Andrew Robinson
Encyclopedia
Andrew Jordt "Andy" Robinson (born February 14, 1942) is an American film
, stage
, and television
actor. Robinson is known to specialize in playing devious and psychotic roles. Originally a stage actor, he works predominantly in supporting roles on television and in low-budget films. He is best known for his role as the serial killer
Scorpio in the crime film Dirty Harry
(1971), the role of Larry Cotton in the horror film
Hellraiser
(1987), and his recurring role
as Elim Garak
on the science fiction
television
series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
(1993–1999). He and wife Irene are the parents of actress Rachel Robinson, who also appeared in Deep Space Nine.
. His middle name, Jordt, was given to him to honor his grandfather, though he did not begin using it in his professional credits until the 1996 Deep Space Nine
episode, "Body Parts". His father was a soldier in World War II
, and was killed when Robinson was three years old. After his father's death, he and his mother moved to Hartford, Connecticut
to be raised with her family. In his later childhood, Robinson had become a juvenile delinquent, and was eventually sent to St. Andrew's School in Rhode Island
, a boarding school for troubled children.
After graduating from high school, Robinson attended the University of New Hampshire
. After picketing the school's ROTC program his degree was withheld by the university, so he transferred to the New School for Social Research in New York City and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in English. He originally intended to become a journalist
, but went into acting after gaining a Fulbright Scholarship
on the suggestion of an art history professor. After graduating, he went to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
on the scholarship.
Robinson began acting in high school and college theatre. While attending the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Robinson studied Shakespeare and voice training. His first professional roles were as a stage actor and playwright in New York. His first role in New York was in the play Macbird-Macbeth. He would go on to act in productions throughout North America and Europe, including Woyzeck
, Futz, Werner Liepolt's "The Young Master Dante," and The Cannibals
. In 1969, he had his first television role with a guest part on N.Y.P.D. at the age of 26. In 1971, he would begin acting in feature films.
. Don Siegel
, the film's director, and Clint Eastwood
picked Robinson for the role after seeing him in a production of Fyodor Dostoevsky
's The Idiot
. Robinson was cast as the Scorpio Killer, the antagonist of the film. The Scorpio Killer was heavily based on the contemporary, real life Zodiac Killer
, and Robinson integrated many known aspects of that serial killer's personality into his acting, such as a disturbed sense of humour and a sadistic inclination to taunt his pursuers. In the film, his character murders several young women, a young boy, a police officer, and takes hostage a school bus full of young children. His portrayal was so convincing that he received death threats after the film's release. Director Don Siegel noted that he cast Robinson because he had the face of "a choir boy."
Critical reactions to Robinson's role were generally positive. Box Office Magazine wrote that, "Andy Robinson is the maniacal Scorpio ... a good blending of cunning and savagery." His role as Scorpio gave him widespread exposure, but Robinson also found himself typecast
as "psycho" characters. He has also claimed that the role severely limited his casting options, as film producers were reluctant to cast him as any "good guy" roles. Some of Robinson's notable "psycho" roles include a demented, but ill-fated military barber in Child's Play 3
(1991), and the character Frank Cotton (in the skin of Larry Cotton, Robinson's actual character) in the horror film Hellraiser
(1987), in which Robinson had his first lead role in a feature film.
, a 1973 film with Walter Matthau
, and again directed by Don Siegel. He played the role of Frank Ryan on the soap opera
Ryan's Hope
from 1976 until 1978, for which he received a daytime Emmy nomination. His part was later recast with Daniel Hugh Kelly
, reportedly because the producers of the show were concerned that having the actor who played the Scorpio killer as a lead on a soap opera was distracting their audience.
Robinson has had many one-time and recurring roles on a wide variety of television shows. His lengthy television filmography includes guest roles on Bonanza
, Kung Fu
, S.W.A.T.
, The Streets of San Francisco
, Kojak
, The Incredible Hulk, CHiPs
, Mrs. Columbo, The Dukes of Hazzard
, The A-Team
, Moonlighting
, L.A. Law
, Matlock, Law & Order
, Walker, Texas Ranger
, Murder, She Wrote
, The X-Files
, Without a Trace
, and The Practice
.
