Robert Forster
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Robert Forster | |
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![]() Forster in April 2009 | |
Born | Rochester, New York, United States | July 13, 1941
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1967–present |
Robert Wallace Forster, Jr. (born July 13, 1941) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as John Cassellis in Haskell Wexler's Medium Cool and Max Cherry in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He has since appeared in films such as Mulholland Drive, The Descendants, Olympus Has Fallen, and its sequel, London Has Fallen. He has also appeared in television series such as Heroes, Alcatraz, Last Man Standing, and Breaking Bad.
Early life
Forster was born in Rochester, New York, the son of Grace Dorothy (née Montanarella) and Robert Wallace Forster, Sr., who worked as an elephant trainer for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and later as an executive for a baking supply company.[1][2] His mother was Italian American, while his father was of English and Irish descent.[3] The two divorced in 1949.
As a tribute to his father, Forster hung one of his father's Barnum & Bailey Circus posters in the office of his character in Jackie Brown. Forster completed his Bachelor of Arts in history in 1964 at the University of Rochester, where he starred in student dramatic performances such as Bye Bye Birdie and, after initially intending to study law, instead decided to forgo his future legal career in favor of acting.
Career
After acclaimed supporting performances in two major Hollywood films, one as Private Williams in John Huston's Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967), another as part-Indian Army scout Nick Tana in Robert Mulligan's The Stalking Moon (1968), Forster starred in the critically acclaimed 1969 film Medium Cool. After starring roles in the TV shows Banyon (1972) and Nakia (1974), he played mostly supporting roles in action and horror films including Disney's The Black Hole (1979). Forster had lead roles in cult B-movies in the 1980s like Alligator (1980), Vigilante (1983), The Delta Force (1986), and The Banker (1989).
Forster was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1997 for Jackie Brown, which he credits with reviving his career. He has since had consistent work in the film industry, appearing in Like Mike, Mulholland Drive, Me, Myself, & Irene, Lucky Number Slevin, and Firewall, to name a few. He recently appeared in the made-for-television movie The Hunt for the BTK Killer, as the detective intent on capturing serial killer Dennis Rader. Forster also played the father of Van on the short-lived Fox series Fastlane.
Forster recorded a public service announcement for Deejay Ra's Hip-Hop Literacy campaign, encouraging reading of books by Elmore Leonard (he starred in the movie adaption of Leonard's book Rum Punch, filmed as Jackie Brown). Forster appeared in the hit NBC show Heroes as Arthur Petrelli, the father of Nathan and Peter Petrelli, as well as the Emmy award winning AMC crime drama Breaking Bad as Walter White's new identity specialist. Forster is also a motivational speaker.
Personal life
Forster is a member of the Triple Nine Society.[4]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | Reflections in a Golden Eye | Private L.G. Williams | |
1968 | The Stalking Moon | Nick Tana | |
1969 | Justine | Narouz | |
1969 | Medium Cool | John Cassellis | |
1970 | Cover Me Babe | Tony Hall | |
1973 | The Don Is Dead | Frank | |
1977 | Stunts | Glen Wilson | |
1978 | Avalanche | Nick Thorne | |
1979 | The Lady in Red | Turk | Uncredited |
1979 | The Black Hole | Captain Dan Holland | |
1980 | Alligator | David | |
1981 | Goliath Awaits | Jeff Selrik | Television film |
1981 | Heartbreak High | Coach Alan Arnoldi | |
1983 | Vigilante | Eddie Marino | |
1983 | Walking The Edge | Jason Walk | |
1986 | Hollywood Harry | Harry Petry | Also producer and director |
1986 | The Delta Force | Abdul Rafai | |
1988 | Counterforce | The Dictator | |
1989 | The Banker | Dan | |
1990 | Checkered Flag | Jack Cotton | |
1990 | Peacemaker | Yates | |
1991 | 29th Street | Srgt. Tartaglia | |
1993 | Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence | Dr. Powell | |
1994 | American Yakuza | Littman | |
1996 | Original Gangstas | Detective Slatten | |
1997 | Demolition University | Gentry | |
1997 | American Perfekt | Jake Nyman | |
1997 | Night Vision | Teak Taylor | |
1997 | Jackie Brown | Max Cherry | Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Awards Circuit Community Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor |
1998 | Psycho | Dr. Simon | |
1998 | Rear Window | Detective Charlie Moore | Television film |
1998 | Outside Ozona | Odell Parks | |
1999 | It's the Rage | Tyler | |
1999 | Kiss Toledo Goodbye | Sal Fortuna | |
2000 | Supernova | A.J. Marley | |
2000 | Lakeboat | Joe Kitko | |
2000 | Me, Myself & Irene | Colonel Parington | |
