Father Robert Philip Curtis, CSP, was born in Washington, DC, on September 23, 1932. After graduating from the (US) Capitol Page School, he attended Dartmouth College where he received the bachelor of arts degree in 1954. He was a classmate and close friend of the future Paulist Father George Fitzgerald and both were then commissioned in the US Air Force Reserve. Bob was assigned to an Air-to-Air refueling squadron in the Atlantic Ocean until his discharge in September 1957.
After an unsuccessful start in an acting career in Hollywood, he studied at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Upon graduation he contacted George Fitzgerald indicating that, thanks to George's influence, he wanted to become a Catholic. Upon George's advice he contacted Father Elwood Kieser, CSP, at the Paulist parish in Los Angeles, and was received into the church.
After attending Father George Fitzgerald's first Mass in 1965, Bob entered the Paulist novitiate and, completing the usual course of studies at St. Paul's College in Washington, DC, was ordained a Catholic priest on January 16, 1971. He persuaded the Paulist superiors to assign him to Los Angeles where he felt he could work with the acting community. He was appointed to the parish staff at St. Paul the Apostle church in Los Angeles which included care of the UCLA medical center. There he baptized John Wayne on the famous actor's deathbed in the spring of 1979.
Father Curtis was transferred to Old St. Mary's parish in San Francisco in 1979. It was an unhappy experience for him, and he stayed for just over a year. He managed to return to Los Angeles on a free lance assignment to help found New Wine Productions. He created and produced two specific musical pieces: Mass of the Cross (on the Passion), and Touch of the Child (on the birth of Jesus). He lived on his own and sought work in acting roles. He appeared in several episodes of the TV series "Flacon Crest" and the movie "Fatso." He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and was beloved by many in the industry, particularly Anne Bancroft and Jane Wyman.
Father Curtis was short (about 5'6") and wiry. He had very piercing eyes and a wonderful voice. He loved to tell stories using different voices and accents. He also had a great laugh.
Father Curtis became increasingly isolated from the Paulist community in the late 1980s, but he never left it. He died in 2004 at the age of 72 after 33 years as a Paulist priest.
At his funeral, Father Frank Desiderio, CSP, observed that "Bob was a Paulist character; he was also a character actor. He attended the Academy for the Dramatic Arts in New York City. Lots of actors play priests; Bob was a priest who was an actor. The core of his identity was in his priesthood; being a mediator of God's grace, being an ambassador of Christ."
After an unsuccessful start in an acting career in Hollywood, he studied at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Upon graduation he contacted George Fitzgerald indicating that, thanks to George's influence, he wanted to become a Catholic. Upon George's advice he contacted Father Elwood Kieser, CSP, at the Paulist parish in Los Angeles, and was received into the church.
After attending Father George Fitzgerald's first Mass in 1965, Bob entered the Paulist novitiate and, completing the usual course of studies at St. Paul's College in Washington, DC, was ordained a Catholic priest on January 16, 1971. He persuaded the Paulist superiors to assign him to Los Angeles where he felt he could work with the acting community. He was appointed to the parish staff at St. Paul the Apostle church in Los Angeles which included care of the UCLA medical center. There he baptized John Wayne on the famous actor's deathbed in the spring of 1979.
Father Curtis was transferred to Old St. Mary's parish in San Francisco in 1979. It was an unhappy experience for him, and he stayed for just over a year. He managed to return to Los Angeles on a free lance assignment to help found New Wine Productions. He created and produced two specific musical pieces: Mass of the Cross (on the Passion), and Touch of the Child (on the birth of Jesus). He lived on his own and sought work in acting roles. He appeared in several episodes of the TV series "Flacon Crest" and the movie "Fatso." He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and was beloved by many in the industry, particularly Anne Bancroft and Jane Wyman.
Father Curtis was short (about 5'6") and wiry. He had very piercing eyes and a wonderful voice. He loved to tell stories using different voices and accents. He also had a great laugh.
Father Curtis became increasingly isolated from the Paulist community in the late 1980s, but he never left it. He died in 2004 at the age of 72 after 33 years as a Paulist priest.
At his funeral, Father Frank Desiderio, CSP, observed that "Bob was a Paulist character; he was also a character actor. He attended the Academy for the Dramatic Arts in New York City. Lots of actors play priests; Bob was a priest who was an actor. The core of his identity was in his priesthood; being a mediator of God's grace, being an ambassador of Christ."
