Robert Sorrells: “From the Big Screen to the Big House” | MURDERISH Ep. 127

A character actor who appeared in over 100 films and TV shows between the early 60s and late 80s, Robert Sorrells made a living playing bit parts in big productions: classics like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Twilight Zone. No matter the plot, the roles typically ended the same for Sorrells―with his character either firing a bullet, or taking one himself. His early filmography reads like an advertisement for the NRA: Gunfight in Abilene, Mosby’s Marauders, Death of a Gunfighter, The Ride to Hangman’s Tree. In a disturbing case of life imitating art, Sorrells, at the age of 74, gunned down two men at a bar near his home in Simi Valley, California, killing one and badly wounding the other. His victim: A 45-year-old painting contractor and father of one. The shocking July 2004 murder shined a spotlight on the psychology of aging actors, and begged the question: did a lifetime of being around fake movie violence make Sorrells more inclined to commit the real-life kind? Or, were the characters he portrayed all those years on film closer to reality than those around him realized? Become a MURDERISH | Behind the Mic member and get access to bonus episodes, ad-free episodes and many other exclusive perks. Visit https://www.patreon.com/Murderish to sign up. Visit Murderish.com for more info about the show and Creator/Host, Jami. Follow us @MurderishPodcast on Instagram & TikTok, and Facebook. Sponsors - Nom Nom: Visit TryNom.com/murderish for 50% off your no-risk 2-week trial. Rocket Money: Visit RocketMoney.com/murderish to easily cancel unwanted subscriptions & save money. Subscribe to Dirty Money Moves: Women in White Collar Crime in your favorite podcast app! Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dirty-money-moves-women-in-white-collar-crime/id1619521092 Follow Dirty Money Moves on Instagram & TikTok @DirtyMoneyMoves. Want to advertise on this show? We’ve partnered with Cloud10 | iHeartRadio to handle our advertising requests. If you’re interested in advertising on MURDERISH or Dirty Money Moves: Women in White Collar Crime, send an email to Sahiba Krieger mailto:sahiba@cloud10.fm with a copy to mailto:jami@murderish.com. Research & Writing: K. Brant. Audio editing and sound design: Podmachine with oversight by Emily Crain at Cloud10 Media. Remember, listening to this podcast doesn’t make you a murderer - it just means you’re murder...ish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices