Kenneth Stanhope Sanderson (1898-1973) must be considered one of Hollywood’s nearly-men. After slaving away in dozens of Poverty Row westerns for four years, he was finally offered a part in an ‘A’ picture. Roaul Walsh had been forced to give up the role of the Cisco Kid in In Old Arizona (1931) following the bizarre car accident that cost him his eye, and the part was given to Buddy Roosevelt. However, just before shooting was scheduled to start, he also had an accident, breaking his leg. The part ended up with Warner Baxter, who won an Academy Award and went on to a successful career. For Roosevelt, it was back to the cheapo westerns.
Buddy Roosevelt had started out as a Hollywood stuntman in 1916, after spending time as a cowboy. He got his first substantial acting role in 1924, and was soon on the ‘B’ western treadmill. He made occasional appearances in non-westerns, for example playing a secret service agent in Gabriel Over the White House (1933). He also continued to undertake stunt work, and doubled for Ronald Colman in Under Two Flags (1936) and Lost Horizon (1937). Roosevelt continued acting in films and television until 1962, with a final appearance in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
Roosevelt made uncredited appearances in four Metro musicals, in none of them playing a cowboy: Flying High, Annie Get Your Gun, The Belle of New York and Merry Andrew.
Leave a Reply