Robby Benson (born January 21, 1956) is an American film and television actor, television director, educator and singer.

Early life [edit]

Benson was born Robin David Segal in Dallas, Texas, the son of Freda Ann (née Benson), a singer, actress, and business promotions manager, and Jerry Segal, a writer.^[1] His family is Jewish.^[2][3] Benson was raised in New York City and took his mother's maiden name as his stage name when he was 10.^[3][4]

Career [edit]

Benson made his film debut with an uncredited role in Wait Until Dark (1967) as the "Boy Tossing Ball"^[5] and his Broadway debut in The Rothschilds (1970). Benson had an early role on the daytime soap Search for Tomorrow (1971–72). As a film actor, Benson was well known for teenage roles in coming-of-age films, such as 1972's Jory, 1973's Jeremy, and as Billy Joe McAllister in 1976's Ode to Billy Joe.

He was listed as one of 12 "Promising New Actors of 1976" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 28. (1976) and auditioned for the role of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (1977) but lost the role to Mark Hamill.^{[citation needed]} He received critical acclaim for his role as hockey player Nick Peterson in Ice Castles (1978).^{[citation needed]} In Walk Proud (1979), he played a Chicano gang member.^{[citation needed]}

In 1975, Benson appeared in Death Be Not Proud and Lucky Lady. In 1977, he starred in One on One and the TV movie The Death of Richie. In 1978, he co-starred in The End. In 1981, he costarred in the film The Chosen, based on the book of the same name by Chaim Potok. The New York Times gave the film a mixed review, but noted: "Robby Benson, who might not be expected to be the quiet surprise of a movie like this one, nevertheless makes a fine impression as Danny. He is eager without being overeager, and full of a gentle inquisitiveness that can't help but win the audience's sympathy."^[6]

Later in 1981 Benson accepted an offer to take over the romantic lead in the Broadway hit "The Pirates of Penzance" opposite Karla DeVito, who had gained fame touring with Meat Loaf and critical acclaim in Pirates. Immediately impressed with DeVito, both professionally and personally, he told the show's musical director she was the girl he wanted to marry. A year later, they did.

Also in the early 1980s, he appeared as a young man with a learning disability in the made-for-television film Two of a Kind, co-starring George Burns.^{[citation needed]} In 1983, he portrayed distance runner Billy Mills in Running Brave.^{[citation needed]} In 1984, he co-starred with Paul Newman in Harry & Son. In 1986, he played Detective Cliff Brady in the short-lived television series Tough Cookies.^{[citation needed]} In 1990, Benson directed, wrote, produced and starred with his wife Karla in the film Modern Love.^{[citation needed]}

In 1993, Benson and DeVito wrote the screenplay for the Helen Slater suspense film Betrayal of the Dove.

Benson was the voice of the Beast in the Disney animated feature film Beauty and the Beast. He reprised the role in the Kingdom Hearts video game series.^{[citation needed]} This role led to other voice work for animated features, including the Prince Valiant cartoon series The Legend of Prince Valiant and Exosquad (as the heroic Able Squad leader J.T. Marsh).^{[citation needed]} Benson was also the voice of Prince Alexander in the computer game King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow.^{[citation needed]} In 2000, Benson was the voice of Drake in Dragonheart: A New Beginning.

Musical accomplishments include writing the hit song "We Are Not Alone" sung by wife Karla DeVito in the movie The Breakfast Club, co-writing "Nobody Makes Me Crazy Like You Do" on Diana Ross' hit album "Swept Away" and a number of songs on Karla DeVito's album "Wake 'Em Up in Tokyo." A number of his original songs are featured in his multimedia book "I'm Not Dead...Yet!" (also available on CD or Download) and he was producer, composer, arranger and musician on daughter Lyric Benson's album "Lyric's Love Light Revolution." In late 2012 Robby announced his intention to produce a new album featuring his wife Karla DeVito.

Benson has directed over 100 TV sitcom episodes including Friends, Sabrina, an entire season of Ellen and two seasons of Thunder Alley.^{[citation needed]}

His 2007 novel Who Stole the Funny?: A Novel of Hollywood.^{[7][non-primary source needed]} landed Robby Benson on the LA TImes Bestseller list. Benson's medical memoir, "I'm Not Dead... Yet!", was released in June 2012.^[8]

Robby Benson has been a professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, the University of Utah and the University of South Carolina.^[9] He will serve as a professor of practice in the fall of 2013 at Indiana University.^[10]

Personal life [edit]

Benson married singer and actress Karla DeVito on July 11, 1982. They have two children, daughter Lyric and son Zephyr.

Benson was born with a heart defect which necessitated heart valve surgery in 1984 and 1998.^{[citation needed]} He is an activist and fundraiser for heart research, which, in 2004, led him to write the book, lyrics and music for an original Off-Broadway play called Open Heart, in which he also starred.^[11]

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Official Robby Benson site
• Robby Benson at the Internet Movie Database
• Robby Benson at AllRovi
• Robby Benson Scrapbook, fan site
• Robby Benson's Speakers Bureau