Robert Vaughn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robert Vaughn
Vaughn c. 1966 in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Born	Robert Francis Vaughn (1932-11-22)November 22, 1932 New York City, U.S.
Died	November 11, 2016(2016-11-11) (aged 83) Danbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	M.A., Los Angeles State College Ph.D., University of Southern California
Occupation	Film, television, stage actor
Years active	1955–2016
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Linda Staab ​ (m. 1974)​
Children	2
Awards	1 Primetime Emmy Award (1978)
Scientific career
Thesis	Only Victims: A Study of Show Business Blacklisting (1970)

Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was a famous American actor. He was known for his many roles in movies, TV shows, and plays. Robert Vaughn became very popular playing the spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E..

He also played the detective Harry Rule in The Protectors in the 1970s. Later, he was General Hunt Stockwell in The A-Team and the clever con artist Albert Stroller in the British show Hustle. In movies, he was the gunman Lee in The Magnificent Seven and the bad guy Ross Webster in Superman III. He even earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in The Young Philadelphians.

Early Life and Education

Robert Vaughn was born in New York City on November 22, 1932. His parents, Gerald Walter Vaughn and Marcella Frances Gaudel, were both actors. His father acted on the radio, and his mother was a stage actress. After his parents divorced, Robert lived with his grandparents in Minneapolis.

After finishing high school, he started studying journalism at the University of Minnesota. However, he soon left and moved to Los Angeles with his mother. There, he studied theater and earned a master's degree. He later got a Ph.D. in communications from the University of Southern California in 1970. He even wrote a book based on his studies called Only Victims: A Study of Show Business Blacklisting.

Acting Career Highlights

Robert Vaughn started his acting career in 1955 on the TV show Medic. His first movie appearance was as an extra in The Ten Commandments in 1956. He also appeared in the Western show Gunsmoke a couple of times.

His first important movie role was in The Young Philadelphians (1959). This role earned him nominations for both an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe Award. In 1960, he played the gunman Lee in the famous Western movie The Magnificent Seven. He was the last surviving actor from the main cast of that film.

Becoming a TV Star

In the 1960s, Robert Vaughn became a household name. He starred as Napoleon Solo in the spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. from 1964 to 1968. His co-star was David McCallum, who played Illya Kuryakin. This show was a huge hit and led to many toys and movies made from the TV episodes.

Vaughn as Napoleon Solo with David McCallum as Illya Kuryakin in 1966.

Vaughn with Kurt Russell in a 1964 episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E..

After The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ended, Vaughn continued to act in many films and TV shows. He played Walter Chalmers, a U.S. Senator, in the movie Bullitt with Steve McQueen. He was nominated for a BAFTA Award for this role.

Later Roles and Awards

In the early 1970s, he starred in the British detective series The Protectors. He also appeared in two episodes of the popular show Columbo. Robert Vaughn won an Emmy Award in 1977 for his role as Frank Flaherty in Washington: Behind Closed Doors.

In the 1980s, he joined the cast of The A-Team as General Hunt Stockwell. He also played the villainous Ross Webster in the movie Superman III in 1983. Later, from 2004 to 2012, he co-starred in the British TV drama Hustle. In this show, he played Albert Stroller, an older American con artist who was like a father figure to a group of younger tricksters. In 2012, he also appeared in the British soap opera Coronation Street.

Personal Life

Vaughn at a memorabilia event in March 2009.

Robert Vaughn married actress Linda Staab in 1974. They adopted two children, Cassidy and Caitlin. The family lived in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

For some time, it was thought that Robert Vaughn was the father of English film director Matthew Vaughn. However, it was later found that Matthew's father was someone else. Even so, Matthew continues to use Vaughn as his professional last name.

Political Activities

Robert Vaughn was a member of the Democratic Party for a long time. He was one of the first popular American actors to speak out against the Vietnam War. He was also against the Hollywood blacklist, which was a list of people in the entertainment industry who were suspected of being Communists. Vaughn believed in freedom of speech. He actively campaigned for political candidates in the 1960s.

Books Written by Robert Vaughn

Robert Vaughn wrote two books:

• Only Victims: A Study of Show Business Blacklisting (1972)
• A Fortunate Life (2008)

Death

Robert Vaughn passed away on November 11, 2016, in Danbury, Connecticut. He was 83 years old and had been battling leukemia for a year. His death was just eleven days before his 84th birthday.

Theatre Performances

Selected Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

• Medic (1955)
• Gunsmoke (1956)
• The Rifleman (1958)
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1959)
• The Dick Van Dyke Show (1963)
• The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964–68)
• The Protectors (1972–74)
• Columbo (1975, 1976)
• Washington: Behind Closed Doors (1977)
• Centennial (1978)
• The A-Team (Season 5)
• Murder, She Wrote (1985-1992)
• The Nanny (1996, 1998)
• Law & Order (1997–1998)
• The Magnificent Seven (1998–2000)
• Hustle (2004–2012)
• Law & Order: SVU (2006, 2015)
• Coronation Street (2012)

See also

In Spanish: Robert Vaughn para niños