Andrew Robinson
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
There is an official Web site at http://members.aol.com/primeview/andysclub.html
Biography
Stage-trained character player of film and TV remains best known for one of his earliest feature roles: a hissable portrayal of the crazed hippie serial killer Scorpio in Don Siegel's genre landmark, "Dirty Harry" (1971). With his sharp nose, full lips, and small beady eyes which conveyed an incredible capacity for cruelty, Robinson crafted a villain so irredeemably bad that his mere existence justified the extreme techniques employed by Clint Eastwood's iconic tough cop. This role set the unpleasant tone for his more memorable subsequent feature roles: an unsavory lout who gets clobbered in Siegel's "Charley Varrick" (1973), in a rare lead as an unlucky householder and brother of a reconstituted monster in the attic in Clive Barker's "Hellraiser" (1987), and a sadistic military school barber in "Child's Play 3" (1991). In between, he often played cops and doctors in films including "Mask" (1985), "Cobra" (1986), and "Shoot to Kill" (1988).
Robinson works regularly in TV perhaps making his strongest impression with a sympathetic portrait of "Liberace" (ABC, 1988) in the estate approved biopic. His other small screen movie credits include "The Atlanta Child Murders" (CBS, 1985) and "The Rock Hudson Story" (ABC, 1990). Playing against type, Robinson portrayed JFK in a time travel episode of the revival of "The Twilight Zone" (CBS, 1986) and did guest shots for the likes of "Cagney & Lacey," "Moonlighting" and "Matlock." He gained a cult following with his engaging portrayal, under heavy makeup, of Garak, a garrulous Cardassian tailor with a mysterious past on the sci-fi sequel "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (syndicated, 1993-99). Robinson was awarded Best Actor by the L.A. Drama Critics for his performance in "In the Belly of the Beast," a play by convicted killer cum writer Jack Henry Abbott.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Visual Effects (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1965
After studying at LAMDA, began career on stage in regional theater
1967
Acted in the Off-Broadway hit "MacBird" alongside Stacy Keach, Rue McClanahan and William Devane
1968
TV debut in an episode of "N.Y.P.D."
1971
While acting in "The Idiot" at the New York Shakespeare Festival, spotted by director Don Siegel
1971
Feature debut (as Andy Robinson), portrayed Scorpio, the serial killer, in Don Siegel's "Dirty Harry", directed by Siegel
1972
TV debut (as Andrew Robinson), "The Catcher", an NBC TV-movie
1975
Joined the cast of the ABC daytime series "Ryan's Hope" in the role of Frank Ryan; stayed with show until December 1977
1987
Played a rare feature lead in Clive Barker's directorial debut, "Hellraiser"
1988
Starred as "Liberace" in ABC-TV's "approved" biopic
1993
Became involved with the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles; debuted in one-person show "Memoirs of Jesus", which he wrote
1993
Made belated Broadway debut in the short-lived "Any Given Day" by Frank Gilroy
1998
Appeared in the L.A. stage revival of "Death of a Salesman" with Jack Klugman as Willy Loman
2000
Staged a production of "The Glass Menagerie" at the Pasadena Playhouse featuring daughter Rachel and Susan Sullivan
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
There is an official Web site at http://members.aol.com/primeview/andysclub.html
