The Oscar-winning actor Cliff Robertson, turns 84 today. Robertson, better known to the new generations of audience as Ben Parker in the 2002 version of "Spiderman". He was born Clifford Parker Robertson III in California on 9th September 1923.After military service, he joined the acting field in 1947, touring in company production. He tried his luck in New York and did live television dramas before landing on Broadway. When the author Elia Kazan of the Broadway show Robertson was in, was assigned to direct the 1955 "Picnic", a story about a handsome drifter arriving in a small Kansas c
ommunity on the morning of the Labour Day picnic, Robertson made his movie debut as the young fiance of Kim Novak who lost her to William Holden. The movie also featured strong supporting performances from Rosalind Russell, Arthur O'Connell, Susan Starsberg and Betty Field. He was Joan Crawford's much younger unhinged lover in "Autumn Leaves" (1956). He even sang "Travelogue" with Jane Powell and Kaye Ballard in the musical comedy "The Girl Most Likely" (1957) as one of Powell's three suitors. His performance as an officer was one of the better things in the war drama, "The Naked And The Dead" (1958). Next was the slight "famous at that time" Sandra Dee's surfing teenager comedy, "Gidget" (1959). Columbia finally gave him a leading role in "Battle Of The Coral Sea" (1959). It did not get him anywhere.
Robertson was given a secondary role to Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine in 1961's comedy, "All In A Night's Work". Then he co-starred in Esther William's last major movie, "The Big Show" (1961) and Debbie Reynolds in "My Six Loves" (1963). He was also in the hosp
ital soap opera, "The Interns" (1962). President John F. Kennedy personally chose him to play him in the dramatization of his war time experience in "PT109 (1963). "Sunday In New York" (1963), with Rod Taylor and Jane Fonda did nothing to boost his status, but his next movie opposite Fonda's dad, Henry, in "The Bast Man" (1964) proves to be Robertson's best role. He was Lana Turner's beachboy husband in "Love Has Many Faces" (1965) and a better movie "Masquerade". "Up From The Beach" (1965) and "T
he Honey Pot" (1967) improves the momentum.
ital soap opera, "The Interns" (1962). President John F. Kennedy personally chose him to play him in the dramatization of his war time experience in "PT109 (1963). "Sunday In New York" (1963), with Rod Taylor and Jane Fonda did nothing to boost his status, but his next movie opposite Fonda's dad, Henry, in "The Bast Man" (1964) proves to be Robertson's best role. He was Lana Turner's beachboy husband in "Love Has Many Faces" (1965) and a better movie "Masquerade". "Up From The Beach" (1965) and "T
he Honey Pot" (1967) improves the momentum. "Charly" (1968) gave him a meaty role as a mentally challenged baker's assistant who temporarily becomes a genius via a breakthrough operation before reverting back to his previous state won him the Academy Award for Best Actor 1968. He was not present to accept the award, Gregory Peck accepted on his behalf.
Now considered a possible money attraction, Robertson had a string of starring roles in box-office failures: "Too Late The Hero" (1970), a war film on which he clashed off screen with co-star Michael Caine; "J.W.Coop" (1972) which he himself directed and wrote; as Jesse James in "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid" (1972). He suppo
rted Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway in "Three Days Of The Condor" (1975). By the late 70s, he had become basically a television name and he was responsible for unravelling a major studio fraud in the seventies which led to the downfall of a powerful Hollywood figure, David Begelman. The morality of Hollywood was such that it did some harm to his career for a period of time.
rted Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway in "Three Days Of The Condor" (1975). By the late 70s, he had become basically a television name and he was responsible for unravelling a major studio fraud in the seventies which led to the downfall of a powerful Hollywood figure, David Begelman. The morality of Hollywood was such that it did some harm to his career for a period of time. He returned to play the cold-hearted husband of Jacqueline Bisset in "Class" (1983) and the beautiful Natalie Wood's last movie (she drowned after making this movie which she did not get to see the release of it
), "Brainstorm" (1983). He guest-starred in television's "Falcon Crest" from 1983 to 1984. He went on to make movies but his notable famous was the role of Ben Parker in the three Spiderman movies. He was married to the glamourous Dina Merrill from 1966 and divorced in 1986.
), "Brainstorm" (1983). He guest-starred in television's "Falcon Crest" from 1983 to 1984. He went on to make movies but his notable famous was the role of Ben Parker in the three Spiderman movies. He was married to the glamourous Dina Merrill from 1966 and divorced in 1986.
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