Robert Theodore Rose, a renowned stuntman and actor, was born on February 4, 1901, in Jones County, Tennessee. Prior to his career in silent Westerns, Rose had a stint as a horse jockey, which ultimately led to his discovery by silent movie stars Francis Ford and Eddie Polo at a racetrack in Tijuana, Mexico.
Rose's impressive career spanned a wide range of stunts, including doubling for notable actors and actresses such as Harry Houdini, Buster Keaton, Chico Marx, Mary Pickford, Jean Harlow, Buck Jones, Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Attenborough, Eddie Cantor, Tom Mix, Fay Wray, and Maureen O'Sullivan.
Rose's versatility as a stuntman was unparalleled, as he was a licensed pilot, car crasher, wing walker, high diver, parachutist, trick rider, and barnstorming pilot. Moreover, he played a significant role in the development of the stunt profession, co-founding both the Pilots Union and the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures.
Throughout his career, Rose faced numerous challenges, including two harrowing mishaps. During the filming of The Trail of '98 (1928),he was one of only two stuntmen who avoided drowning in the icy Copper River rapids. Later, while performing an airplane stunt for The Flight of the Phoenix (1965),Rose suffered a broken shoulder and cracked skull after the stunt went awry.
After retiring from the film industry, Rose settled down on his ranch in Corey, Colorado, where he lived until his passing. Robert Theodore Rose died at the age of 92 on March 8, 1993, at a nursing home in Montrose, Colorado.
