Robert Totten Explained

Robert Totten
Birth Name:	Robert Charles Totten
Birth Date:	5 February 1937
Birth Place:	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Death Place:	Sherman Oaks, California, U.S.
Years Active:	1961 - 1990
Organization:	Directors Guild of America Writers Guild of America Screen Actors Guild

Robert Charles Totten (February 5, 1937  - January 27, 1995)^[1] was an American television director, writer, and actor, best known for directing many Gunsmoke episodes between 1966 and 1971.^{[2] [3]}

Career

In addition to directing, Totten also co-starred in Gunsmoke playing the role of Corley, opposite of Nehemiah Persoff, in the 1969 episode "The Mark of Cain,". And among others, as the childhood friend of Festus, in self-titled episode, "Cleavus".

As director, writer, and actor, Totten is a member all three guilds; the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild.

Awards

Totten was nominated at the 25th Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in Drama - Adaptation for his work on the 1973 television film, The Red Pony.^[4]

Death

Totten died at the age of 57 on January 27, 1995, from a heart attack at his home in Sherman Oaks, California.^{[5] [6]}

Filmography

A partial filmography follows.

Director

Film

• The Quick and the Dead (1963)
• Death of a Gunfighter (credited as Alan Smithee) (1969)
• The Wild Country (1970)
• Pony Express Rider (1976)

Television

• The Gallant Men (1962) - S1E13 "Advance and Be Recognized"
• Hawaiian Eye (1962-1963)
  • "Lament for a Saturday Warrior" (S4E5)
  • "To See, Perchance to Dream" (S4E9)
  • "Two Too Many" (S4E16)
  • "The Long Way Home" (S4E19)
• Temple Houston (1963)
  • "Letter of the Law" (S1E3)
  • "Gallows in Galilee" (S1E6)
  • "Jubilee" (S1E8)
  • "Seventy Times Seven" (S1E11)
• The Virginian (1964) - "The Secret of Brynmar Hall" (S2E26)
• Bonanza (1965)
  • "Dead and Gone" (S6E27)
  • "A Natural Wizard" (S7E13)
• The Legend of Jesse James (1965-1966)
• Daniel Boone (1966) - "The Gun" (S2E20)
• Gunsmoke (1966–71)
  • "My Father's Guitar" (S11E21)
  • "My Father, My Son" (S11E30)
  • "Prime of Life" (S11E32)
  • "The Good People" (S12E5)
  • "The Wrong Man" (S12E7)
  • "The Newcomers" (S12E11)
  • "Saturday Night" (S12E16)
  • "Mail Drop" (S12E19)
  • "Mistaken Identity" (S12E26)
  • "Nitro!" (S12E28 & S12E29)
  • "The Wreckers" (S13E1)
  • "A Hat" (S13E6)
  • "Major Glory" (S13E8)
  • "Blood Money" (S13E19)
  • "Hill Girl" (S13E20)
  • "The First People" (S13E23)
  • "Waco" (S14E11)
  • "Stryker" (S15E2)
  • "A Matter of Honor" (S15E9)
  • "Stark" (S16E3)
  • "The Scavengers" (S16E10)
  • "Jenny" (S16E15)
  • "Murdoch" (S16E20)
  • "The Lost" (S17E1)
• Iron Horse (1966) - "Cougar Man" (S1E7)
• The Monroes (1966) - "War Arrow" (S1E9)
• The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1966)
  • The Lamb Who Hunted Wolves (S1E16 & S1E17)
  • Brother Love (S1E21)
• Mission: Impossible (1968)
  • The Phoenix (S3E23)
  • Recovery (S3E25)
• Dan August (1970) - "When the Shouting Dies" (S1E10)
• Bearcats! (1971)
• Kung Fu (1973)
  • "The Tong" (S2E7)
  • "The Hoots" (S2E10)
• The Red Pony (1973)
• Huckleberry Finn (1975)
• The Fitzpatricks (1977) - "Say Goodbye to Buddy Bonkers" (S1E10)
• The Sacketts (1979)
• Enos (1981) - "House Cleaners" (S1E7)
• Magnum, P.I. (1981) - "Double Jeopardy" (S2E19)
• The Young Riders (1990) - "The Man Behind the Badge" (S1E21)

Writer

• Gunsmoke (1968) - "Nowhere to Run" (S13E18)
• The Red Pony (1973)

Actor

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1969	Gunsmoke	Corley	"The Mark of Cain" (S14E19)
1969	Gunsmoke	Ben Miller	"The Long Night" (S14E21)
1970	Cutter's Trail	Thatcher	TV movie
1970	Gunsmoke	Tully	"Hackett" (S15E25)
1970	Gunsmoke	Abner	"Gentry's Law"
1971	Gunsmoke	Blacksmith	"Captain Sligo" (S16E16)
1971	Gunsmoke	Cleavus Lukens	"Cleavus" (S16E21)
1972	Gunsmoke	Josh Walker	"Alias Festus Haggen"
1973	Gunsmoke	Eli Snider	"Talbot"
1974	Dirty Sally	Cave	"My Fair Laddie"
1979	The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again	Blainey
1983	Simon & Simon	Mechanic Feltzer	"The Secret of the Chrome Eagle"
1987	Simon & Simon	Man #1	""Lost Lady

Notes and References

1. Book: Lentz, Harris. Western and Frontier Film and Television Credits 1903-1995: Section I. Actors and actresses. Section II. Directors, producers, and writers. 994. McFarland. 1996. 9780786402175 . Google Books.
2. Book: Fagen, Herb. Duke, We're Glad We Knew You: John Wayne's Friends and Colleagues Remember His Remarkable Life. 115. Kensington Publishing Corporation. 1998. 9780806520568. Google Books.
3. Book: Andreychuk, Ed. Louis L'Amour on Film and Television. 140. McFarland. March 2010. 9780786457175. Google Books.
4. Web site: Nominees/Winners | Television Academy . . August 1, 2022.
5. Web site: Robert Totten. Dan Cox. Variety.com. February 12, 1995. August 1, 2022.
6. Book: Lentz, Harris. Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 1995. 192. McFarland. July 1996. 9780786402533. Google Books.