Cliff Robertson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cliff Robertson
Robertson in 1981
Born	Clifford Parker Robertson III (1923-09-09)September 9, 1923 San Diego, California, U.S.
Died	September 10, 2011(2011-09-10) (aged 88) Stony Brook, New York, U.S.
Resting place	Cedar Lawn Cemetery
Education	La Jolla High School
Alma mater	Antioch College
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1943–2007
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Cynthia Stone ​ ​ (m. 1957; div. 1959)​ Dina Merrill ​ ​ (m. 1966; div. 1989)​
Children	2

Clifford Parker Robertson III (September 9, 1923 – September 10, 2011) was an American actor. He had a long career in movies and television, lasting over sixty years. Many people remember him for playing a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film PT 109. He also won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1968 for his role in the movie Charly.

On TV, Cliff Robertson played famous people like astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Henry Ford. Later in his career, he became well-known to a new generation of fans. He played Uncle Ben in the Spider-Man movies from 2002 to 2007. Besides acting, he loved flying airplanes and helped start a program called Young Eagles to teach young people about aviation.

Who Was Cliff Robertson?

Early Life and Learning

Cliff Robertson was born in La Jolla, California, in 1923. His parents divorced when he was very young. He was raised by his grandmother, Mary Eleanor Willingham, in California. He didn't see his father very often.

He finished high school at La Jolla High School in 1941. During World War II, he served in the United States Merchant Marine. After the war, he went to Antioch College but left to work as a journalist for a short time.

Starting His Acting Journey

Cliff Robertson learned acting at the Actors Studio. In the early 1950s, he started working a lot in television. He even played the main character in a show called Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers. He also acted in plays on Broadway, like Late Love and The Wisteria Tree.

His first movie was Picnic in 1955. He played the best friend of the main character. The movie was very successful. After that, he starred with Joan Crawford in Autumn Leaves (1956). He played a younger man who was mentally unstable.

Robertson, Jane Powell, and Keith Andes in the 1958 film, The Girl Most Likely

Robertson also appeared in the musical film The Girl Most Likely (1958). He received great reviews for his TV performance in Days of Wine and Roses. He was also in the popular movie Gidget (1959), playing 'The Big Kahuna'. He appeared in two episodes of The Twilight Zone, which were very popular.

Big Roles and Awards

In 1963, Cliff Robertson was chosen by President John F. Kennedy himself to play him in the movie PT 109. This was a very important role for him. He also starred in the war film 633 Squadron (1964).

One of his most famous roles was in the 1968 movie Charly. He played a man with a mental disability who becomes very smart through an experiment. For this role, Cliff Robertson won the Academy Award for Best Actor, which is one of the highest honors in movies.

Later Movies and TV Shows

After Charly, Cliff Robertson continued to act in many films. He played Cole Younger in The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid (1972). He also had a role in the popular thriller Three Days of the Condor (1975). He starred in another thriller called Obsession (1976).

On television, he played a fictional character based on a real intelligence director in Washington: Behind Closed Doors (1977). He also played Henry Ford in Ford: The Man and The Machine (1987). From the 1980s onwards, he often played supporting roles.

Becoming Uncle Ben

Later in his life, Cliff Robertson's career became very popular again. He played Uncle Ben Parker in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002). He also appeared in the sequels Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007). Spider-Man 3 was his last acting role. He said that these movies brought him a whole new group of fans.

Life Beyond Acting

Cliff Robertson was married twice. He first married actress Cynthia Stone and they had a daughter named Stephanie. Later, he married actress Dina Merrill and they had a daughter named Heather.

A Passion for Flying

One of Cliff Robertson's biggest hobbies was flying airplanes. He was a certified private pilot and owned several different types of planes, including a World War II Supermarine Spitfire. He started flying when he was 13 years old, cleaning hangars to earn airplane rides. His flying skills even helped him get a role as a squadron leader in the film 633 Squadron.

He used his love for flying to help others. In 1969, he helped organize flights to deliver food and medical supplies to people in need during a conflict in Nigeria. He also sent supplies to Ethiopia when there was a famine in 1978.

On September 11, 2001, Cliff Robertson was flying his private plane over New York City. He was directly above the World Trade Center when the first plane hit. Air traffic control told him to land immediately because all civilian aircraft were grounded.

Helping Young Pilots Soar

Cliff Robertson was a long-time member of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). He helped create the Young Eagles Program in 1992. This program teaches young people about aviation and gives them their first airplane rides. He was the chairman of the program from 1992 to 1994.

The goal of the Young Eagles program was to fly one million children before the 100th Anniversary of Flight in 2003. They reached this goal! By 2016, the program had flown two million young people.

His Legacy and Awards

Cliff Robertson passed away on September 10, 2011, one day after his 88th birthday. He was cremated, and a private funeral was held.

Besides his Oscar for Charly, he also won an Emmy for a TV episode in 1965. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2006, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame for his contributions to aviation. He also received awards for promoting general aviation and was part of the Living Legends of Aviation.

Film and TV Appearances

Images for kids

• Lynn Garrison SV4.C Stampe painted for Cliff Robertson film project, Weston, Ireland, 1969

  Lynn Garrison's Stampe-Vertongen SV.4 painted for a Robertson film project, Weston, Ireland, 1969

• 

  Robertson and Felicia Farr in the Playhouse 90 presentation of "Natchez"

See also

In Spanish: Cliff Robertson para niños