Born Robert Alexander Cochran, son of a California lumberman, he worked mostly in the theatre before landing a contract with Samuel Goldwyn in 1945. His debut was Wonder Man with Virginia Mayo and Danny Kaye. From 1949 to 1952, he was signed to Warner Brothers, then started up his own production company. In 1965 he sailed off in his yacht to Guatemala to look for suitable filming locations, but died of a lung infection before reaching land.


On June 15, 1965, at the age of 48, Cochran died on his yacht off the coast of Guatemala of an acute lung infection. His body, along with three alive but upset female assistants, remained on board for ten days until the boat drifted to shore and was found by authorities. His death was apparently a mystery, surrounded by various rumors about foul play and poisoning. Merle Oberon tried to use her influence to push for further police investigations. Appeared opposite Virginia Mayo in six films, both of them often playing scheming, unsavory types. Born in Eureka, California but raised in Laramie, Wyoming, the son of a lumberman. His early work included that of a cowboy and railroad station hand. Was not accepted into the service because of a heart murmur. Instead he organized and directed shows for Army camps on the West coast.