Robert Downey
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
Like his son, Robert Downey Sr battled drug addiction, describing it as "a horrible f---ing nightmare. I blew five, six years on that drug [cocaine] . . . I wasn't around as much as most fathers. I was out making films. If Robert wanted to be wild, it was OK with me. I wouldn't do anything differently, except I wouldn't allow anyone to smoke marijuana. I can't believe how we thought it was OK. I don't want to become like an A.A. babbling jerk, but if I knew then what I know now . . ." --Robert Downey Sr in Us October 1996
"My father was and still is my role model. He had to be ballsy to go out and say, 'No one's ever seen anything like this before. I wonder if they'll freak out.'" --Robert Downey Jr in Us, October 1996.
Biography
Described by an associate as "a big jovial bear," Robert Downey Sr translated his irreverent, mordant humor to the screen as the writer-director of several experimental cult classics of the late 1960s and early 70s. Downey had worked in advertising and lampooned that business in the movie everyone associates with him, "Putney Swope" (1969), about the hilarious changes made by a token black member of an ad agency after he is accidentally elected Chairman of the Board. Though his greatest success, "Putney Swope" appears dated today, and the richer-looking (Downey finally had some money to spend) "Greaser's Palace" (1972) may have withstood the test of time. A super-offbeat Jesus Christ parody with a Western setting, it offers some wonderful performances by Allan Arbus as a zoot-suited Jesus, Albert Henderson as head Greaser and Stan Gottlieb as the "wife" of a deformed Mexican with a lecherous yen for the Saviour, but despite the inspired hilarity, its 91 minute running time seems longer than that.
With Chuck Barris, Downey co-wrote "The Gong Show Movie" (1980) and also directed "Rented Lips" (1988), scripted and produced by Martin Mull. Though his acting appearances have been few, he did play an ad agency head in "You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat" (1971), an NCAA investigator in "Johnny Be Good" (1988) and a recording studio manager in "Boogie Nights" (1997). Downey wrote and directed "Too Much Sun" (1991), a weak farce about a competition between a brother and sister (both gay) to have a child first, so as to inherit a fortune from their father. He returned with "Hugo Pool" (1997), co-written with his late wife Laura, about a dedicated, beautiful and lonely Beverly Hills pool cleaner (Alyssa Milano) who becomes involved in the lives of her clients, particularly Floyd, an attractive man afflicted with ALS (the same disease that had felled Laura Downey). His son Robert Downey Jr appeared in "Hugo Pool," the seventh of his father's films in which he has acted.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1964
Medium-length directing and screenwriting debut (also producer), "Babo 73" (16mm, 57 mins)
1965
Drew first critical recognition for "Chafed Elbows"; wrote, directed and produced
1969
Feature directing and screenwriting debut, "Putney Swope"
1970
Directed and wrote "Pound"; son Robert Jr's first appearance in a film
1972
Wrote, directed and produced "Greaser's Palace", an offbeat Jesus Christ parody with a Western setting; son Robert Jr appeared as a multi-talented child
1973
Directed the controversial CBS/Joseph Papp television adaptation of David Rabe's anti-Vietnam play "Sticks and Bones"
1980
Co-wrote (with Chuck Barris) "The Gong Show Movie"
1980
Directed "Up the Academy"; star Ron Liebman had name taken off the credits and advertising, but film isn't that bad; screen debut of Ralph Macchio
1988
Lurked throughout the feature bomb "Johnny Be Good" as the incognito but hardly inconspicuous NCAA investigator
1988
Directed "Rented Lips" (scripted and produced by Martin Mull), Robert Jr had prominent role
1991
Wrote and directed "Too Much Sun", starring Robert Jr
1994
Portrayed Dr. Kinkaid in the PBS miniseries "Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City"
1997
Co-wrote (with late wife Laura) and directed "Hugo Pool"; Robert Jr played Franz Mazur
1997
Played recording studio manager in "Boogie Nights"
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Like his son, Robert Downey Sr battled drug addiction, describing it as "a horrible f---ing nightmare. I blew five, six years on that drug [cocaine] . . . I wasn't around as much as most fathers. I was out making films. If Robert wanted to be wild, it was OK with me. I wouldn't do anything differently, except I wouldn't allow anyone to smoke marijuana. I can't believe how we thought it was OK. I don't want to become like an A.A. babbling jerk, but if I knew then what I know now . . ." --Robert Downey Sr in Us October 1996
"My father was and still is my role model. He had to be ballsy to go out and say, 'No one's ever seen anything like this before. I wonder if they'll freak out.'" --Robert Downey Jr in Us, October 1996.
Downey describes "Hugo Pool" as "the right kind of strange. I wrote the script with my wife Laura who died of ALS at age 36. She saved my life and then lost hers. Her enchanting spirit and beautiful absurdist sense of nonsense are what inspired every part of the making of 'Hugo Pool'" --Robert Downey Sr, from the press kit for "Hugo Pool"
