William E. (Bill) Roberts, an American actor, author and voice artist living in London, England, has published his latest novel, “The Rivers: An Arnold Rednapp Mystery,” which is set up the Klamath River amongst the Karuk, Hupa and Yurok people, with parallel stories in the modern day and back in the pioneer period of 1899. Roberts lived in the area throughout his teenage years, growing up on the Smith River, attending Redwood Union Elementary School and then Del Norte High, Class of 1961. He next moved to Arcata to complete a Batchelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts at Humboldt State, which he completed in 1967. Older locals will remember his many appearances playing leading roles in plays and musicals performed during his years at DNHS, under the guidance of the inspirational and charismatic Darrel “Red” Cutter. #placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');After five years working as an actor and director at the Oregon Shakespearean Festival in Ashland, Roberts then moved to England, where he has been a member of British Actors’ Equity since 1969. He has enjoyed an active and highly successful career appearing on stage in repertory and in the West End.He most notably played Slim in the long-running production of Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” at the Mermaid Theatre, London, 1984. He’s also enjoyed roles in on BBC Radio dramas and on television and in films. His television credits include roles in the BBC TV version of Dickens’ “Martin Chuzzlewit,” “War and Remembrance,” “The Woman He Loved” and “Inspector Morse.”His film credits include “Deathwish 3,” “D.A.R.Y.L.,” “Navy Seals,” “Cold Mountain” and “Mission Impossible Five: Rogue Nation.”Roberts is also well known for his many appearances in computer games, playing a range of characters, from military officers to gangsters to expert medieval swordsmen (e.g. Vesimir in the acclaimed game “The Witcher”).Though now in receipt of his United Kingdom pension, Roberts still works, these days mostly recording audiobooks and game voices, which, during the period of restricted movement owing to COVID-19, he his able to record from his home studio in south London. Roberts said he started writing “a dozen or so years ago,” and has so far published five books – three novels, a book of short stories and a collection of stories, reflections and memories.His second novel, “An Ill Wind,” another mystery set primarily in and around Del Norte County, was launched several years ago in Crescent City with a book signing party at The Gallery of Arts and Culture. Roberts hoped to do the same with his new novel, “The Rivers,” but was unable to owing to the travel restrictions imposed by the virus.All of his books, however, including “The Rivers,” are available still at The Gallery, as well as from Amazon.com – several recorded as audiobooks read by Roberts.Though he cannot at the moment be here to launch the new book himself, Roberts said he hopes its local subject matter will draw Del Norte residents to give it a read, whether or not they remember him from the old days. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });