Robert Quarry | |
|---|---|
 Quarry in trailer for Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) | |
| Born | Robert Walter Quarry November 3, 1925 Santa Rosa, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 20, 2009 (aged 83) Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1943–1999 |
Robert Walter Quarry (November 3, 1925 – February 20, 2009) was an American actor, known for several prominent horror film roles.
Quarry was born in Santa Rosa, California, the son of Mable (née Shoemaker) and Paul Quarry, a doctor. His grandmother was an actress. He left school at the age of 14 to pursue a career in radio.[1]
During World War II in November 1943, Quarry joined the United States Army, where he formed a theatrical troupe. After the war he acted again, first for RKO and then for MGM.[1]
His films include Count Yorga, Vampire (1970), its sequel The Return of Count Yorga (1971), and Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972), in which he played alchemist Dr. Biederbeck pitted against Vincent Price's Phibes in a race to find the mythical elixir of eternal life. Price reportedly did not care for his co-star — once, when Quarry was singing in his dressing room during the making of Dr Phibes Rises Again, he said to Price, "You didn't know I could sing did you?" and Price replied: "Well I knew you couldn't act." [citation needed] The duo would later be paired in Madhouse (1974), the last film to feature Price at AIP. [2][3][4]
American International Pictures had plans for Quarry to succeed Price, signing him to a long-term contract,[5] but a variety of factors affected his career at the studio: the departure of AIP co-founder James H. Nicholson and business manager Paul Zimmerman, the decline in the company's fortunes that forced cheaper productions, and the subsequent degradation of popularity in old-style horror films. [6] Quarry did make further horror film appearances, as the hippy guru vampire Khorda in 1973's The Deathmaster, and as a gangster in the 1974 zombie movie Sugar Hill.
Quarry made several guest appearances on TV shows, including two in 1965 on Perry Mason. He appeared on an episode of The Rockford Files. He played disfigured gunrunner Commander Corliss in the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century episode "Return of the Fighting 69th". He played in two episodes of The Lone Ranger.[citation needed]
In 1980 he was in an automobile accident, in which he was struck by a drunk driver. It resulted in serious facial injuries. He was also mugged in Hollywood shortly thereafter.
In 1987, Quarry returned to film with Cyclone directed by Fred Olen Ray. Quarry would be cast in over 20 of Ray's films in the remainder of his career.[1]
Quarry died on February 20, 2009, at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, aged 83.[7]
