Trivia

Godson of Orville Wright, an old family friend, who also taught him to fly. He piloted his own plane most of his life.

After guest-starring on The Love Boat (1977), he retired from acting at age 69.

Was good friends with Ann B. Davis and Dwayne Hickman, during and after The Bob Cummings Show (1955).

His father, Dr. Charles Clarence Cummings Sr., was a surgeon. He was part of the original staff of St. John's Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. He was the founder of the Jasper County Tuberculosis Hospital in Webb City, Missouri. His mother, Ruth Annabelle Kraft, was an ordained minister of the Science of Mind.

Chosen by producer John Wayne as his co-star in The High and the Mighty (1954), though director William A. Wellman replaced him with Robert Stack.

Owned a hobby hardware store in Beverly Hills, California.

His father wanted to name him Robert Orville Cummings, after his godfather, Orville Wright. His mother was against it. She wanted him to be named Charles Clarence Cummings Jr., after his father. They finally agreed on Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings.

In 1942 he joined the United States Army Air Force and was made a flight instructor. He had worked in that capacity for many years prior to enlisting.

His second series The Bob Cummings Show (1961) was canceled because it was too expensive.

According to an article in "FLYING" magazine, when the government began licensing flight instructors, Cummings received flight instructor certificate #1, making him the first instructor to receive such a license.

Just before his death, he joined Art Linkletter and former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, at the 35th anniversary celebration of Disneyland, all reprising their appearances at the grand opening of the amusement park.

Studied briefly at Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, but his love of flying caused him to transfer to the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He studied aeronautical engineering for a year before being forced to drop out for financial reasons, his family having lost heavily in the 1929 stock market crash.

Was among the first guests at Disneyland's grand opening in 1955.

Not only was he a health food fanatic, but he often carried a small suitcase with him full of vitamin pills.

Was the original star of the initial production of "Twelve Angry Men", filmed live in 1954 for CBS's TV drama series "Studio One", in the role later made famous by Henry Fonda in Sidney Lumet's 1957 film version. As the drama critic of the Wall Street Journal, Terry Teachout, wrote many years later, "he is, in fact, vastly more believable than Fonda.".

Was good friends with Rosemary DeCamp, Julie Bishop, Ray Milland, Norman Lloyd, Lucille Ball, Paul Henning, Dinah Shore, George Burns, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, Charles Coburn and Raymond Burr.

Moved to Los Angeles in 1935, and broke into films by faking a Southern drawl and presenting himself as Brice Hutchens, a Texan.

Was also suffering from Parkinson's Disease at the time of his death.

Was a US Army Air Force pilot during World War II. He was stationed for a while at Oxnard, California.

On Broadway, he obtained roles by faking a British accent and introducing himself as Blade Stanhope Conway, an Englishman.

He was an Air Force officer while he was a senior in high school.

Graduated from Joplin High School (1928)

Met his second wife, Vivi Janiss, in the Broadway play "The Ziegfeld Follies".

He had 7 hobbies: flying, partying, golfing, photography, jogging, swimming and spending time with his family.

On The Bob Cummings Show (1955), he played a bachelor / studio photographer who photographed and dated the world's most beautiful models. In real life, he had been married and divorced several times.

Was accused by his estranged wife, Mary Elliott, of using the drug methedrine or "speed" and carrying on an adulterous affair with his former secretary, and future wife, Regina Fong [29 October 1969].

In dramatic films he was billed in the credits as Robert Cummings; in lighter fare, often as Bob Cummings.

Son Tony Cummings is a former soap actor. He was best known for playing Rick Halloway on Another World (1964) in 1981.

Had appeared on a successful radio serial, "Those We Love", from 1938 to 1945, opposite Richard Cromwell, Francis X. Bushman and Nan Grey.

Began his contract career for Paramount in 1935.

Beginning in 1946, he served as executive producer of United World Productions.

Only appeared in one Best Picture Oscar nominated film: Kings Row (1942).

His The Bob Cummings Show (1955) co-star, Dwayne Hickman attended a parade and benefit show with Bob in Cummings' hometown of Joplin, Missouri.

Interred at Forest Lawn (Glendale), Glendale, California, USA, in the Great Mausoleum, Columbarium of Sanctity.

His The Bob Cummings Show (1955) co-star, Dwayne Hickman, was a huge fan of Cummings' movies as a child in the 1940s.

Robert's maternal grandfather, George Michael Kraft, was a German immigrant. Robert's other ancestry was English and Irish.

Wrote a book "How to Stay Young and Vital" about his healthy style of living.

Best remembered by the public for his starring role as photographer Bob Collins on The Bob Cummings Show (1955).

Had his 80th birthday party just six months before his death.

He was a flying instructor during the 2nd World War.