He met his wife Irene after wrapping a production of Springvoices, and the two married in 1970. He has two stepsons from his wife's previous marriage and one daughter named Rachel, who became an actress as well. In 1978 Robinson left acting professionally for five years, and concentrated on raising his family in the small mountain community of Idyllwild, California, located about 150 miles (241.4 km) from Los Angeles
. During that time he taught community theatre for middle and high school students, and also worked as a carpenter
to bring in a regular salary. He returned to acting professionally in the mid-1980s.
In 1986, he played President
John F. Kennedy
in an episode of the 1980s revival of The Twilight Zone
, "Profile in Silver." In 1988 he portrayed Liberace
in a television biopic. With one of Robinson's acting trademarks being his effeminate voice, he was well suited for the part. Robinson had described it as one of his favorite roles, and that, "The most fun was wearing his furs and jewelry and singing 'I'll be Seeing You.'" The New York Times
review wrote that, "Robinson does rather well in the leading role." Robinson also returned to the stage in 1993 with a Broadway
production of Frank Gilroy's Any Given Day, but the play closed after only six weeks.
on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
, a Cardassian
tailor, with a past as a spy and an assassin. The character was intended to be a foil
for the character of Julian Bashir
(played by Siddig El Fadil, later known as Alexander Siddig
), and the two were often paired together on-screen. The multidimensional character possessed sharp comic timing and an extensive knowledge of art and literature. Garak was also a practiced liar. Prior to being cast in the role, Robinson knew little of the Star Trek franchise and had never seen an episode of any of the television series.
Robinson was offered the role of Garak after he originally auditioned for the role of Odo, which eventually went to Rene Auberjonois
. He almost did not accept the role, but was pressured into accepting for financial reasons. Like the character, he is claustrophobic and at first had trouble performing in heavy makeup. His character was originally intended to appear in only one episode, but eventually became one of the most frequent recurring characters of the series, appearing in 37 of the 176 episodes as the writers of the show enjoyed working with the character. Originally meant to be an antagonist, the character became more sympathetic as the show progressed, and became one of the main protagonists by the end of the series. Robinson has described the role as being complex, he has said in a StarTrek.com interview that, "the subtext is far more powerful than the actual text. Garak for me was like an iceberg. The tip is easy to define, but it's the rest of the character that's the challenge."
After working on Deep Space Nine for several years, Robinson began a career in television directing, after directing the 1996 episode "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places." He went on to direct two episodes of Star Trek: Voyager
and seven episodes of the courtroom drama Judging Amy
, where his daughter Rachel Robinson played a recurring character. In 2000, he authored the novel A Stitch in Time
, based on his character on Deep Space Nine. Robinson has stated that one of the reasons he wrote the novel was to get "total closure" of the character. He also starred along DS9 co-star Michael Dorn
on an episode of Martial Law
.
In 1993, Robinson founded the Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles, California
. Currently he is heading a MFA
program in acting at the University of Southern California
, and also directs performances for the Matrix Company. Robinson and his Deep Space Nine co-star Alexander Siddig
are also known to perform one act plays at Star Trek conventions.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, stage
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actor. Robinson is known to specialize in playing devious and psychotic roles. Originally a stage actor, he works predominantly in supporting roles on television and in low-budget films. He is best known for his role as the serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
Scorpio in the crime film Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry is a 1971 American crime thriller produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan....
(1971), the role of Larry Cotton in the horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Hellraiser
Hellraiser
Hellraiser is a 1987 British and American horror film based upon the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Hellraiser explores themes of sadomasochism and morality under duress and fear. The film spawned a series of sequels...
