# Robert Ridgely
**Robert Ridgely** (December 24, 1931 – February 8, 1997) was an American character actor and voice performer, born Robert Ritterbusch in [Teaneck, New Jersey](https://www.edgepedia.org/teaneck-new-jersey), known for a strong, booming voice that carried him through decades of on-camera supporting roles and [Saturday-morning cartoon](https://www.edgepedia.org/saturday-morning-cartoon) voice work.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_ridgely)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | December 24, 1931, Teaneck, New Jersey; February 8, 1997, Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, of cancer, aged 65[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) • [3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html) |
| Birth name | Robert Ritterbusch; recorded for Decca Records in the late 1950s as Bob Ritterbush and Bob Ritterbusch before adopting the stage name[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) |
| Signature voice roles | Tarzan in *Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle* (1976), Flash Gordon (1979), Thundarr in *Thundarr the Barbarian* (1980), the Peculiar Purple Pieman of Porcupine Peak (1980)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) |
| Mel Brooks films | *Blazing Saddles* (1974, as Boris), *High Anxiety* (1977), *Life Stinks* (1991), *Robin Hood: Men in Tights* (1993, the hangman)[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html) • [4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/132502-Robert-Ridgely) |
| Notable dramatic roles | Wally "Mr. Love" Williams in *Melvin and Howard* (1980); Mayor Ted Egan in *Beverly Hills Cop II* (1987); lawyer Walter Kenton in *Philadelphia* (1993)[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/132502-Robert-Ridgely) • [3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html) |
| Final role | Colonel James, an adult-film producer, in *Boogie Nights* (1997), written for him by Paul Thomas Anderson; Ridgely died a few months before the film's release[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_ridgely) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) |
## Early life and start in show business
Ridgely began as a cabaret entertainer. In the late 1950s he recorded 45 RPM singles for [Decca Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/decca-records), first under the name Bob Ritterbush and then as Bob Ritterbusch and Robert Ridgely, after changing his name to the latter.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) He also won parts on Broadway, including *The Highest Tree*, which starred [Robert Redford](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-redford).[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html)
His television career began in the early 1960s with guest appearances on series including *Surfside 6*, *Sea Hunt*, and *Maverick*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) In 1962 he took the recurring role of Lt. Frank Kimbro on *The Gallant Men*, a World War II series that was canceled after a single season.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_ridgely) His film debut came in *FBI Code 98*; IMDb dates the feature to 1963, while the American Film Institute Catalog lists it as 1964.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) • [4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/132502-Robert-Ridgely)
## On-camera career
Ridgely worked steadily in supporting parts, often cast as sleazy charmers such as unctuous emcees and announcers.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) He became a familiar face in the films of two directors. In four [Mel Brooks](https://www.edgepedia.org/mel-brooks) comedies he played Boris in *Blazing Saddles* (1974), the flasher in *High Anxiety* (1977), a role in *Life Stinks* (1991), and the hangman in *[Robin Hood: Men in Tights](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-hood-men-in-tights)* (1993), a reprise of the hangman character.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html) • [4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/132502-Robert-Ridgely) For Jonathan Demme he played the sleazy game show host Wally "Mr. Love" Williams in *Melvin and Howard* (1980) and Richard Graves in *Something Wild* (1986).[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/132502-Robert-Ridgely) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/)
He also took more serious parts: Los Angeles Mayor Ted Egan in *Beverly Hills Cop II* (1987) and Walter Kenton, the homophobic lawyer in *[Philadelphia](https://www.edgepedia.org/philadelphia-film)* (1993), the film in which [Tom Hanks](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-hanks) played a lawyer with AIDS.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/132502-Robert-Ridgely) • [3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html) Hanks later cast Ridgely as a TV announcer in *[That Thing You Do!](https://www.edgepedia.org/that-thing-you-do)*.[5](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Chronicles/Television-Chronicles-1997-01-8.pdf) His other film credits included *The Ref*, *Fire Down Below*, and *Multiplicity*.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html)
On television beyond his early guest spots, he appeared on series including *Get Smart*, *[Coach](https://www.edgepedia.org/coach-tv-series)*, and the short-lived 1984 sitcom *Domestic Life*; a retrospective in *Television Chronicles* counts *The Gallant Men* and *Domestic Life* as his only regular non-animated television roles.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html) • [6](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Chronicles/Television-Chronicles-1997-04-9.pdf)
## Voice work
Ridgely's voice, described as both "smooth" and "booming," earned him a steady paycheck from the 1960s well into the 1990s, with a specialty for voicing superheroes on animated television.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_ridgely) His most prominent role was Tarzan in Filmation's *Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle*, which debuted in the fall of 1976 and ran in various packaged forms through the early 1980s; he also supplied additional voices in the series.[5](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Chronicles/Television-Chronicles-1997-01-8.pdf) He voiced [Flash Gordon](https://www.edgepedia.org/flash-gordon) beginning in 1979, Thundarr in *[Thundarr the Barbarian](https://www.edgepedia.org/thundarr-the-barbarian)* (1980), and the Peculiar Purple Pieman of Porcupine Peak in *The World of Strawberry Shortcake* (1980) and its TV specials.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) His voice was also heard on radio and television commercials and on Saturday-morning cartoons such as *Scooby-Doo*.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html)
## Final role and death
[Paul Thomas Anderson](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-thomas-anderson) wrote the part of the Colonel, a jolly adult-film producer in *Boogie Nights* (1997), specifically with Ridgely in mind.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) Ridgely died of cancer at his home in the Toluca Lake area of Los Angeles on February 8, 1997, at age 65, a few months before the film's release; the Colonel James role turned out to be his last.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_ridgely)
## References
1. [Robert Ridgely, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725894/)
2. [Robert Ridgely, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_ridgely)
3. [Robert Ridgely; Versatile Actor Appeared in Films, Television, Los Angeles Times, February 13, 1997](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-13-mn-28334-story.html)
4. [Robert Ridgely, AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/132502-Robert-Ridgely)
5. [Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle feature, Television Chronicles No. 8 (January 1997)](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Chronicles/Television-Chronicles-1997-01-8.pdf)
6. [In Memoriam: Robert Ridgely, Television Chronicles No. 9 (April 1997)](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Chronicles/Television-Chronicles-1997-04-9.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Q to Ri*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license