House Peters Jr.
{{Short description|American actor (1916–2008)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = House Peters Jr.
| image = House Peters Jr. in Under California Stars 1948.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Peters in Under California Stars (1948)
| birth_name = Robert House Peters Jr.
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1916|01|12|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|10|01|1916|01|12|mf=yes}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1935–1966
| spouse = {{marriage|Lucy Pickett
|1946}}
| children = 3
}}
Robert House Peters Jr. (January 12, 1916 – October 1, 2008) was an American character actor most noted for his roles in 1950s B movies and westerns. He is perhaps best remembered as the face and body of Mr. Clean in the Procter and Gamble cleaning product commercials of the era.
Biography
Peters was born in New Rochelle, New York to actors House Peters, a major leading man in the silent era, and Mae King. He grew up in Beverly Hills, California and graduated from Beverly Hills High School.
In a career that spanned 1935–1967, he appeared in many films, primarily as the "heavy," or villain. He appeared in television series including Perry Mason, Bat Masterson, Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone and Lassie.
From the late 1950s into the 1960s, Peters Jr. played Mr. Clean in television commercials for the product.{{cite news|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gjJByrFKgrYqZ-hscJEBr359frjgD93I5EO80 |last=Dillon |first=Raquel Maria |title=Mr. Clean actor House Peters Jr. dead at 92 |work=The Associated Press |date=October 1, 2008 |accessdate=October 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005103904/http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gjJByrFKgrYqZ-hscJEBr359frjgD93I5EO80 |archivedate=October 5, 2008 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/house-peters-jr-original-mr-120261| title= House Peters Jr., the original Mr. Clean, dies |work=Hollywood Reporter| date= October 2, 2008 |accessdate=April 10, 2019}}
Peters served in the United States Army Air Forces' Air Sea Rescue section as a small-boat operator during World War II.[https://variety.com/2008/scene/news/actor-house-peters-jr-dies-at-92-1117993230/ Actor House Peters Jr. dies at 92] Variety. Retrieved November 29, 2021.[https://www.emmys.com/news/actor-house-peters-dies Actor House Peters Dies] www.emmys.com. Retrieved November 29, 2021.[https://www.amazon.com/prime-video/actor/House-Peters-Jr/nm0676310/ House Peters Jr.; Actor] Amazon.com. Retrieved November 29, 2021.[https://www.historyforsale.com/house-peters-jr-autographed-inscribed-photograph-co-signed-by-kelo-henderson/dc323971 House Peters Jr. at] www.historyforsale.org. Retrieved November 29, 2021. He was married to Lucy Pickett from 1946 until his death; they had three children. He died of pneumonia at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Hospital in Los Angeles, California.{{cite news | author=Variety Staff | title=Actor House Peters Jr. dies at 92 | url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117993230.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 | work=Variety | date=October 1, 2008 | accessdate=October 1, 2008}}
Peters wrote a book, "Another Side of Hollywood" an autobiography by actor House Peters Jr. published by Empire Publishing of Madison, North Carolina in the year 2000. It is an entertaining, interesting look at the early days of Hollywood movie and television production with many black and white photos.
