Robert Ridgely

Known for his robust voice, Robert Ridgely began his career as an actor. In the 1960s Ridgely guest-starred on such TV shows as the adventure series "Sea Hunt" and the ABC Western "Maverick." In 1962 he landed a recurring role as Lt. Frank Kimbro on "The Gallant Men," a series based on soldiers in World War II. That show was cancelled after a single season, but Ridgely continued to find acting work, most notably as a sleazy game show host in director Jonathan Demme's "Melvin and Howard." It was Ridgely's voice, however, described as both "smooth" and "booming," that earned him a steady paycheck. From the 1960s well into the 1990s he lent his voice to countless animated TV programs, with a specialty for voicing superheroes. Some of the more notable characters he voiced included Tarzan in "Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle" and Flash Gordon in "Flash Gordon." Oddly enough, one of Ridgely's most memorable acting roles, as the breezy adult film producer Colonel James in 1997's "Boogie Nights," would also turn out to be his last. He died of cancer a few months before the film was released.