Robert William Troup Jr. (October 18, 1918 – February 7, 1999) was an American actor, jazz pianist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the composer of the rhythm and blues standard "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" and for the role of Dr. Joe Early with his wife Julie London in the television program Emergency! in the 1970s.[1]
His earliest musical success came in 1941 with the song "Daddy"[8] written for a Mask and Wig production.[9]Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra recorded "Daddy", which was number one for eight weeks on the Billboard chart and the number five record of 1941; other musicians who recorded it include Glenn Miller, Bing Crosby, Kay Kyser, and The Andrews Sisters.[10] "Daddy" can be heard in the 1941 film Two Latins from Manhattan.[11] The song is also performed by the title character in Tex Avery's cartoon short Red Hot Riding Hood (1943).[12]
After graduating from college in 1941, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps but did not receive orders until January 1942. After completing officer training, he was assigned as one of two dozen white officers to direct recruit training at Montford Point, the recruit depot for the first black Marines.[13] In 1943 he became recreation officer and helped build a recreation hall, basketball court, and outdoor boxing ring. A friend installed a miniature golf course.[7] At Montford Point, he also organized the first African-American band of U.S. Marines.[14] During this time he composed "Take Me Away from Jacksonville", which was to become an anthem of sorts for the Marines at Montford Point and other areas of Camp Lejeune.[15]
While he relied on songwriting royalties, Troup worked as an actor, appearing in Bop Girl Goes Calypso (1957), The High Cost of Loving (1958), The Five Pennies (1959), and playing musician Tommy Dorsey in the film The Gene Krupa Story (1959).[1] He appeared as himself in the short-lived NBC television series Acapulco. He made three guest appearances on Perry Mason, and on two appearances, "The Case of the Jaded Joker" in 1959 and "The Case of the Missing Melody" in 1961, he showed his musical talents. In 1960 he appeared with his wife Julie London in an episode of Rawhide, "Incident at Royo Canyon". In 1969 and 1970, he appeared as "Bobby" in two episodes of Mannix, where he was a lounge piano player who helped Mannix unravel cases.[22][23] Troup tried his luck at bowling on two episodes of Celebrity Bowling (1973-1975). He again appeared as a piano player in a cameo on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries in 1978.[24]
He appeared as disgruntled staff sergeant Gorman in Robert Altman's 1970 film M*A*S*H. He is the last actor named by the camp PA announcer in the end credits, and he has the last line of the film: "God-damned Army!"
Troup had appeared in several episodes of the Jack Webb television series Dragnet. In 1972, Webb cast Troup as Dr. Joe Early in the television series Emergency! with Webb's former wife Julie London as nurse Dixie McCall.[1] Both Troup and London guest starred as "Emergency" personnel on an episode of Adam-12 also produced by Webb. In 1979, Troup played the part of Sam Gill in the TV miniseries The Rebels.
Personal life
Troup married Cynthia Hare in May 1942.[7] They had two daughters, Cynnie Troup (born 1943) and Ronne Troup (born 1945); both had careers in entertainment. The marriage ended in divorce in 1955.[25] He met singer Julie London at the Celebrity Room where he was singing.[26] He encouraged her to pursue her singing career, and in 1955 he produced her million-selling hit record "Cry Me a River".[27] London, previously married to actor Jack Webb (1947 to 1953),[28] married Troup in 1959.[29] They had one daughter, Kelly Troup (died 2002), and twin sons, Jody (died 2010) and Reese Troup.
^Greene, Jo-Ann. "From Hometown to Hollywood". LNP. Lancaster, Penn. Retrieved October 23, 2015. The local boy and the Main Line deb, married from 1942 to 1955, remained close after their divorce...