(1987), and his recurring role
Recurring character
A recurring character is a fictional character, usually in a prime time TV series, who appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in an episode, sometimes being the main focus...
as Elim Garak
Elim Garak
Elim Garak is a fictional character from the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in which he is portrayed by Andrew J. Robinson. In the series, Garak is an exiled spy from the Cardassian empire and a former member of a prestigious Cardassian intelligence group called the Obsidian Order...
on the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
(1993–1999). He and wife Irene are the parents of actress Rachel Robinson, who also appeared in Deep Space Nine.
Education and early roles
Robinson was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. His middle name, Jordt, was given to him to honor his grandfather, though he did not begin using it in his professional credits until the 1996 Deep Space Nine
Deep Space Nine
Deep Space Nine may refer to:* Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a 1993-1999 television series* Deep Space Nine , the television show's setting...
episode, "Body Parts". His father was a soldier in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and was killed when Robinson was three years old. After his father's death, he and his mother moved to Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
to be raised with her family. In his later childhood, Robinson had become a juvenile delinquent, and was eventually sent to St. Andrew's School in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, a boarding school for troubled children.
After graduating from high school, Robinson attended the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
. After picketing the school's ROTC program his degree was withheld by the university, so he transferred to the New School for Social Research in New York City and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in English. He originally intended to become a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, but went into acting after gaining a Fulbright Scholarship
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
on the suggestion of an art history professor. After graduating, he went to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art is a leading British drama school in west London. LAMDA's president is Timothy West and its new principal is Joanna Read, who recently succeeded Peter James...
on the scholarship.
Robinson began acting in high school and college theatre. While attending the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Robinson studied Shakespeare and voice training. His first professional roles were as a stage actor and playwright in New York. His first role in New York was in the play Macbird-Macbeth. He would go on to act in productions throughout North America and Europe, including Woyzeck
Woyzeck
Woyzeck is a stage play written by Georg Büchner. He left the work incomplete at his death, but it has been variously and posthumously "finished" by a variety of authors, editors and translators. Woyzeck has become one of the most performed and influential plays in the German theatre...
, Futz, Werner Liepolt's "The Young Master Dante," and The Cannibals
The Cannibals
The Cannibals may refer to:* The Cannibals , a garage punk band active since the end of the 1970s* The Cannibals , a 1970 Italian film...
. In 1969, he had his first television role with a guest part on N.Y.P.D. at the age of 26. In 1971, he would begin acting in feature films.
Dirty Harry
Robinson's first feature film role was in 1971's Dirty HarryDirty Harry
Dirty Harry is a 1971 American crime thriller produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan....
. Don Siegel
Don Siegel
Donald Siegel was an influential American film director and producer. His name variously appeared in the credits of his films as both Don Siegel and Donald Siegel.-Early life:...
, the film's director, and Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
picked Robinson for the role after seeing him in a production of Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhaylovich Dostoyevsky was a Russian writer of novels, short stories and essays. He is best known for his novels Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov....
's The Idiot
The Idiot (novel)
The Idiot is a novel written by 19th century Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It was first published serially in The Russian Messenger between 1868 and 1869. The Idiot is ranked beside some of Dostoyevsky's other works as one of the most brilliant literary achievements of the "Golden Age" of...
. Robinson was cast as the Scorpio Killer, the antagonist of the film. The Scorpio Killer was heavily based on the contemporary, real life Zodiac Killer
Zodiac Killer
The Zodiac Killer was a serial killer who operated in Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The killer's identity remains unknown. The Zodiac murdered victims in Benicia, Vallejo, Lake Berryessa and San Francisco between December 1968 and October 1969. Four men and three women...
, and Robinson integrated many known aspects of that serial killer's personality into his acting, such as a disturbed sense of humour and a sadistic inclination to taunt his pursuers. In the film, his character murders several young women, a young boy, a police officer, and takes hostage a school bus full of young children. His portrayal was so convincing that he received death threats after the film's release. Director Don Siegel noted that he cast Robinson because he had the face of "a choir boy."
