My journey ends here...
ROBERTS Ralph
Ralph Leonard Roberts.
Date of birth
: August 16, 1916, Salisbury, North Carolina (
-
).
Date of death : April 30, 1999, Salisbury, North Carolina (
).
Portrait
,
;
,
,
;
;
Profession
Actor.
He had studied physiotherapy and knew very well the muscular probleme linked to the actors.
Private masseur of Marilyn.
Addresses
* North Palm Avenue, Los Angeles
* 409 East 52nd Street, New York. Tel EL 50 954.
Story
His parents Hugh Herr Roberts (August 16, 1874, South Carolina-June 6, 1960, Salisbury
,
)(
) and Lula Clementine Walker
(September 1st, 1878, North Carolina-October 20, 1941, Salisbury ,
)
married on September 10, 1896 in Gaston, North Carolina (
).
They had 10 children :
* Fannie Vera (April 6, 1898, Gaston, North Carolina-July 22, 1981, Salisbury, North Carolina)
* Edna Mae (November 2, 1901, North Carolina-January 11, 1974, Salisbury)
* Mabel Louella (October 6, 1903, Gaston, North Carolina-August 26, 2001)
(
)
* Wilbur Franklin (December 6, 1905-August 18, 1965)(
)
* Clyde Jasper (July 26, 1908)
* Harold Knox (February 26, 1911, Rowan, North Carolina-January 21, 1975, Rowan, North Carolina)
(
)
* Carl West (September 20, 1913, Rowan, North Carolina-December 5, 1994, Salisbury)
(
)
* Ralph Leonard
* Walter Lee (March 1st, 1919-June 30, 1978, Salisbury)(
)
* Claude Murray (November 16, 1921, Rowan, North Carolina-December 9, 1984, Salisbury)
Family picture in North Carolina 
World War II veteran, serving as assistant Adjudant General to General Joseph Stilwell, in Bahmo, Burma. He was one of the first liaison officers from the Pentagon to the White House.
Pictures during his national service
,
While stationed at the Pentagon on a special assignment, he discovered the gymnasium where there were also a steam cabinet and a masseur. He knew he had found the second profession he was trying to find.
After military service he came in New York in March 1946, he studied for the stage with Herbert Beghof's Acting Class and attended the Actors Studio in the early 1950's, where he studied the Strasberg's Method.
In March 1949, he enrolled in the Swedish Institute of Massage and Physio-Therapy. He graduated 9 months later with a New York State massage license; he then combined for a while 2 careers, as an actor and as a masseur.
He made his Broadway debut in the 1948 revival of "Angel Street". He debuted on screen in MGM's "Phone 1119" in 1951.
He practiced massage on members of the cast he worked with.
He became friend with Susan Strasberg and the Strasberg's family family 
He met Marilyn in 1955
at the Strasbergs
home. He had just given Susan a massage and heard Lee talking with
someone in the hall. He then saw the moste radiantly beautiful creature
he had ever met.
On March 9, 1955 he attended the premiere of "East of Eden" at the New York Astor Theater, and to the
following party 
,
Picture New York City 1955 
He arrived in Hollywood in 1958 as masseur of Judy Holliday during the shooting of "The Bells Are Ringing" of Vincente Minelli.
He quickly built up a grateful clientele (including Milton Berle,
Ellen Burstyn (
), Judy Holliday
(
) and Walter
Matthau (
)).
He also inspired the masseur character (and
provided the training backstage) in the Broadway success "Will Success
Spoil Rock Hunter?".
He explained the procedure for massage: lying face up, covered with 2
towels, starting the left arm, continuing until the front of body was
done, then turn-over for the back of the body.
Postcard sent from Marilyn 
-
He played a small part in "The Misfits" (1961) (an ambulance driver 
) but he also massaged the tiredness and painful limbs of the actors.
cherry dress
,
,
,
-
,
,
;
white blouse
,
,
;
bathrobe 
-
He was at the heart of the turmoil between Marilyn and Arthur Miller during the last months of their married life, and he helped Marilyn to overcome her loneliness after the break-up.
He drove her back home after her horrible experience at the Payne Whitney Hospital, in 1961, in New York City.
This same year, he drove her, with her half-sister Berniece Miracle, to Roxbury, where she took her stuff : books, sculptures, delicate china, cocktail glasses and a big televison, a gift from the RCA.
On July 11, 1961 he was once again with her when she left the New York Polyclinic Hospital, after her
gall-bladder's surgery 
,
-
,
.
When she came back to Los Angeles, in August 1961, he left with her. She rented him a room at the Château Marmont Hotel, 10 minutes from her apartment on Doheny Drive.
In March 1962 he came back to Los Angeles to help Marilyn in her many tasks caused by her moving in Brentwood.
He remained with her and kept company with her and relieved her of her tensions with his massages.On August 4, 1962 he called her at home around 6.00 PM to make a list of shopping, to organize the barbecue planned for the next evening. Dr Greenson picked up the phone and answered that Marilyn wasn't home.
In the evening, Marilyn, groggy, left him an incomprehensible message on his answering machine.
He attended Marilyn's funeral on August 8, 1962 
,
,
Obituary
.
Website
Official site
BACK TO INDEX
NEXT FILE