He is played by Arliss Howard in the war film Full Metal Jacket (1987). Robert was a member of the Lusthog Squad and took part in the Battle of Huế.

While patrolling Huế, Crazy Earl, the squad leader, is killed by a booby trap, leaving Cowboy in command. The squad becomes lost, and Cowboy orders Eightball to scout the area. A Viet Cong sniper wounds Eightball and Doc Jay, the squad Corpsman. Believing that the sniper is drawing the squad into an ambush, Cowboy attempts to radio in tank support to no avail. The squad's machine gunner, Animal Mother, disobeys Cowboy's orders to retreat and attempts to save his comrades. He discovers there is only one sniper, but Doc Jay and Eightball are killed when Doc Jay attempts to indicate the sniper's location. While radioing for support, Cowboy is shot and killed through the gap of a building.