Saddle up for a trip through entertainment history with a weekly highlight from Santa Clarita’s Walk of Western Stars! This week, the star of “Emergency!” Robert Fuller.

Although he spent his formative years in Key West, Florida, Robert Fuller’s birthplace was Troy, New York (on July 29, 1933).

His friends called him “Buddy Lee,” although his birth name was Leonard Leroy Lee. 

Fuller dropped out of ninth grade at the age of 15 because, as he says himself, he hated school and did not do well. Fuller held a number of jobs in Key West before relocating to Hollywood with his parents in 1950 at 16.

Fullers’s dad had a dream of breaking into the film industry as a dancer and he achieved that dream. After rebranding himself as Robert Cole, Fuller’s father appeared in nearly every major movie musical from 1950 until his retirement in 1987. 

While in Hollywood, 18-year-old Fuller had a handful of jobs. the most notable being at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre where he started as a doorman and worked his way up to assistant manager.

It was at this job where a group of teens Fuller’s age approached him about joining the Screen Extras Guild (SEG).

It was this decision to join SEG that started Fuller’s acting career as an extra on movies like “The Harder They Fall,” “Raintree County” and “The Man In The Grey Flannel Suit.”

Fuller was drafted into the United States Army in 1953 at the age of 19, during the height of the Korean War. He served for two years, with fifteen months spent in Korea. Based on his demeanor, knowledge of military subjects, and appearance, he was selected three times as the outstanding soldier on Guard Mount by his unit the 19th Infantry Regiment.

When Fuller returned from war, he was no longer interested in becoming an actor. After encouragement from his dad, Fuller jumped back into acting, which proved to be a wise choice for him.

Throughout his career, Fuller received accolades such as:

• 1975 – Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
• 1989 – Golden Boot Award
• 2002 – Honoree Kanab Western Legends Roundup
• 2004 – Cowboy Spirit Award – National Festival Of The West, Phoenix
• October 2007 – Silver Spur Award
• April 2008 – Inducted into the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma, Hall Of Great Western Performers
• And many more

During his nearly four-decade-long acting career, Fuller appeared in films and television shows like “Emergency!,” “Disaster on the Coastliner,” “Walker,” “Texas Ranger,” “Jake’s Way,” and “All Dogs Go to Heaven,” to name a few.

Where is Robert Fuller’s Walk of Western Stars plaque?

Fuller was honored by the City of Santa Clarita with his Western Star in 2019 and the plaque on the Walk of Western Stars can be found on Main Street (west side) near the Military Surplus Store.

Check back next week for another highlight from Santa Clarita’s Walk of Western Stars!

Last week’s feature, James Drury.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.