Critical reactions to Robinson's role were generally positive. Box Office Magazine wrote that, "Andy Robinson is the maniacal Scorpio ... a good blending of cunning and savagery." His role as Scorpio gave him widespread exposure, but Robinson also found himself typecast
Typecasting (acting)
In TV, film, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character; one or more particular roles; or, characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ethnic groups...
as "psycho" characters. He has also claimed that the role severely limited his casting options, as film producers were reluctant to cast him as any "good guy" roles. Some of Robinson's notable "psycho" roles include a demented, but ill-fated military barber in Child's Play 3
Child's Play 3
Child's Play 3, also known as Child's Play 3: Look Who's Stalking, is a 1991 horror film. It is the third installment in the Child's Play series with Brad Dourif returning as the voice of Chucky...
(1991), and the character Frank Cotton (in the skin of Larry Cotton, Robinson's actual character) in the horror film Hellraiser
Hellraiser
Hellraiser is a 1987 British and American horror film based upon the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Hellraiser explores themes of sadomasochism and morality under duress and fear. The film spawned a series of sequels...
(1987), in which Robinson had his first lead role in a feature film.
Film and television, 1971–1992
Robinson starred in Charley VarrickCharley Varrick
Charley Varrick is a 1973 crime film directed by Don Siegel and starring Walter Matthau, Andrew Robinson, Joe Don Baker and John Vernon. The film was based on the novel The Looters by John H. Reese.-Plot:...
, a 1973 film with Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau was an American actor best known for his role as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple and his frequent collaborations with Odd Couple star Jack Lemmon, as well as his role as Coach Buttermaker in the 1976 comedy The Bad News Bears...
, and again directed by Don Siegel. He played the role of Frank Ryan on the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope is an American soap opera, revolving around 13 years of trials and tribulations within a large Irish American family in the Riverside district of New York City. It aired from July 7, 1975 to January 13, 1989 on ABC...
from 1976 until 1978, for which he received a daytime Emmy nomination. His part was later recast with Daniel Hugh Kelly
Daniel Hugh Kelly
Daniel Hugh Kelly is an American stage, film and television actor. He may be best known for his role on the 1980s ABC TV series Hardcastle and McCormick from 1983-1986 for which he also wrote and directed...
, reportedly because the producers of the show were concerned that having the actor who played the Scorpio killer as a lead on a soap opera was distracting their audience.
Robinson has had many one-time and recurring roles on a wide variety of television shows. His lengthy television filmography includes guest roles on Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
, Kung Fu
Kung Fu (TV series)
Kung Fu is an American television series that starred David Carradine. It was created by Ed Spielman, directed and produced by Jerry Thorpe, and developed by Herman Miller, who was also a writer for, and co-producer of, the series...
, S.W.A.T.
S.W.A.T. (TV series)
----S.W.A.T. is a 1970s American television series about the adventures of the WCPD's Olympic Division Special Weapons And Tactics team operating in an unidentified California city....
, The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
, Kojak
Kojak
Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier...
, The Incredible Hulk, CHiPs
CHiPs
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol...
, Mrs. Columbo, The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
, The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
, Moonlighting
Moonlighting (TV series)
Moonlighting is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 3, 1985, to May 14, 1989. The network aired a total of 66 episodes...
, L.A. Law
L.A. Law
L.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...
, Matlock, Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
, Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television action crime drama series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis, and starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division. The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full...
, Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
, The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, Without a Trace
Without a Trace
Without a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
, and The Practice
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
.
He met his wife Irene after wrapping a production of Springvoices, and the two married in 1970. He has two stepsons from his wife's previous marriage and one daughter named Rachel, who became an actress as well. In 1978 Robinson left acting professionally for five years, and concentrated on raising his family in the small mountain community of Idyllwild, California, located about 150 miles (241.4 km) from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. During that time he taught community theatre for middle and high school students, and also worked as a carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
to bring in a regular salary. He returned to acting professionally in the mid-1980s.
In 1986, he played President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
in an episode of the 1980s revival of The Twilight Zone
The New Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is the first of two revivals of Rod Serling's acclaimed 1950/60s television series of the same name. It ran for two seasons on CBS before producing a final season for syndication.-Series history:...
