# Robert Webber
**Robert Laman Webber** (October 14, 1924 – May 19, 1989) was an American character actor who worked in film and television for four decades, best known as Juror 12 in *12 Angry Men* (1957), General Denton in *The Dirty Dozen* (1967), and the father of [Cybill Shepherd](https://www.edgepedia.org/cybill-shepherd)'s character on the television series *Moonlighting*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/136237/robert-webber) The name also belongs to other performers, including an English actor of the same name (1903–1980) known for British television series such as *Sixpenny Corner*, and a contemporary American sound editor credited on films such as *Act of Valor* (2012); this article covers the American actor born in 1924.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1578304/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916433/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | October 14, 1924, Santa Ana, California; May 19, 1989, Malibu, California, of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434) |
| Breakthrough role | Juror No. 12, an advertising executive, in *12 Angry Men* (1957)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_webber) |
| Military service | US Marine Corps, World War II, 1943–45[6](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-International-Television-Almanac/1976/International-Television-Almanac-1976-Names.pdf) |
| Television volume | More than 400 television roles by the early 1960s alone[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-20-mn-311-story.html) |
| Notable films | *The Dirty Dozen* (1967), *Midway* (1976), *Revenge of the Pink Panther* (1978), *10* (1979), *Private Benjamin* (1980), *Nuts* (1987)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434) |
| Broadway credits | *Two Blind Mice*, *The Royal Family*, *No Time for Sergeants*, *Orpheus Descending*, *A Loss of Roses*, *Fair Game*, *Period of Adjustment*[8](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-webber-64321) |
## Early life and stage career
Webber was born in [Santa Ana, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/santa-ana-california), and graduated from Compton College before going east to pursue acting.[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-20-mn-311-story.html) An industry biographical listing records his schooling as Belmont High, Van Nuys High, and Compton Junior College, followed by US Marine Corps service from 1943 to 1945 and summer stock work.[6](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-International-Television-Almanac/1976/International-Television-Almanac-1976-Names.pdf)
**Broadway years.** He appeared on Broadway beginning with *Two Blind Mice* (1949), in which he played the Sergeant, and continued through *The Royal Family* (1951 revival), *No Time for Sergeants* (1955–1957), *[Orpheus Descending](https://www.edgepedia.org/orpheus-descending)* (1957), *Fair Game* (1957–1958), *A Loss of Roses* (1959), and *Period of Adjustment* (1960–1961), in which he starred as George Haverstick.[8](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-webber-64321) The Los Angeles Times obituary notes that he later came to prefer film.[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-20-mn-311-story.html)
## Film career
Webber entered film in 1951 and first attracted wide attention as Juror No. 12 in [Sidney Lumet](https://www.edgepedia.org/sidney-lumet)'s *12 Angry Men* (1957), an advertising executive who, in the Los Angeles Times description, viewed the world through slogans.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_webber) • [7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-20-mn-311-story.html) The film was not a commercial success on release but came to be regarded as a landmark.[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-20-mn-311-story.html) According to Rotten Tomatoes, he had performed over 400 television roles by the early 1960s alone, and he appeared primarily in action films and intrigues.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_webber)
His film work included *The Stripper* (1963), *[The Sandpiper](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-sandpiper)* (1965), *Harper* (1966), *The Silencers* (1966), *The Dirty Dozen* (1967) as General Denton, *Don't Make Waves* (1967), *The Great White Hope* (1970), *Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia* (1974) as Sappensly, and *Midway* (1976) as the real-life Rear Admiral Frank J. "Jack" Fletcher.[9](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/132827) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434)
**Late-career comedies.** In the last decade of his career he moved into successful farces: *10* (1979), in which he played [Dudley Moore](https://www.edgepedia.org/dudley-moore)'s lyricist partner; *Private Benjamin* (1980) as Col. Clay Thornbush; *S.O.B.* (1981); and the prosecutor Francis MacMillan opposite [Richard Dreyfuss](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-dreyfuss) and [Barbra Streisand](https://www.edgepedia.org/barbra-streisand) in *Nuts* (1987).[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_webber) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434) His final screen credit was the 1988 television production *Something Is Out There*, as Commissioner Estabrook.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434)
## Television work
Often cast as elegant crooks or executives with a villain's demeanor, Webber was a familiar guest presence in American crime and drama series, including *The Rockford Files*, *[Cannon](https://www.edgepedia.org/cannon-tv-series)*, *[Kojak](https://www.edgepedia.org/kojak)*, *The Streets of San Francisco*, *McCloud*, *Barnaby Jones*, *Quincy*, and *Mannix*.[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-20-mn-311-story.html) From 1986 to 1988 he played Alexander Hayes, the father of Cybill Shepherd's character, in six episodes of *Moonlighting*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434)
## Death
Webber died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ([Lou Gehrig](https://www.edgepedia.org/lou-gehrig)'s disease) at his Malibu home on May 19, 1989, at 64, about seven months after the diagnosis; his wife Del survived him.[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-20-mn-311-story.html) The Broadway database IBDB gives his death date as May 17, 1989, differing from the May 19 date in IMDb, TV Insider, and NNDB.[8](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-webber-64321) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434) • [10](https://nndb.com/people/687/000131294/) IMDb states he died shortly after completing *Something Is Out There*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434)
## References
1. [Robert Webber (1924–1989), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916434)
2. [Robert Webber, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/136237/robert-webber)
3. [Robert Webber (1903–1980), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1578304/)
4. [Robert Webber (II), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916433/)
5. [Robert Webber, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_webber)
6. [International Television Almanac 1976, entry for Webber, Robert](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-International-Television-Almanac/1976/International-Television-Almanac-1976-Names.pdf)
7. [Robert Webber; Versatile Film, TV Character Actor, Los Angeles Times, May 20, 1989](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-20-mn-311-story.html)
8. [Robert Webber, Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-webber-64321)
9. [Robert Webber filmography, AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/132827)
10. [Robert Webber, NNDB](https://nndb.com/people/687/000131294/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Character actors, B-movie and genre-circuit performers › American performers, early era*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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