Father Robert Philip Curtis, CSP, was born in Washington, DC, on September 23, 1932. After graduating from the (US) Capitol Page School, he attended Dartmouth College where he received the bachelor of arts degree in 1954. He was a classmate and close friend of the future Paulist Father George Fitzgerald and both were then commissioned in the US Air Force Reserve. Bob was assigned to an Air-to-Air refueling squadron in the Atlantic Ocean until his discharge in September 1957.
After an unsuccessful start in an acting career in Hollywood, he studied at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Upon graduation he contacted George Fitzgerald indicating that, thanks to George's influence, he wanted to become a Catholic. Upon George's advice he contacted Father Elwood Kieser, CSP, at the Paulist parish in Los Angeles, and was received into the church.
After attending Father George Fitzgerald's first Mass in 1965, Bob entered the Paulist novitiate and, completing the usual course of studies at St. Paul's College in Washington, DC, was ordained a Catholic priest on January 16, 1971. He persuaded the Paulist superiors to assign him to Los Angeles where he felt he could work with the acting community. He was appointed to the parish staff at St. Paul the Apostle church in Los Angeles which included care of the UCLA medical center. There he baptized John Wayne on the famous actor's deathbed in the spring of 1979.
Father Curtis was transferred to Old St. Mary's parish in San Francisco in 1979. It was an unhappy experience for him, and he stayed for just over a year. He managed to return to Los Angeles on a free lance assignment to help found New Wine Productions. He created and produced two specific musical pieces: Mass of the Cross (on the Passion), and Touch of the Child (on the birth of Jesus). He lived on his own and sought work in acting roles. He appeared in several episodes of the TV series "Flacon Crest" and the movie "Fatso." He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and was beloved by many in the industry, particularly Anne Bancroft and Jane Wyman.
Father Curtis was short (about 5'6") and wiry. He had very piercing eyes and a wonderful voice. He loved to tell stories using different voices and accents. He also had a great laugh.
Father Curtis became increasingly isolated from the Paulist community in the late 1980s, but he never left it. He died in 2004 at the age of 72 after 33 years as a Paulist priest.
At his funeral, Father Frank Desiderio, CSP, observed that "Bob was a Paulist character; he was also a character actor. He attended the Academy for the Dramatic Arts in New York City. Lots of actors play priests; Bob was a priest who was an actor. The core of his identity was in his priesthood; being a mediator of God's grace, being an ambassador of Christ."
After an unsuccessful start in an acting career in Hollywood, he studied at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Upon graduation he contacted George Fitzgerald indicating that, thanks to George's influence, he wanted to become a Catholic. Upon George's advice he contacted Father Elwood Kieser, CSP, at the Paulist parish in Los Angeles, and was received into the church.
After attending Father George Fitzgerald's first Mass in 1965, Bob entered the Paulist novitiate and, completing the usual course of studies at St. Paul's College in Washington, DC, was ordained a Catholic priest on January 16, 1971. He persuaded the Paulist superiors to assign him to Los Angeles where he felt he could work with the acting community. He was appointed to the parish staff at St. Paul the Apostle church in Los Angeles which included care of the UCLA medical center. There he baptized John Wayne on the famous actor's deathbed in the spring of 1979.
Father Curtis was transferred to Old St. Mary's parish in San Francisco in 1979. It was an unhappy experience for him, and he stayed for just over a year. He managed to return to Los Angeles on a free lance assignment to help found New Wine Productions. He created and produced two specific musical pieces: Mass of the Cross (on the Passion), and Touch of the Child (on the birth of Jesus). He lived on his own and sought work in acting roles. He appeared in several episodes of the TV series "Flacon Crest" and the movie "Fatso." He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and was beloved by many in the industry, particularly Anne Bancroft and Jane Wyman.
Father Curtis was short (about 5'6") and wiry. He had very piercing eyes and a wonderful voice. He loved to tell stories using different voices and accents. He also had a great laugh.
Father Curtis became increasingly isolated from the Paulist community in the late 1980s, but he never left it. He died in 2004 at the age of 72 after 33 years as a Paulist priest.
At his funeral, Father Frank Desiderio, CSP, observed that "Bob was a Paulist character; he was also a character actor. He attended the Academy for the Dramatic Arts in New York City. Lots of actors play priests; Bob was a priest who was an actor. The core of his identity was in his priesthood; being a mediator of God's grace, being an ambassador of Christ."
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
