas. In 1934 he was transferred to the new Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary where he rose up to the rank of Senior Custodial Officer. On May 23, 1938 he was assigned to […]

Royal Cutter (1970 - 1970)

Actor. He performed in the original Broadway productions of “Baron Trenck” (1912), “Madam Mosell” (1914), “It’s Up to You” (1921), “Day in the Sun” (1939), and was Stage Manager for “The Vagabond King” (1925). (bio by: Ginny M)

Royal Dano (1922 - 1994)

Dano was born in New York City to Mary Josephine (née O’Connor), an Irish immigrant, and Caleb Edward Dano, a printer for newspapers. He reportedly left home at the age of twelve and at various intervals, lived in Florida, Texas, and California. After reaching an agreement with his father, he agreed to continue his education, […]

Royal Douglas (1888 - 1924)

Actor. Born in Canada, he was a cousin of Winnie the Pooh author and creator, A.A. Milne. Also known as Royal Douglass or Royal Douglas-Milne. His several film roles include, “The Night Hawks” (1914), “The Fable Of The Fellow Who Had A Friend Who Knew A Girl Who Had A Friend” (1915), “The Fable Of […]

Royce D. Applegate (1939 - 2003)

Actor. A television and motion picture character actor for over 30 years, he appeared on television’s “Seaquest DSV,” as well as movies such as “The Rookie,” “Gettysburg,” and “Splash.” His final role was in 2003’s “Gods and Generals” where he reprised the role of Civil War Confederate Brigadier General James L. Kemper, which he had […]

Royce Kendall (1934 - 1998)

Royce Kendall Culled from the album Let the Music Play, both father and daughter were drawn to the song from the start. As Royce later recalled: “We’d only played the thing once, and we remembered it. That’s a good sign . . . that’s the reason we cut it.” The song was originally the B-side […]

Roz Borden (1932 - 2003)

Marilyn and Rosalyn Borden were born in Hartford, Connecticut on May 29, 1932 to Harry (1906–1973) and Elizabeth Borden (1909–1995) and would be followed by a younger sister, Barbara, in 1945. Shortly after the birth of Barbara, Harry left the family. The Borden Twins got into acting with the encouragement of their parents and as children […]