, "Profile in Silver." In 1988 he portrayed Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
in a television biopic. With one of Robinson's acting trademarks being his effeminate voice, he was well suited for the part. Robinson had described it as one of his favorite roles, and that, "The most fun was wearing his furs and jewelry and singing 'I'll be Seeing You.'" The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
review wrote that, "Robinson does rather well in the leading role." Robinson also returned to the stage in 1993 with a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production of Frank Gilroy's Any Given Day, but the play closed after only six weeks.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
In 1993, Robinson was cast in his first regular television role since Ryan's Hope in 1978. He played Elim GarakElim Garak
Elim Garak is a fictional character from the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in which he is portrayed by Andrew J. Robinson. In the series, Garak is an exiled spy from the Cardassian empire and a former member of a prestigious Cardassian intelligence group called the Obsidian Order...
on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
, a Cardassian
Cardassian
The Cardassians are an extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. First introduced in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the species originating on the fictional Alpha Quadrant planet Cardassia Prime...
tailor, with a past as a spy and an assassin. The character was intended to be a foil
Foil (literature)
In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
for the character of Julian Bashir
Julian Bashir
Lieutenant Julian Subatoi Bashir, M.D., played by Alexander Siddig, is a main character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Bashir is the chief medical officer of space station Deep Space Nine and the USS Defiant.-Overview:...
(played by Siddig El Fadil, later known as Alexander Siddig
Alexander Siddig
Siddig El Tahir El Fadil El Siddig Abderrahman Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Karim El Mahdi is a Sudanese-born English actor, also known as Siddig El Fadil and his stage name Alexander Siddig. He is known for playing Dr...
), and the two were often paired together on-screen. The multidimensional character possessed sharp comic timing and an extensive knowledge of art and literature. Garak was also a practiced liar. Prior to being cast in the role, Robinson knew little of the Star Trek franchise and had never seen an episode of any of the television series.
Robinson was offered the role of Garak after he originally auditioned for the role of Odo, which eventually went to Rene Auberjonois
Rene Auberjonois
René Murat Auberjonois is an American actor, known for portraying Father Mulcahy in the movie version of M*A*S*H and for creating a number of characters in long-running television series, including Clayton Endicott III on Benson , Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Chef Louis in The Little...
. He almost did not accept the role, but was pressured into accepting for financial reasons. Like the character, he is claustrophobic and at first had trouble performing in heavy makeup. His character was originally intended to appear in only one episode, but eventually became one of the most frequent recurring characters of the series, appearing in 37 of the 176 episodes as the writers of the show enjoyed working with the character. Originally meant to be an antagonist, the character became more sympathetic as the show progressed, and became one of the main protagonists by the end of the series. Robinson has described the role as being complex, he has said in a StarTrek.com interview that, "the subtext is far more powerful than the actual text. Garak for me was like an iceberg. The tip is easy to define, but it's the rest of the character that's the challenge."
After working on Deep Space Nine for several years, Robinson began a career in television directing, after directing the 1996 episode "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places." He went on to direct two episodes of Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
and seven episodes of the courtroom drama Judging Amy
Judging Amy
Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly...
, where his daughter Rachel Robinson played a recurring character. In 2000, he authored the novel A Stitch in Time
A Stitch in Time (book)
A Stitch in Time is a May 2000 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel written by Andrew Robinson.-Synopsis:Presented as a letter from DS9's resident Cardassian spy and tailor Elim Garak to Dr Julian Bashir, Garak recounts his life story, and also notes developments on Cardassia after the end of the...
, based on his character on Deep Space Nine. Robinson has stated that one of the reasons he wrote the novel was to get "total closure" of the character. He also starred along DS9 co-star Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn is an American actor, and voice artist who is best known for his role as the Klingon Worf from the Star Trek franchise.-Early life and career:...
on an episode of Martial Law
Martial Law (TV series)
Martial Law was a TV crime drama that ran on CBS from 1998 to 2000, and was created by Carlton Cuse. The title character, Sammo Law, portrayed by Sammo Hung, was a Chinese law officer and martial arts expert who came to Los Angeles in search of a colleague and remains in the US.The show was a...
