Home   >   Movie Stars   >   R   >   Cliff Robertson
Cliff Robertson photo
Cliff Robertson

Cliff Robertson

Cliff Robertson starred in over 50 films in a career that spans over 50 years. In 1969, Robertson won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his memorable portrayal of the title character in the film Charly, based on the short story Flowers For Algernon. Robertson was also honored by the National Film Review Board as Best Lead Actor for Charly.

Robertson appeared in such classic films as Picnic with William Holden and again later with him in Devil's Brigade and Three Days of the Condor opposite Robert Redford. He directed and starred in The Pilot. His many other film credits include Obsession with Genevieve Bujold, Class with Jacqueline Bisset, Bob Fosse's final film Star 80, Malone, Too Late the Hero with Michael Caine and Henry Fonda, Sunday in New York with Jane Fonda, The Naked and the Dead and The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid, which he also co-produced. More recently, Robertson appeared in Escape from L.A. with Kurt Russell, Renaissance Man opposite Danny DeVito for director Penny Marshall.

A native of La Jolla, California, Robertson briefly worked as a journalist before beginning his acting career on Broadway. He was singled out for his promising stage work by Joshua Logan to star in his feature film debut, Picnic, and thereafter returned to the stage during his film career with such plays as Tennessee Williams' Orpheus Descending opposite Maureen Stapleton, Wisteria Trees with Helen Hayes and, more recently, productions of Love Letters in New York with Elaine Stritch. His most recent onstage appearance was in NY in his one act play The VIPs which gained upstanding acclaim.

Robertson's extensive film work includes his portrayal of President John F. Kennedy whom he was personally chosen by to portray him as a naval officer in the film PT-109, and he earned an Emmy Award for his leading role in Chrysler Theatre's The Game, and Emmy nominations for the U.S. Steel Hour's The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon and for his TV directing and writing of The Dark Sunrise of Griff Kincaid. He appeared in numerous Playhouse 90 classics, including the original Days of Wine and Roses, Man Without A Country, My Father's House and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Robertson starred, directed and wrote the highly acclaimed motion picture J.W. Coop.

Robertson, who for ten years was a national TV spokesman for AT&T, (which won him the Advertising Age award for best commercial) was honored by SAG and the Congressional Record in Washington, DC for his brave stand against corporate corruption in Hollywood during the infamous Hollywood Gate Scandal.

Robertson is a licensed commercial power and glider pilot, and he maintains a stable of antique vintage aircraft. In 1997, he completed a National Geographic Special on the subject of soaring and glider piloting, for which he flew his own glider into the high altitude wave over the High Sierras. In fact, he holds the Nevada State distance record for that glider, and was flying his twin engine aircraft over the World Trade Center when the September 11th tragedy struck.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2005.

Cliff Robertson Facts

Birth NameClifford Parker Robertson III
OccupationActor
BirthdaySeptember 9, 1925 (98)
SignVirgo
BirthplaceLa Jolla, California, USA
Height5' 11" (1m80)  How tall is Cliff Robertson compared to you?
Awards1969 Academy Awards: Best Actor (for Charly)

Selected Filmography

Not available.