RIP David Roya
He was not on the list.
January 14, 2025
In loving memory of David Roya (Queens, New York), who departed this world on January 13, 2025, at the age of 82. David leaves behind a legacy remembered by family and friends. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family.
In the soft embrace of remembrance, we recall the profound impact David had on those he encountered along his journey. Though David may have slipped beyond the veil of mortality, his essence lingers like a faint fragrance in the air, a lingering reminder of the beauty and complexity of the human experience.
A funeral service for David will be held Wednesday, January 15, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Schwartz Brothers-Jeffer Memorial Chapels, 114-03 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills, NY 11375. Following the funeral service will be a committal service from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM at Beth David Cemetery, 300 Elmont Rd, Elmont, NY 11003.
Besides David Roya's acting career, he has been an intense exercise and health food enthusiast for more than 50 years. Most people don't know that David is a 4th Degree Black Belt instructor in Tae Kwon Do and a certified yoga instructor who was trained in India.
David began his acting career doing college plays at Brooklyn College. After graduating, he did summer stock with Karen Black and then was off-Broadway with Eli Mintz, a star of Yiddish theatre. At 23, David relocated to Los Angeles to pursue acting. He did a lot of low budget horror movies. While doing one of them, someone suggested he send an 8x10 to Tom Laughlin. David remembers having about five auditions at Tom's house for Billy Jack (1971). After Billy Jack, David guest-starred on a lot of the popular television shows of the 70s like Mod Squad (1968), Mission: Impossible (1966), The Rookies (1972), Cannon (1971), Toma (1973), The Smith Family (1971), Black Sheep Squadron (1976) and CHiPs (1977).
He was always cast as a villain but he wanted to be a "movie star" so he started to turn down the TV shows he was offered. Not a great decision. The well known and powerful casting director Joyce Selznick, told David that he was one of the best actors in town and he wasn't getting work because he had a bad reputation. However, she believed in him and gave him a small part in King Kong (1976) with Jessica Lange. The job lasted about a month but most of his part was cut out of the film. Then Joyce cast David in The White Buffalo (1977) with Charles Bronson and Clint Walker. David hoped that with Joyce's help that this would be an opportunity for a comeback. Sadly, she passed away in 1981.
David wasn't getting enough work to stay in L.A. and he was married with a daughter, Amber. So they moved to New York in 1981 and he became a NYC teacher to support his young family. David acted sporadically and also taught Tae Kwon Do and yoga and trained people in physical fitness. His son Louis was born in 1983. David divorced in the late 80s and soon after his children came to live with him.
David spends time exercising, playing flamenco guitar, drawing, painting, doing crossword puzzles, reading and contemplating nature. David has had some guest spots on Law & Order (1990) over the past several years. He would like to pursue an acting career more seriously and expects to release an exercise/fitness DVD in 2010.
ROYA, David (David Roy Abramson)
Born: 9/21/1942, Queens, New York, U.S.A.
Died: 1/13/2025, Forest Hills, New York, U.S.A.
Actor
The Florist (2013)
The Florist
7.4
Short
David
2013
Tony Goldwyn, Maura Tierney, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, Mehcad Brooks, and Odelya Halevi in Law & Order (1990)
Law & Order
7.8
TV Series
Pablo MontoyaMarty BlattDerek Johnson
1999–2003
Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
8.1
TV Series
Joey
2001
Michael Beach, Eddie Cibrian, Kim Raver, Jason Wiles, Coby Bell, Amy Carlson, Molly Price, Anthony Ruivivar, and Skipp Sudduth in Third Watch (1999)
Third Watch
8.0
TV Series
Other Drunk
1999
It All Came True (1998)
It All Came True
5.7
Security Guard
1998
Night Owl (1993)
Night Owl
5.2
Dario
1993
The Equalizer (1985)
The Equalizer
7.8
TV Series
Aurelio (as David Chandler)
1986
Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox in CHiPs (1977)
CHiPs
6.5
TV Series
Sammy (as David Roy Chandler)
1978
The White Buffalo (1977)
The White Buffalo
6.1
Kid Jelly (as David Roy Chandler)
1977
Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner in Switch (1975)
Switch
7.1
TV Series
Officer (as David Roy Chandler)
1977
Robert Conrad, Dirk Blocker, Dana Elcar, Jeff MacKay, and Simon Oakland in Black Sheep Squadron (1976)
Black Sheep Squadron
7.7
TV Series
DeSoto (as Dave Roy Chandler)
1976
King Kong (1976)
King Kong
6.0
Ship's Radio Operator (uncredited)
1976
William Conrad in Cannon (1971)
Cannon
6.8
TV Series
Pete Scofic (as David Roy Chandler)
1975
Robert Forster, David Birney, and Richard E. Kalk in Police Story (1973)
Police Story
7.5
TV Series
Boy Driver (as David Roy)
1974
Westworld (1973)
Westworld
6.9
Bar room brawler (uncredited)
1973
The Rookies (1972)
The Rookies
6.8
TV Series
Ace
1972
Billy Jack (1971)
Billy Jack
6.2
Bernard
1971
"The Smith Family" Janet Blair, Henry Fonda, Darleen Carr, Ron Howard, Michael-James Wixted
The Smith Family
6.6
TV Series
Ricardo Ramirez
1971
Barbara Bain, Martin Landau, Peter Graves, Peter Lupus, and Greg Morris in Mission: Impossible (1966)
Mission: Impossible
7.9
TV Series
Klos
1970
Dandy (1970)
Dandy
4.9
Jocko
1970
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969)
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
6.7
Waiter (uncredited)
1969
F Troop (1965)
F Troop
7.4
TV Series
Apache Warrior
1966
The Love Statue (1965)
The Love Statue
4.8
1965
Producer
Daylight to Dark (2024)
Daylight to Dark
4.3
executive producer
2024
Art Director
Enter Faith (2011)
Enter Faith
6.5
Short
Art Director
2011
Stunts
Oz (1997)
Oz
8.7
TV Series
stunts
2001
Self
E! True Hollywood Story (1996)
E! True Hollywood Story
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