If one were to identify Robert Simon (1908-1992) it would probably be his appearances in a multitude of television westerns. But he knew few limitations, though seemingly always with a perpetual furrowed brow. Popular dramas of the Fifties and Sixties and playing the straight man in situation comedies were also staples. The Ohio-born character actor honed his craft in theater during the Forties before breaking into notable films such as The Buccaneer (1958), Compulsion (1959), The Last Angry Man (1959), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) in which he played Handy Strong.
Simon's credits in television seem endless. Just a sampling of his dramatic roles was for episodes of Medic, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, State Trooper, The Millionaire, M Squad, and with three appearances on Perry Mason. Many were not surprised to see Simon pop up in the popular sitcoms of the era. He portrayed Darren Stephens' father on Bewitched, and appeared in McHale's Navy, Get Smart, and The Andy Griffith Show, among others. He made three guest appearances as hard-nosed General Mitchell on M*A*S*H. His modern roles continued in the Seventies through the mid-Eighties in countless police dramas, but it was the television western where he may be best remembered or disliked. Simon became nearly typecast with authoritarian figures, often as a general, sheriff, doctor, journalist, an attorney, or an angry land owner with an uncompromising disposition. One could almost count on one hand how many times Simon's characters smiled, coming in second only to actor, Charles McGraw.
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