2000 | Diamond Men | Eddie Miller | Hamptons International Film Festival: Special Recognition |
2001 | Mulholland Dr. | Detective Harry McKnight | |
2001 | Human Nature | Nathan's father | |
2001 | Finder's Fee | Officer Campbell | |
2002 | Like Mike | Coach Wagner | |
2002 | Lone Hero | Gus | |
2002 | Strange Hearts | Jack Waters | |
2002 | Murder in Greenwich | Steve Carroll | Television film |
2003 | Confidence | Morgan Price | |
2003 | Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle | Roger Wixon | |
2003 | Grand Theft Parsons | Stanley Parsons | |
2005 | The Hunt for the BTK Killer | Detective Jason Magida | |
2006 | Firewall | Harry Romano | |
2006 | Lucky Number Slevin | Murphy | |
2007 | D-War | Wilson | |
2007 | Rise | Lloyd | |
2007 | Cleaner | Arlo Grange | |
2008 | Jack and Jill vs. the World | Norman | Uncredited |
2009 | Thick as Thieves | Lt. Samuel Weber | |
2009 | Ghosts of Girlfriends Past | Srgt. Volkom | |
2010 | Middle Men | Louie | |
2011 | Girl Walks into a Bar | Dodge | |
2011 | The Descendants | Scott Thorson | Nominated—Georgia Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast Nominated—Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
2013 | Olympus Has Fallen | US Army Chief of Staff General Edward Clegg | |
2014 | Autómata | Robert Bold | |
2015 | Survivor[5] | Bill Talbot | |
2016 | London Has Fallen[6] | US Army Chief of Staff General Edward Clegg | |
2016 | The Confirmation | Otto | Completed |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | N.Y.P.D. | Tony | Episode: "To Catch a Hero" |
1968 | Judd, for the Defense | Ray Elliott | Episode: "In a Puff of Smoke" |
1971–1973 | Banyon | Miles Banyon | 9 episodes |
1974 | Nakia | Deputy Nakia Parker | 14 episodes |
1975–1977 | Police Story | Bob Vandon | 5 episodes |
1976 | Gibbsville | — | Episode: "All the Young Girls" |
1985 | Magnum, P.I. | Tyler Peabody McKinney | 2 episodes |
1986 | Tales from the Darkside | Gary Gooley | Episode: "The Milkman Cometh" |
1986 | Murder, She Wrote | Gilbert Gaston | Episode: "The Perfect Foil" |
1987 | Hotel | Steve Cameron | Episode: "Unfinished Business" |
1987–1988 | William Tell | Aymong | 3 episodes |
1991 | Jake and the Fatman | Ed Delaney | 2 episodes |
1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Ricky Rickettes | Episode: "The Big Bingo Bamboozle" |
1995 | Murder, She Wrote | Frank Roussel | Episode: "Big Easy Murder" |
1997 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Lane Tillman | Episode: "Texas vs. Cahill" |
2002–2003 | Fastlane | Raymond Ray | 2 episodes |
2003–2004 | Karen Sisco | Marshall Cisco | 10 episodes |
2004 | The Grid | Jay Aldrich | 2 episodes |
2004 | Clubhouse | Burt Austin | Episode: "Spectator Interference" |
2004–2005 | Huff | Ben Huffstodt | 3 episodes |
2006 | Numb3rs | Agent Thomas Lawson | Episode: "Protest" |
2007 | Army Wives | General Grayson | Episode: "Truth and Consequences" |
2007 | Desperate Housewives | Nick Delfino | Episode: "Now I Know, Don't Be Scared" |
2007–2008 | Heroes | Arthur Petrelli | 10 episodes Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television |
2008 | The Simpsons | Lucky Jim | Voice Episode: "Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes" |
2008 | Would Be Kings | — | 2 episodes |
2011 | CSI: NY | Joe Vincent | Episode: "Indelible" |
2012 | Alcatraz | Ray Archer | 4 episodes |
2012 | Transformers: Prime | General Bryce | Voice Episode: "Grill" |
2012–2015 | Last Man Standing | Bud Baxter | 9 episodes |
2013 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Booth Whitman | Episode: "Unfrozen Agent Man" |
2013 | Breaking Bad | Ed | Episode: "Granite State" Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television |
2014–2015 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Jack J. Kurtzman | Voice 3 episodes |
2015 | Backstrom | Blue Backstrom | 2 episodes |
2016 | Divorce | ||
2017 | Twin Peaks |
References
- ^ Robert Forster Biography (1941–)
- ^ Robert Forster Biography – Yahoo! Movies
- ^ Robert Forster – How To Succeed in Flops; About Robert Forster Robert... – Free Preview – The New York Times
- ^ Global General Gathering of Triple Nine Society Denver, Colorado, September 4-7, 2009
- ^ "Trailer and Poster for Survivor, Starring Pierce Brosnan and Milla Jovovich". ComingSoon. April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ^ Rosser, Michael (November 3, 2014). "London Has Fallen begins filming". Screen Daily. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
Further reading
- Voisin, Scott, "Character Kings: Hollywood's Familiar Faces Discuss the Art & Business of Acting." BearManor Media, 2009. ISBN 978-1-59393-342-5.
External links
- 1941 births
- Male actors from New York
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- Living people
- American people of English descent
- American people of Irish descent
- American people of Italian descent
- People from Rochester, New York
- University of Rochester alumni
- Guggenheim Fellows
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- Male actors of Italian descent