.
In 1993, Robinson founded the Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Currently he is heading a MFA
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
program in acting at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, and also directs performances for the Matrix Company. Robinson and his Deep Space Nine co-star Alexander Siddig
Alexander Siddig
Siddig El Tahir El Fadil El Siddig Abderrahman Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Karim El Mahdi is a Sudanese-born English actor, also known as Siddig El Fadil and his stage name Alexander Siddig. He is known for playing Dr...
are also known to perform one act plays at Star Trek conventions.
Film
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Dirty Harry Dirty Harry Dirty Harry is a 1971 American crime thriller produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan.... |
The Scorpio Killer |
| 1973 | Charley Varrick Charley Varrick Charley Varrick is a 1973 crime film directed by Don Siegel and starring Walter Matthau, Andrew Robinson, Joe Don Baker and John Vernon. The film was based on the novel The Looters by John H. Reese.-Plot:... |
Harman Sullivan |
| 1975 | The Drowning Pool (movie) | Pat Reavis |
| A Woman for All Men | Steve McCoy | |
| 1985 | Mask Mask (film) Mask is a 1985 American biographical drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich, starring Cher, Sam Elliott, and Eric Stoltz. Dennis Burkley and Laura Dern are featured in supporting roles. Cher received the 1985 Cannes Film Festival award for Best Actress.... |
Dr. Vinton |
| 1986 | Cobra | Monte |
| 1987 | The Verne Miller Story | Pretty Boy Floyd |
| Hellraiser Hellraiser Hellraiser is a 1987 British and American horror film based upon the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Hellraiser explores themes of sadomasochism and morality under duress and fear. The film spawned a series of sequels... |
Larry Cotton / Frank Cotton (Uncredited) | |
| 1988 | Shoot to Kill | Harvey |
| 1991 | Child's Play 3 Child's Play 3 Child's Play 3, also known as Child's Play 3: Look Who's Stalking, is a 1991 horror film. It is the third installment in the Child's Play series with Brad Dourif returning as the voice of Chucky... |
Sgt. Botnick |
| Prime Target | Commissioner | |
| 1992 | Trancers III Trancers III Trancers III is the second sequel of the Trancers series and went straight-to-video in 1992.-Plot:Tagline: "The end of time is just beginning. Deth lives."... |
Col. Muthuh |
| 1994 | There Goes My Baby | Frank |
| The Puppet Masters The Puppet Masters (film) The Puppet Masters is a 1994 science fiction film, adapted by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, and David S. Goyer from Robert A. Heinlein’s 1951 novel of the same title, in which a trio of American government agents attempts to thwart a covert invasion of Earth by mind-controlling alien parasites... |
Hawthorne | |
| Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings Pumpkinhead Pumpkinhead is a 1988 supernatural horror film. It was the directorial debut of noted special effects artist Stan Winston. While Pumpkinhead received mixed reviews, the film has built up a cult following in the years since its release.-Plot:... |
Sean Braddock | |
| 1998 | Running Woman | Captain Don Gibbs |
| 2004 | Homeland Security | Senator |
| 2005 | A Question of Loyalty | Dr. Albert Krentz |
Television
| Year | Program | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Kojak Kojak Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier... |
Leon | Season 2 Episode 24: "I Want To Report A Dream" |
| 1976 | S.W.A.T. S.W.A.T. (TV series) ----S.W.A.T. is a 1970s American television series about the adventures of the WCPD's Olympic Division Special Weapons And Tactics team operating in an unidentified California city.... |
Edward Stillman | Season 2 Episode 22: "Any Second Now" |
| 1976–1978 | Ryan's Hope Ryan's Hope Ryan's Hope is an American soap opera, revolving around 13 years of trials and tribulations within a large Irish American family in the Riverside district of New York City. It aired from July 7, 1975 to January 13, 1989 on ABC... |
Frank Ryan #2 | Daytime Emmy nomination |
| 1976–1980 | Barnaby Jones Barnaby Jones Barnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as father- and daughter-in-law who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles. A spin-off from Cannon, the show ran on CBS from January 28, 1973 to April 3, 1980, beginning as a midseason replacement... |
