Andrew Robinson (actor)
A character actor of chilling intensity who found his most enduring role as a morally ambiguous tailor on a space station.
Born 1942 (age 84)·American actor and professor·Birthday: February 14·The Silent Generation
Biography
Andrew Robinson built a career on the unsettling. After training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, he exploded onto screens as the sadistic killer Scorpio in 'Dirty Harry,' a performance so convincing he received hate mail. For decades, he specialized in playing unsettling figures in film and television, from the doomed Larry in 'Hellraiser' to guest spots on every major procedural. Then, in 1993, he took on the role of Elim Garak, a simple tailor on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.' With exquisite subtlety, Robinson transformed Garak from a mysterious Cardassian exile into one of science fiction's most complex characters—a charming, lonely, and deeply pragmatic survivor whose past was a tapestry of espionage and regret. This role, a masterclass in layered performance, cemented his legacy far beyond his villainous beginnings, endearing him to a generation of fans. Parallel to his acting, he shaped future talent as a professor and director of the MFA acting program at the University of Southern California.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Andrew was born in 1942, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Andrew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1972Turned 30
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 40
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 50
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 60
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 70
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 80
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 84 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created the iconic villain Scorpio in the 1971 film 'Dirty Harry,' setting a benchmark for cinematic psychopaths.
- Portrayed the nuanced and beloved character Elim Garak across all seven seasons of 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.'
- Served as the Director of the Master of Fine Arts in Acting program at the University of Southern California.
- Maintained a decades-long career as a sought-after character actor in hundreds of television and film roles.
Did You Know?
He was so convincing as Scorpio that Clint Eastwood reportedly felt genuine discomfort during their scenes together.
He initially auditioned for the role of Commander Benjamin Sisko on 'Deep Space Nine.'
He is an accomplished stage actor and performed in a one-man show about poet Edgar Allan Poe.
His daughter, Rachel Robinson, appeared in a 'Deep Space Nine' episode as a young version of a character he was involved with.
“Garak is not a villain. He's a survivor.”
