High Chaparral Contreras Filmography

Feature Films (7)

Television Series (28)

1957 Have Gun Will Travel
Regular Cast: Richard Boone
                      Kam Tong
Roberto plays "Ramon Hernandez"

Episode: Strange Vendetta (October 27, 1957)
Season 1 - Episode 7
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Writers: Ken Kolb
Also Starring: Abel Fernandez, Ned Glass, Gerald Milton, Michael Pate, Rocky Shahan, Onslow Stevens, June Vincent


Roberto as "Ramon Hernandez", riding shotgun
with Richard Boone and Gerald Milton

Roberto (left) with Gerald Milton

Notes: Roberto played "Ramon Hernandez" in his television debut on this episode of Have Gun Will Travel, a popular 30-minute Western that ran on CBS from 1957 to 1963. Richard Boone starred as Paladin, a dapper gunslinger who only used his gun as a last resort. Jerry Summers, Alex Sharp, Red Morgan, and Charles Horvath were some of the HC stuntmen who had contributions over the course of the series. The full series is now available on DVD in excellent black & white quality.

1957 Ride a Violent Mile
Director: Charles Marquis Warren                                       Roberto plays "Abruzo"
Writers: Eric Norden and Charles Marquis Warren
Starring: John Agar, Penny Edwards, Bing Russell, Richard Shannon, Sheb Wooley

Notes: This was Roberto's first Western, but his third time on the big screen. He has an uncredited role as "Abruzo" in this artsy Western. HC guest stars, John Pickard and Rush Williams also appear.

1958 The Adventures of Jim Bowie
Regular Cast: Scott Forbes
                      Robert Cornthwaite
                      Peter Hansen

Episode: Choctaw Honor (January 3, 1958)
Season 2 - Episode 18
Director:
Writers:
Also Starring: Morey Amsterdam, Stewart Bradley,
                      Paul E. Burns, Rose Marie,
                     Alex Stagg, Robert Warwick

Notes: HC guest star, Robert Cornthwaite is a series regular here playing John James Audubon.

1958 Maverick
Regular Cast: James Garner
                      Jack Kelly
                      Diane Brewster
                      Edwin Reimers
Roberto plays "Jose"

Episode: The Third Rider (January 5, 1958)
Season 1 - Episode 15
Director:
Writers:
Also Starring: William Boyett, Michael Dante, Frank Faylen,
                      Dick Foran, Barbara Nichols, Felice Richmond,
                      Kasey Rogers, Dan White

Notes: Jack Kelly, who played Doc Holiday in "Doctor from Dodge" was a regular cast member here as Bret Maverick's brother, Bart Maverick. HC stunt people who contributed over the course of this series included Bob Herron, Bob Terhune, and Jack Williams.

1958 Maverick
Regular Cast: James Garner
                      Jack Kelly
                      Diane Brewster
                      Edwin Reimers
Roberto plays "Alfredo"

Episode: Plunder of Paradise (March 9, 1958)
Season 1 - Episode 24
Director:
Writers:
Also Starring: Rico Alaniz, Nacho Galindo, Leo Gordon, Eugene Iglesias, Ruta Lee, Manuel Lopez, Jorge Moreno, Jay Novello, Joan Weldon

Notes: Roberto played "Alfredo" here in his second appearance on Maverick. Other HC guest actors in this episode included Rico Alaniz, Leo Gordon, and Jorge Moreno.

1958 The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca
Regular Cast: Robert Loggia


Directors: William Beaudine, Norman Foster,
                 Christian Nyby, George Sherman
Writers:    Arthur E. Orloff, Norman Foster,
                 Fred Freiberger, Barney Slater,
                Maurice Tombragel

Also Starring: Robert F. Simon, Leonard Strong, James Dunn, Valerie Allen, Ramon Navarro,
                     Skip Homeier, Brian Keith, Annette Funicello, Beverly Garland, Nestor Paiva,
                     Arthur Hunnicutt

Notes: Roberto appears in an uncredited role as a miner in the saloon, but I'm not sure in which episode. This Walt Disney series ran for just ten episodes about a New Mexico sheriff turned lawyer, and his efforts to outwit the bad guys. HC actor Robert Loggia played the title role. Other HC actors in the series included Bob Hoy, Rico Alaniz, Ramon Navarro, R.G. Anderson, Edward Colmans, Patricia Crowley, I. Stanford Jolley, Joe Maross, and Charles Maxwell.