Filmography
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" | Film |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1935
| Hot Tip | Racetrack Spectator | Uncredited |
| 1935
| Reporter | Uncredited |
| 1936
| The Adventures of Frank Merriwell | House Peters | Serial |
| 1936
| Shark Man | Serial, [Chs. 3-4] |
| 1936
| Ranger | Uncredited |
| 1936
| Pete - Second Pilot / Clipper Pilot | Serial, [Ch. 1], [Ch. 8] Uncredited |
| 1936
| Chauffeur | Uncredited |
| 1937
| Bob - Sailor | Uncredited |
| 1937
| Jim Shannon | |
| 1937
| Reporter | Uncredited |
| 1937
| Eddie | Uncredited |
| 1937
| Minor Role | Uncredited |
| 1938
| Football Playing Student | Uncredited |
| 1939
| Lieutenant Trent | Uncredited |
| 1941
| Agent Burke | Serial, [Ch. 4], Uncredited |
| 1947
| Magazine Staffer | Uncredited |
| 1948
| The Dude | |
| 1948
| Dangers of the Canadian Mounted | Ford - Henchman | Uncredited |
| 1948
| Henchman Ed | |
| 1948
| Henry | |
| 1948
| Adventures of Frank and Jesse James | Sheriff Towey | Serial, [Chs. 1–2, 5–6, 11] |
| 1948
| Sentinel | Uncredited |
| 1948
| Kirk Wheeler - Henchman | |
| 1948
| Burt Larsen | |
| 1948
| Courier | |
| 1949
| | Uncredited |
| 1949
| Cal Saunders | |
| 1949
| Deputy Jack Thorpe | |
| 1949
| Yantis Henchman | Uncredited |
| 1949
| Henchman Earl | Serial, [Chs. 7-15] |
| 1949
| Burt Winslow | Serial |
| 1949
| Trooper | Uncredited |
| 1949
| Clergyman in Sadie Thompson Number | Uncredited |
| 1950
| Wade Shelton | |
| 1950
| Cow Town | Gill Saunders | |
| 1950
| Jim Williams | |
| 1950
| Hank | |
| 1950
| Rod | |
| 1951
| Dick Cable | |
| 1951
| Henchman Hogan | Uncredited |
| 1951
| Henchman Scheller | |
| 1951
| Ed Hooper | |
| 1951
| Bill Grant | |
| 1951
| Patrol Leader | Uncredited |
| 1951
| Sam Dawson | |
| 1951
| The Day the Earth Stood Still | MP captain | Uncredited |
| 1951
| Passing Soldier - Veteran | Uncredited |
| 1952
| Henchman Mike | |
| 1952
| Waco | Doctor | |
| 1952
| Jim Tullett | |
| 1952
| Ralph Carruthers | |
| 1952
| Dr. Boulting | Uncredited |
| 1952
| 'Rocky' Steuber | |
| 1952
| And Now Tomorrow | | |
| 1952
| Miner | Uncredited |
| 1952
| Hellgate | Witness | Uncredited |
| 1952
| Fargo | Bill Martin's Brother | Uncredited |
| 1952
| Policeman | Uncredited |
| 1952
| Kent Randolph | |
| 1953
| Marshal Jim Hackett | |
| 1953
| Sheldon's Henchman at Hideout | Uncredited |
| 1953
| Jim Garry | Alternative title: Beast of Paradise Isle |
| 1954
| Steve | |
| 1954
| Perkins | Uncredited |
| 1954
| Technician | |
| 1955
| Captain | Uncredited |
| 1955
| Officer at Police Station | Uncredited |
| 1956
| The Women of Pitcairn Island | Coggins | |
| 1957
| Detective | Uncredited |
| 1957
| Patriot Commander at Lexington | Uncredited |
| 1957
| Patrolman | Uncredited |
| 1957
| Holman | |
| 1958
| Curt Warren | |
| 1959
| Marty Raven | Uncredited |
| 1959
| Ordeal at Dry Red | | |
| 1960
| Robert Shaw | |
| 1962
| Sheriff Cal | |
| 1962
| Cop in Elevator | Uncredited |
| 1964
| Major Johnson | |
| 1965
| Reporter | |
| colspan="4" | Television |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
| 1950
| Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1953
| | Season 1, Episode 18 "Land of the Free" |
| 1950–1957
| Various roles | 12 episodes |
| 1951–1953
| Various roles | 6 episodes |
| 1954–1956
| Various roles | 4 episodes |
| rowspan=3|1955
| Ote Bledsoe | 1 episode |
| The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
| Dave Bennett | 4 episodes |
| You are There
| Bruce Greeves | 1 episodes |
| 1957
| Hollingshead | 1 episode |
| 1958
| Captain Rowan | 1 episode |
| 1959
| Town Marshall | "Shakedown at St. Joe" |
| 1959
| Buckskin | Pat Devlin | 1 episode |
| 1959
| Gunsmoke | Nat Swan | "The Coward" (S4E26) |
| 1960
| Policeman | 1 episode |
| 1961
| Lawman | Joe Poole | 1 episode |
| 1962
| Sheriff Goodson | 1 episode |
| 1956–1966
| Lassie | Sheriff Jim Billings | 12 episodes, (final appearance) |
References
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|0676310}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peters, House Jr.}}
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Beverly Hills High School alumni
Category:Deaths from pneumonia in California
Category:Male actors from New Rochelle, New York
Category:Male Western (genre) film actors
Category:Military personnel from New York (state)
Category:United States Army Air Forces soldiers
Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II