(Various) | Recurring |
| 1980 | Vega$ Vega$ Vega$ is an American detective television drama series that aired on ABC between 1978 and 1981. It was produced by Aaron Spelling. The series, was filmed in its entirety in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is believed to be the first television series produced entirely in Las Vegas... |
Derek Razzio | Recurring |
| 1985 | The Atlanta Child Murders The Atlanta Child Murders (TV miniseries) The Atlanta Child Murders is a TV miniseries that aired on February 10 and 12, 1985 on CBS. Inspired by true events, the miniseries examines the so-called "Atlanta child murders" of the late 1970s and early 1980s.-Cast:*Calvin Levels - Wayne Williams... |
Jack Mallard | Television miniseries |
| 1986 | The New Twilight Zone The New Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone is the first of two revivals of Rod Serling's acclaimed 1950/60s television series of the same name. It ran for two seasons on CBS before producing a final season for syndication.-Series history:... |
John F. Kennedy | Episode #20-1 "Profile in Silver Profile in Silver "Profile in Silver" is the first segment of the twentieth episode of the first season of the television series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:... " |
| 1987 | The New Twilight Zone | Mr. Williams | Episode #33-3 "Private Channel Private Channel Private Channel is the third segment of the thirty-third episode Private Channel is the third segment of the thirty-third episode Private Channel is the third segment of the thirty-third episode (the ninth episode of the second season (1986-1987) of the television series The New Twilight... " |
| 1988 | Liberace | Liberace Liberace Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned... |
Made-for-television film |
| 1993 | Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,... |
Ambrosse | Episode #203 |
| 1993–1999 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe... |
Garak Elim Garak Elim Garak is a fictional character from the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in which he is portrayed by Andrew J. Robinson. In the series, Garak is an exiled spy from the Cardassian empire and a former member of a prestigious Cardassian intelligence group called the Obsidian Order... |
Recurring |
| 1994 | M.A.N.T.I.S. M.A.N.T.I.S. M.A.N.T.I.S. is an American Science fiction television series that aired for one season on the Fox Network between August 1994 and March 1995. The original two-hour pilot was produced by Sam Raimi and developed by Sam Hamm. It stars actor Carl Lumbly. The show is unique in that it depicts an... |
Solomon Box | Recurring |
| 1999, 2004 | JAG JAG (TV series) JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions... |
Admiral Thomas Kly | Recurring |
| 1997–1998 | Star Trek: Voyager Star Trek: Voyager Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while... |
Directed two episodes | |
| 1999 | The X-Files The X-Files The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s... |
Dr. Ian Detweiler | Season 6, Episode 16 "Alpha" |
| 1999–2005 | Judging Amy Judging Amy Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly... |
Daniel McGill | Directed seven episodes |
| 2002 | Presidio Med Presidio Med Presidio Med is an American Television series which aired 2002–2003, centering around a San Francisco hospital. It was created by John Wells and Lydia Woodward, who also created ER.-Series premise:... |
Jesse | Recurring |
Further reading
- Lou Anders. Andrew J. Robinson interview. Star Trek Monthly. January 2000. Retrieved February 8, 2006.
- J. Neil Schulman. Profile in Silver. Commentary on the episode of The Twilight Zone. Retrieved February 8, 2006.
- Andrew Robinson Interview. Island Trek. Victoria, BC. Retrieved February 1, 2006.
- "Wrestling Scorpio: An Interview With Andrew Robinson". Psychotronic VideoPsychotronic VideoPsychotronic Video was a film magazine originally started by publisher/editor Michael J. Weldon in 1980 in New York City as a hand-written and photocopied weekly fanzine entitled Psychotronic TV. It was then relaunched by Weldon under its more commonly known name as an offset quarterly in 1989...
. 1996.