Biography
Larry Roberts was born Lawrence Saltzman on September 28, 1926, as the sole child of Robert E. and Mabel (Haber) Saltzman in Cleveland, Ohio. Following his parents' divorce, his father relocated to Los Angeles. During World War II, Larry served with General Patton's Third Army across France, Germany, and Austria. After his military service, a vacation to Los Angeles turned permanent as he helped organize the Circle Theatre. Performing under the name Larry Salters, he appeared in the company's 1947 debut production of "Ethan Frome" as Jotham Powell and took part in five of the company's first six productions. In the book "Remembering Charlie" by Jerry Epstein, a photo of the "Time of Your Life" cast shows Larry seated first on the right; he portrayed Harry, an aspiring "hoofer," a role originally played by Gene Kelly on Broadway.
In 1949, Larry co-founded and became part owner of the Players Ring, another notable Hollywood theatre group. During his stage career, he was discovered for the role of the Tramp in "Lady and the Tramp" when a Disney storyman saw him perform.
Larry actively entertained troops during the Korean War. A photo from December 1954 shows him with a USO tour company, standing on plane steps in a dark suit with a carnation. Another image places Larry at center in the finale of the 1953 USO show "Hollywood Starlets."
He was a frequent guest on early television variety shows including "Lights, Camera, Action," "Bandstand Revue," "The All-Star Revue," and several Pinky Lee programs. Larry also performed as a stand-up comic in Las Vegas. His singing was recorded in the 1950s with Neely Plumb and his Orchestra on the "Ace-Hi Hits" label, featuring songs such as "April in Portugal," "Big Mamou," "Tell Me a Story," and "Wild Horses."
Retiring from show business in the mid to late 1950s, Larry returned to Cleveland, resumed using the surname Salters, and entered the women's clothing industry. Initially, he worked for Bobbie Brooks, Inc., a company founded by his uncle Maurice Saltzman, then moved to New York to become a designer for Russ Togs, another women's clothing manufacturer. He also appears to have lived for a time in the Pompano Beach, Florida area.
Larry passed away from AIDS-related causes on July 17, 1992, in the North Babylon/Fire Island area of New York at age 65.