1958 The Badlanders
Director:   Delmer Daves                                               Roberto plays "Pepe"
Writers:   W.R. Burnett and Richard Collins
Starring: Alan Ladd, Ernest Borgnine, Katy Jurado, Claire Kelly

Notes: Roberto has an uncredited role as "Pepe" in this story of revenge centered around two men released from the Yuma prison in Arizona. Other HC actors include Nehemiah Persoff, Anthony Caruso, Jorge Moreno, Richard Devon, and Anna Navarro. Henry Wills is credited for stunt work.

1959 Sugarfoot
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Small Hostage (   1959)
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1959 The Rough Riders
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Ransom of Rita Renee (   1959)
Season - Episode
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1959 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: The Paymaster (   1959)
Season - Episode
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1959 Sugarfoot
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Small Hostage (   1959)
Season - Episode
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Notes:

1959 Rawhide
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Incident at Spanish Rock (   1959)
Season - Episode
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Also Starring:

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1959 Have Gun Will Travel
Regular Cast: Richard Boone
                     Kam Tong
Roberto plays "The Bartender"

Episode: Heritage of Anger (June 6, 1959)
Season 2 - Episode 37
Director: Lamont Johnson
Writers: Leonard Heideman
Also Starring: Peter Coe, James Gavin, Carol Hill,
                      Carol Thurston, Ricky Vera


Roberto as "The Bartender"


Roberto with Richard Boone as "Paladin"

Notes:

1959 Riverboat
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Plunder of Paradise (   1959)
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Notes:

1959 Law of the Plainsman
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: A Matter of Life and Death (   1959)
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1960 Law of the Plainsman
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: The Show-Off (   1960)
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Notes:

1960 Law of the Plainsman
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Trojan Horse (   1960)
Season - Episode
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Notes:

1960 The Magnificent Seven
Director: John Sturges
Writer:
Starring: Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach,
        Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson,
        Robert Vaughn, James Coburn,
        Brad Dexter

Roberto on the left with Rico Alaniz, who had one
of the three village leader roles. Alaniz appeared
in four HC episodes.

Roberto can be seen here in the background behind
Yul Brynner

Roberto's 6'4" height makes him easy to spot in
several scenes.

Roberto on guard duty with Brad Dexter. Yul Brynner
and Steve McQueen are in the background.

Notes: Roberto had an uncredited role as one of the villagers in this classic Western. He is clearly present in several scenes but has no speaking part. Other Latino HC actors present include Rico Alaniz, Pepe Hern, Natvidad Vacio, and Alex Montoya. HC guest star Joseph Ruskin also has a role. HC stunt coordinator, Henry Wills, was the stunt coordinator for The Magnificent Seven. HC stuntmen included Jack Williams, Loren James, and Jerry Gatlin.

1960 The Westerner
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Ghost of a Chance (   1960)
Season - Episode
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Notes:

1961 Gold of the Seven Saints
Director: Gordon Douglas
Writer:
Starring: Clint Walker, Roger Moore,
               Chill Wills, Leticia Roman

Notes: Roberto plays "Armenderez", one of the gunmen of a corrupt landowner in pursuit of gold that is not his.   HC guest star Christopher Dark also has a role.   HC stuntmen included Bob Terhune and Jack Williams.

1961 Wanted Dead or Alive
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: El Gato (   1961)
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Notes:

1961 Have Gun Will Travel
Regular Cast: Richard Boone
                     Kam Tong

Episode: Duke of Texas (, 1961)
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1961 Zane Grey Theater
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Storm Over Eden (   1961)
Season - Episode
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Also Starring:



Notes:

1961 The Rifleman
Regular Cast: Chuck Conners,
                     Johnny Crawford
Episode: The Vaqueros (October 2, 1961)
Season 4 - Episode 1
Director: Unavailable
Writers: Inavailable
Also Starring: Martin Landau, Ziva Rodann, Pepe Hern,
                      Vladimir Sokoloff, Than Wyenn

As often happens, Roberto's height makes him standout, here in a cantina with fellow bandidos.

