Cliff Robertson
Biography
Cliff Robertson was an American actor whose career spanned over five decades. Born on September 9, 1923, in Los Angeles, California, he began his acting career in the early years. Robertson portrayed a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film PT 109 and played a fictional character based on Director of Central Intelligence Richard Helms in the 1977 miniseries Washington: Behind Closed Doors. He won the Academy Award for his role in the film Charly. Robertson also played Henry Ford in the 1987 film Ford: The Man and the Machine, and Uncle Ben in a 2002 film. He appeared in numerous other films and television shows throughout his career.
Career overview
Cliff Robertson's acting career spanned over five decades. He began his career in film and television, with one of his early notable roles being that of a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film PT 109. Robertson's portrayal of Kennedy was one of his early notable performances.
Throughout his career, Robertson appeared in numerous films and television shows. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the film Charly, released in 1968. Robertson also portrayed retired astronaut Buzz Aldrin in the 1976 adaptation of Aldrin's autobiographic Return to Earth, and played a fictional character based on Director of Central Intelligence Richard Helms in the 1977 miniseries Washington: Behind Closed Doors. Robertson's portrayal of Henry Ford in the 1987 film Ford: The Machine is also notable.
Robertson continued to act in various films and television shows throughout the 1990s and 2000s. His last well-known film appearances were as Uncle Ben in a 2002 television series. Robertson's acting career was marked by his versatility and range, as he portrayed a wide variety of characters in different genres.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) as Uncle Ben (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Accidental Icon: The Real Gidget Story (2010)
- Spider-Man 3 (2007) as Ben Parker
- Spider-Man 2 (2004) as Ben Parker
- Riding the Bullet (2004) as Farmer
- Spider-Man (2002) as Ben Parker
- 13th Child (2002) as Mr. Shroud
- 13th Child (2002) Writer
- Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man' (2002) as Self
- Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star (2002) as Self - Actor
- Mach 2 (2001) as Vice President Pike
- 'Obsession' Revisited (2001) as Self
- Falcon Down (2001) as Buzz Thomas
- Family Tree (1999) as Larry
- Race (1998) as Jack Durmann
- Lusitania (1998) as Narrator
- Assignment Berlin (1998) as Colonel Cliff Garret
- Escape from L.A. (1996) as President
- With God on Our Side: The Rise of the Religious Right in America (1996) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Joan Crawford: Always the Star (1996) as Self
- The Outer Limits (1995) as Theodore Harris
- The Sunset Boys (1995) as Ted Roth
- Dazzle (1995) as Mike Kilkullen
- Dazzle (1995) as Mike Kilkullen
- Sonja Henie: Queen of the Ice (1995) as Narrator
- American Cinema (1994) as Self
- Renaissance Man (1994) as Colonel James
- The American Revolution (1994) as George Washington
- Wind (1992) as Morgan Weld
- Lincoln (1992) as Noah Brooks (voice)
- Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken (1991) as Dr. W.F. Carver
- Dead Reckoning (1990) as Daniel Barnard
- William Holden: The Golden Boy (1989) as Self
- Malone (1987) as Charles Delaney
- Ford: The Man and the Machine (1987) as Henry Ford
- Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story (1986) as Mel Fisher
- Galapagos: My Fragile World (1986) as Narrator
- The Key to Rebecca (1985) as Maj. William Vandam
- Shaker Run (1985) as Judd Pierson
- Brainstorm (1983) as Alex Terson
- Class (1983) as Mr. Burroughs
- Star 80 (1983) as Hugh Hefner
- Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph (1983) as Narrator
- Night of 100 Stars (1982) as Self
- Two of a Kind (1982) as Frank Minor
- Falcon Crest (1981) as Michael Ranson
- The Pilot (1980) as Mike Hagan
- The Pilot (1980) Director
- Dominique (1980) as David Ballard
- The Little Prince (1979) as Narrator / Pilot
- Overboard (1978) as Mitch Garrison
- Washington: Behind Closed Doors (1977) as William Martin
- Fraternity Row (1977) as Narrator (voice)
- The American Indian's Sacred Ground (1977) as Self - Host
- Midway (1976) as Cmdr. Jessop
- Obsession (1976) as Michael Courtland
- Shoot (1976) as Rex
- Return to Earth (1976) as Col. Edwin A. 'Buzz' Aldrin Jr.
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self (uncredited)
- Three Days of the Condor (1975) as J. Higgins
- My Father's House (1975) as Tom Lindholm Jr.
- Out of Season (1975) as Joe Tanner
- Kennedys Don't Cry (1975) as Self - Narrator
- Man on a Swing (1974) as Lee Tucker
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1974) as Johnny Nolan
- Lincoln: Trial by Fire (1974) as Narrator(voice)
- The Men Who Made the Movies (1973) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- The Man Without a Country (1973) as Philip Nolan
- Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies (1973) as Ace Eli Walford
- The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli (1973) as Narrator (voice)
- The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock (1973) as Narrator
- The Men Who Made the Movies: Raoul Walsh (1973) as Narrator
- The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid (1972) as Cole Younger
- J.W. Coop (1972) as J.W. Coop
- J.W. Coop (1972) Director
- J.W. Coop (1972) Producer
- J.W. Coop (1972) Writer
- Film '72 (1971) as Self
- Too Late the Hero (1970) as Lt. Sam Lawson
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) as Self (uncredited)
- The Devil's Brigade (1968) as Major Alan Crown
- The Sunshine Patriot (1968) as Christopher Ross / Arthur Selby
- Charly (1968) as Charlie Gordon
- The Honey Pot (1967) as William McFly
- Batman (1966) as Shame
- Up from the Beach (1965) as Sgt. Edward Baxter
- Love Has Many Faces (1965) as Pete Jordon
- Masquerade (1965) as David Frazer
- 633 Squadron (1964) as Wing Commander Roy Grant
- The Best Man (1964) as Joe Cantwell
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963) as District Attorney Benjamin Reynolds
- The Outer Limits (1963) as Alan Maxwell
- PT 109 (1963) as Lt. John F, Kennedy
- Sunday in New York (1963) as Adam Tyler
- My Six Loves (1963) as Rev. Jim Larkin
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Interns (1962) as Dr. John Paul Otis
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self - Co-Host
- All in a Night's Work (1961) as Warren Kingsley, Jr.
- Underworld U.S.A. (1961) as Tolly Devlin
- The Big Show (1961) as Josef Everard
- The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon (1961) as Charlie Gordon
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Christian Horn
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Jerry Etherson
- Gidget (1959) as The Big Kahuna
- Battle of the Coral Sea (1959) as Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Conway
- As the Sea Rages (1959) as Clements
- Days of Wine and Roses (1958) as Joe Clay
- The Naked and the Dead (1958) as Robert Hearn
- The Girl Most Likely (1958) as Pete
- Natchez (1958) as Danny Carson
- Playhouse 90 (1956)
- Playhouse 90 (1956) as Danny Carson
- Playhouse 90 (1956) as Lieutenant
- Autumn Leaves (1956) as Burt Hanson
- Picnic (1955) as Alan Benson
- The United States Steel Hour (1953)
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Presenter
- Corvette K-225 (1943) as Lookout
- We've Never Been Licked (1943) as Adams (uncredited)