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Robert Quarry

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Robert Quarry
Quarry in trailer for Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
Born
Robert Walter Quarry

(1925-11-03)November 3, 1925
Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
DiedFebruary 20, 2009(2009-02-20) (aged 83)
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Film, television actor
Years active1943-1999

Robert Walter Quarry (November 3, 1925 – February 20, 2009) was an American actor, known for several prominent horror film roles.

Life and career

Quarry was born in Santa Rosa, California, the son of Mable (née Shoemaker) and Paul Quarry, a doctor. His grandmother was an actress. He left school at the age of 14 to pursue a career in radio.[1]

During World War II in November 1943, Quarry joined the United States Army, where he formed a theatrical troupe. After the war he acted again, first for RKO and then for MGM.[1]

His films include Count Yorga, Vampire (1970), its sequel The Return of Count Yorga (1971), and Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972), in which he played alchemist Dr. Biederbeck pitted against Vincent Price's Phibes in a race to find the mythical elixir of eternal life. Price reportedly did not care for his co-star — once, when Quarry was singing in his dressing room during the making of Dr Phibes Rises Again, he said to Price, "You didn't know I could sing did you?" and Price replied: "Well I knew you couldn't act" — the duo were later also paired in Madhouse (1974).[2]

American International Pictures had plans for Quarry to succeed Price, signing him to a long term contract,[3] but the decline in the company's fortunes, combined with old-style horror films falling out of fashion, meant that it never happened. Quarry did make further horror film appearances, as the hippy guru vampire Khorda in 1973's The Deathmaster, and as a gangster in the 1974 zombie movie Sugar Hill.[4]

Quarry made several guest appearances on TV shows, including two in 1965 on Perry Mason. He appeared on an episode of The Rockford Files. He played disfigured gunrunner Commander Corliss in the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century episode "Return of the Fighting 69th". He played in two episodes of The Lone Ranger.[4]

In 1980 he was in an automobile accident, in which he was struck by a drunk driver. It resulted in serious facial injuries. He was also mugged in Hollywood shortly thereafter. In 1987, Quarry returned to film with Cyclone directed by Fred Olen Ray. Quarry would be cast in over 20 of Ray's films in the remainder of his career.[1]

Death

Quarry died on February 20, 2009 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, aged 83.[5]

Filmography

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Robert Quarry". The Telegraph. March 3, 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  2. ^ Del Valle, David. "Robert Quarry Remembered: The Deathmaster Knocks at the Madhouse of Dr. Phibes". Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  3. ^ Notes on the film scene The Christian Science Monitor (1908-Current file) [Boston, Mass], August 6, 1971, p. 15.
  4. ^ a b Robert Quarry at IMDb
  5. ^ Vampire Legend Dies, radaronline.com, February 2009; accessed July 17, 2015.
  6. ^ The Classic TV Archive
  7. ^ Muir, John (2011). Horror Films of the 1990s. McFarland. p. 161. ISBN 9780786440122.
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