Bob Sweeney (actor and director)
{{short description|American television director and actor}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bob Sweeney
| image = Bob Sweeney and Hal March 1946.JPG
| caption = Sweeney with Hal March (right) in 1946
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|10|19}}
| birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1992|06|7|1918|10|19}}
| death_place = Westlake Village, California, U.S.
| occupation = Actor, director and producer
| years_active = 1944–1992
| spouse = Bev Sweeney
| children = 1
}}
Bob Sweeney (October 19, 1918 – June 7, 1992) was an American actor, director and producer of radio, television and film.
Early years
Bob Sweeney was a graduate of San Francisco State College. In the early part of World War II, he and college classmate George Fenneman formed a stand-up comedy team and entertained troops at military bases.{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Nancy |title=Funnyman Sweeney now producer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49316209/bob-sweeney/ |accessdate=April 22, 2020 |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |agency=Copley News Service |date=August 28, 1977 |location=Ohio, Cincinnati |page=147|via = Newspapers.com}}
Early career on radio and television
From 1944 through 1948 Sweeney teamed with comedy partner Hal March in The Bob Sweeney-Hal March Show on CBS Radio. He went on to appear as a supporting character in various sitcoms in the early days of television including the role of Gilmore Cobb in the television version of My Favorite Husband (1953–54) with co-stars Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson. Sweeney made appearances on The Rifleman and Our Miss Brooks during its last two seasons of production (1955–1956) working alongside Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, and Richard Crenna.
From 1956 to 1957, Sweeney starred with Gordon in the TV sitcom The Brothers. In 1959, he landed the lead role on the short-lived NBC television series Fibber McGee and Molly opposite Cathy Lewis. Unlike its radio counterpart, Fibber McGee failed on television and was cancelled after less than one season. During that same season, Sweeney directed the 18-week NBC sitcom Love and Marriage set in Tin Pan Alley of New York City. His co-stars were William Demarest, Stubby Kaye, Jeanne Bal, and Murray Hamilton.
Movie roles
Sweeney's film credits as an actor include the role of the undertaker in John Ford's The Last Hurrah (1958), as manipulative circus manager Harry Tupper in the Disney film Toby Tyler (1960), and as a humorously aggressive IRS agent Mr. Harker in another Disney film, Son of Flubber (1963). Sweeney also appeared as Cousin Bob in Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie (1964).
Directing and producing
Sweeney is best known for his successes as a television director and producer, most notably as the director of 102 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and as producer and/or director of episodes of several other highly successful TV series including That Girl, Hawaii Five-O, The Love Boat, Matlock, Hogan's Heroes, and Dynasty. He also directed Gene Evans's unsuccessful 1976 CBS adventure series, Spencer's Pilots.{{Citation needed |date=April 2020}} He also directed Accidental Family.{{cite news |last1=Freeman |first1=Donald |title=Comedian-Turned-Director Is Having the Last Laugh |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49409757/bob-sweeney/ |accessdate=April 22, 2020 |work=The Press Democrat |agency=Copley News Service |date=September 3, 1967 |location=California, Santa Rosa |page=48|via = Newspapers.com}} Sweeney was nominated for an Emmy Award once for The Love Boat (1983).{{cite news |title=The nomination list for Emmys |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49317742/fort-worth-star-telegram/ |accessdate=April 22, 2020 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |agency=Associated Press |date=August 5, 1983 |location=lsfwt |page=38|via = Newspapers.com}}
Personal details
Sweeney and his wife, Bev, had one child, a daughter, Bridget.{{Citation needed |date=May 2024}}
Death
Sweeney died of cancer in Westlake Village, California, on June 7, 1992.{{Citation needed |date=May 2024}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | It Grows on Trees | McGuire | |
| 1953 | South Sea Woman | Defense Lieutenant Miller | |
| 1954 | A Christmas Carol | Bob Cratchitt | |
| 1953 | Mister Scoutmaster | Mr. Hackett | Uncredited |
| 1958 | The Last Hurrah | Johnny Degnan | |
| 1960 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | William Spengler | Season 5 Episode 36: "Letter of Credit" |
| 1960 | Toby Tyler | Harry Tupper | |
| 1961 | A Raisin in the Sun | Insurance Company Agent | Uncredited |
| 1962 | Moon Pilot | Senator Henry McGuire | |
| 1963 | Son of Flubber | Mr. Harker | |
| 1964 | Marnie | Cousin Bob | |
| 1978 | The Irishman | Nat Simpson | |
| 1990 | Book of Love | Mr. Snow | |
| 1991 | Born to Ride | Gus, Owner of Gus's Garage | (final film role) |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0842093|name=Bob Sweeney}}
- [https://tv.yahoo.com/bob-sweeney/contributor/996297 Biography] by Yahoo
- [http://www.radiogoldindex.com/cgi-local/p2.cgi?ProgramName=The+Sweeney+and+March+Show The Sweeney & March Show] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165303/http://www.radiogoldindex.com/cgi-local/p2.cgi?ProgramName=The+Sweeney+and+March+Show |date=2016-03-03 }} by The Radio Gold Index
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110519202613/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/113379/Bob-Sweeney Biography] by The New York Times
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Category:American male radio actors
Category:Television producers from California
Category:American television directors
Category:American male film actors
Category:Deaths from cancer in California
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:Male actors from San Francisco
Category:San Francisco State University alumni