Robert Fuller

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Robert Fuller (born July 29, 1933) is an American former television Western actor and current rancher. In his five decades of television, he's best known for starring roles on the popular 1960s western series Laramie as Jess Harper, and Wagon Train as Cooper Smith, as well as his work for his lead role, Dr. Kelly Brackett, in the popular 1970s medical drama Emergency! , opposite his best friends Julie London and her husband Bobby Troup.

Early life Robert Fuller was born Leonard Leroy Lee on July 29, 1933, in Troy, New York, the only child of Elizabeth Lee, a dance instructor. Later in his childhood, Betty married Robert Simpson Sr. , a Naval Academy officer. In 1939, the family moved to Key West, Florida, where, already known by the nickname of "Buddy", he took the name Robert Simpson Jr. His parents owned a dancing school in Florida.

His family also lived in Chicago for a year before moving back to Florida. Simpson, Jr. , as he was then still formally known, attended the Miami Military School for fifth and sixth grades, and Key West High School for ninth grade. He dropped out at age 14 because he disliked school and was doing poorly there. In 1950, at the age of 16, he and his parents moved to Hollywood, California, where his first job was as a stunt man.