The Second Mr Stephens is the First Mr Cheever

There were character actors aplenty who seem to have appeared in every hit sitcom in the 1960s. They weren’t stars, so there was no incentive for columnists to interview them. But a few did get some press and we’ve featured several of them on this blog.

One who found steady work was Roy Roberts. He was the second Darrin’s father on Bewitched (well, there were two Darrins after all) and he was on The Beverly Hillbillies as Mr. Cushing of the Merchant’s Bank, failing to get the Clampetts to moved their millions into his financial institution from Milburn Drysdale’s Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills.

He was a banker on another series, playing Theodore J. Mooney’s boss and nemesis on The Lucy Show. That attracted the attention of one syndicated columnist, who coaxed Roberts into telling a funny story about one of the great American Ac-Tors of the 20th century. It was published December 14, 1967.

TV Character Jolly Demeanor Like a Santa in Civvies
By STAN MAAYS
HOLLYWOOD — It's an axiom in television never to stand pat, even when you've got a guaranteed rating winner like The Lucy Show. For that reason, a new character was introduced this season.
Mr. Cheever was brought in as Mr. Mooney's banking boss, thus opening a whole new bag of involvements for Mooney, as well as Lucy.
Cheever is played by Roy Roberts, a burly 230-pound veteran actor, whose theatrical roots date back to the likes of David Belasco, Jane Cowl, Helen Hayes and the Broadway stage. Roberts was Capt. Huxley for three years in the old Gale Storm series, Oh! Susanna. He's also had semi-regular roles in McHale's Navy and Petticoat Junction, And he has countless movie credits.
It is doubtful that viewers could possibly enjoy the "play" between Roberts and Gale Gordon as much as they do themselves.
"Why, we're like two old lovers—it's shocking!" laughs Roberts, whose jolly demeanor is like a Santa in civies.
"We appreciate what the other one does. Our timing is such that we never have to shoot a scene over. One take, that's it.
"Like Gale, I seemed to be stuck in banker roles in my old age, but we're making the most of it. Being his boss I'm more pompous, stuffy and arrogant. I frighten him and he in turn frightens Lucy."

Rogers admits to being "basically a straight man," but he prides himself in knowing how to be a good one. "It's important to play up key words," he continues. "Gale and I, old hams that we are, get together and go over the script. We see a spot and say, 'Let's give this a goose here.' It's fun for us because on the Lucy show you have to play half to the audience and half to the cameras."
This ability to emphasize clearly key words wasn't any over night accomplishment. Roberts, early in his career as a member of the E. B. Coleman's Honey Bunch Stock Company, when all he had was "curly hair and teeth," realized he had to overcome a Florida accent, which apparently is more southern than southern.
A chance meeting with the great John Barrymore helped. He suggested reading Shakespeare aloud. So as not to disturb anyone, Roberts used to go to Jones Beach and shout Shakespeare at the waves. This triggered a story about the "great profile."
"I met him again a few years later in Hollywood. It was in a restaurant crowded with his friends, the occasion being the opening of his movie, 'Twentieth Century.' I didn't think he'd remember me (his sister Ethel later assured me he wouldn't have bothered if he hadn't), but I had such admiration for him I had to approach him.
" ‘Speak, my son,’ he said in a great stentorian voice, ‘What do you require of me, anything?’ Stymied for a moment, I suggested a soliloquy from 'Hamlet.' So while his friends waited he sat down and did the whole thing for me, complete with gestures.
"When he finished, he leaned over and whispered, ‘Now never speak to me again, you s.o.b.’"