Edward G. Robinson
- Acting
- December 12, 1893 · Bucarest, Roumanie
- January 26, 1973
Biography
Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg; December 12, 1893 – January 26, 1973) was a Romanian-born American actor and political activist. Although he played a wide range of characters, he is best remembered for his roles as a gangster, most notably in his star-making film Little Caesar (1931). Robinson's career saw a decline during the 1950s Red Scare when he was threatened with blacklisting. Experiencing underemployment, he turned towards minor roles in B movies until he eventually returned to the mainstream by playing one of Moses' adversaries Dathan in Cecil B. DeMille's religious epic The Ten Commandments (1956). He was ranked number 24 in the American Film Institute's list of the 25 greatest male stars of Classic American cinema. Never having been nominated for an Academy Award during his 60-year career, he became a posthumous recipient of an Honorary Oscar in 1973, two months after his death. Robinson was Jewish and a staunch critic of fascist and Nazi ideologies that were on the rise in the 1930s. He donating more than $250,000 to 850 political and charitable organizations between 1939 and 1949, hosted a gathering at his home to sign a declaration calling for a boycott of all German-made products, frequently appeared at Soviet and American war relief rallies, delivered radio addresses in over six languages to Nazi-occupied European countries, and traveled to Normandy to entertain the troops, becoming the first movie star to go there for the USO. Robin was also an outspoken supporter of the civil rights movement, and regularly campaigned to overcome segregation.
Known for
Filmography
- Away with Words · Edward G. Robinson
- Rat Pack · Self
- Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored · Self
- 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year · Self
- Warner at War · (archive footage)
- Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film · Self
- You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story · Self
- Little Caesar: End of Rico, Beginning of the Antihero · Self
- Checking Out: Grand Hotel · Self
- Pulp Cinema · Self
- Frank Capra's American Dream · Self
- Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line · Self
- Bogart: The Untold Story · Self
- Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire · Self
- Movie Tough Guys · Self
- Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage · Self
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? · Self
- Soylent Green · Sol Roth
- A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green' · Self
- Neither by Day Nor by Night · Father
- Hollywood: The Dream Factory · Self
- Mooch Goes to Hollywood
- Night Gallery · Abraham Goldman
- Song of Norway · Krogstad
- The Old Man Who Cried Wolf · Emile Pulska
- The Silent Force
- Bracken's World
- Operation Heartbeat · Dr. Lee Forestman
- Mackenna's Gold · Old Adams
- It's Your Move · Sir George McDowell
- Never a Dull Moment · Leo Joseph Smooth
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In · Self
- The Biggest Bundle of Them All · Professor Samuels
- Operation San Pietro · Joe Ventura
- Grand Slam · Prof. James Anders
- The Blonde from Peking · CIA Chief Douglas
- Planet of the Apes Test Reel · Dr. Zaius
- Batman · Edward G. Robinson (uncredited)
- The Cincinnati Kid · Lancey Howard
- Born a Man · Narrator
- Cheyenne Autumn · Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz
- The Outrage · Con Man
- Good Neighbor Sam · Simon Nurdlinger
- Robin and the 7 Hoods · Big Jim Stevens (uncredited)
- The Hollywood Palace · Self
- The Prize · Max Stratman/Walter Stratman
- Sammy Going South · Cocky Wainwright
- The Lucy Show · Edward G. Robinson
- Two Weeks in Another Town · Maurice Kruger
- My Geisha · Sam Lewis
- Pepe · Edward G. Robinson
- Seven Thieves · Theo Wilkins
- The Right Man · Theodore Roosevelt
- Israel · Self
- The Detectives · 'Big Jim' Riva
- NBC Sunday Showcase · Daniel Webster
- A Hole in the Head · Mario Manetta
- The Ten Commandments · Dathan
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre · Victor Bers
- Nightmare · Rene Bressard
- The Steve Allen Show · Self
- Hell on Frisco Bay · Victor Amato
- Illegal · Victor Scott
- A Bullet for Joey · Raoul Leduc
- Tight Spot · Lloyd Hallett
- The Violent Men · Lee Wilkison
- Black Tuesday · Vincent Canelli
- Climax! · Josef Vadassy
- A Star Is Born World Premiere · Self
- The Glass Web · Henry Hayes
- Big Leaguer · John B 'Hans' Lobert
- Vice Squad · Capt. 'Barnie' Barnaby
- The Oscars · Self
- General Electric Theater · Bert Alquist
- The Ford Television Theatre · John Derwent, Baron
- This Is Your Life · Self
- Actors and Sin · Maurice Tillayou (segment Actor's Blood)
- Lux Video Theatre · Sir Wilfrid Robarts
- My Daughter Joy · George Constantin
- What's My Line? · Self