Notes: Roberto plays Angelo, one of four bandidos in this episode that takes place in Mexico. Other HC actors here include Pepe Hern and Than Wyenn.

1961 The Outlaws
Director: John Rich, Douglas Heyes
Regular Cast: Barton MacLane, Don Collier, Jock Gaynor,
                      Judy Lewis, Slim Pickens, Bruce Yarnell
Episode: The Little Colonel (1961)
Season 1 - Episode 25
Director: Unavailable
Also Starring: Ted Markland, Ralph Manza, Anna Navarro,
                       Rafael Campos, Craig Curtis

Roberto Contreras as "Tenfuente"
in The Little Colonel

Notes: Roberto appeared in two episodes of Outlaws, which was Don Collier's break-out role when he landed one of the leads for this new television series. An edgy Western played from the outlaw point-of-view, it ran for two seasons in Thursday evening prime-time. Don played Deputy Marshal, Will Foreman.   HC producer, Kent McCray, was Associate Producer for the series. Other HC actors in this episode included Ted Markland, Ralph Manza, and Anna Navarro.

1962 The Outlaws
Director: John Rich, Douglas Heyes
Regular Cast: Barton MacLane, Don Collier, Jock Gaynor,
                      Judy Lewis, Slim Pickens, Bruce Yarnell

Roberto plays "Ralph"

Episode: Horse of a Similar Color (1962)
Season 2 - Episode 17
Director: Unavailable
Other HC Actors: Ronald Trujillo

Notes:

1962 Tales of Wells Fargo
Director:
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Portrait of Teresa (1962)
Season - Episode
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Also starring:

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1963 California
Director: Hamil Petroff
Writers:
Starring: Jock Mahoney, Faith Domergue, Michael Pate, Susan Hayes

Notes: Roberto plays "LL Sanchez" in this revolutionary tale about the Mexicans in California during the 1840's. HC guest stars include Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr., Charles Horvath, and Penny Stanton.

1965 Laredo
Director:
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: I See by Your Outfit (1965)
Season - Episode
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Also starring:

Notes:

1958 The Professionals
Director: Richard Brooks
Starring: Burt Lancaster
                Lee Marvin
                Robert Ryan
                Jack Palance
               Woody Strode
               Ralph Bellamy
               Claudia Cardinale
               Marie Gomez

Roberto as an un-named bandito

Roberto, far left, one of the gang facing down Lee Marvin

Marie Gomez as Chiquita

Marie in a poignant death scene with Burt Lancaster

Notes: Roberto plays an uncredited bandit in this star-studded Western set in the early twentieth century.   He has a few lines in Spanish that appear with English captions. He gets shot with an arrow and dies fairly early in the film. This is definitely worth seeing for HC fans though because of the substantial role Marie Gomez (Perlita) plays here as "Chiquita". She has some major dramatic scenes and ends up dying in Burt Lancaster's arms. She also does much of the commentary on the DVD. Other HC actors include: Joe De Santis, Carlos Romero, Vaughn Taylor, Eddie Little Sky, and John McKee. Stuntmen connected to HC include: Tony Epper, John McKee, and Jack Williams.

1966 The Big Valley
Director:
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Day of the Comet (1966)
Season - Episode
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Also starring:

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1967 Laredo
Director:
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Scourge of San Rusa (1967)
Season - Episode
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1967 The Big Valley
Director:
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: Turn of a Card (1967)
Season - Episode
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1974 The Cowboys
Director:
Regular Cast:
Roberto plays

Episode: The Accused (1974)
Season - Episode
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Also starring:

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1982 Barbarosa
Director: Fred Schepisi
Starring: Willie Nelson
                Isela Vega

Notes: Roberto plays a cantina owner in this sleeper Western that gained a following after it started appearing on cable television. His eldest son, Luis Contreras also appears in the film. The film was noted for its exceptional cinematography. Other HC actors include: Gary Busey and Gilbert Roland.