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Steele, Bob

Born January 23, 1907;

Portland, Oregon, USA

Died December 21, 1988;
Burbank, California, USA

Maverick Actor

The son of director Robert N. Bradbury, Bob Steele (born Robert Adrian Bradbury) appeared in vaudeville with his parents. Together with his twin brother Bill Bradbury, he appeared as a child in a series of 16 semi-documentary short films directed by their father, "The Adventures of Bob and Bill."

As Bob Bradbury Jr., he played juvenile roles in silent films, then took the stage name Bob Steele in 1927. He appeared in scores of films during the 1930s, rising to B-western stardom and an apparently solid position as one of Republic Studios' top draws. Occasionally, he made an appearance in more prominent films, such as in the role as Curly in "Of Mice and Men" (1939).

He remained primarily a figure in westerns. His stardom diminished by the mid-1940s, and he spent the next quarter-century in character roles, some highly visible, such as in "The Big Sleep" (1946). But he also eventually turned up as a virtual extra in pictures like "Shenandoah" (1965). He appeared often on television and regained some fame in his role as Trooper Duffy in F Troop (1965).[1]