Cliff Robertson
A thoughtful leading man who won an Oscar for playing a man with a changed mind, then risked his career to expose a Hollywood scandal.
1923–2011 (age 88)·American actor·Birthday: September 9·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Cliff Robertson projected an intelligent, everyman decency that made him perfect for roles as pilots, presidents, and principled men. After serving in the Merchant Marine during World War II, he used the G.I. Bill to study acting, leading to a steady career in live television and film. He earned his place in history by portraying a young John F. Kennedy in 'PT 109,' a role the president himself approved. Robertson's defining moment came with 'Charly,' where he played a man with an intellectual disability who undergoes an experimental procedure, a performance that earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor. His integrity defined him off-screen as well; in the late 1970s, he discovered that a studio executive had forged his signature and embezzled his salary. Robertson went public, testifying before the SEC and essentially blacklisting himself from major studio work for years. He returned as a beloved elder statesman of cinema, perhaps most memorably as Uncle Ben in Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' films.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Cliff was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest 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 Cliff Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Cliff's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
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
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Died at 88
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in 'Charly' as a man with an intellectual disability who undergoes an experimental treatment.
- Was personally chosen by President John F. Kennedy to portray him in the film 'PT 109'.
- Exposed the David Begelman forgery scandal in Hollywood, leading to criminal convictions and industry reforms.
- Starred in the original 'Brainstorm', a groundbreaking sci-fi film whose production was impacted by the death of co-star Natalie Wood.
- Played the pivotal role of Uncle Ben in Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' trilogy, delivering the famous 'with great power' line.
Did You Know?
He was a licensed pilot and owned several vintage aircraft, often performing his own flying scenes in movies.
Robertson turned down the lead role in 'Love Story', which later made a star of Ryan O'Neal.
He directed and starred in 'The Pilot', a film about a pilot struggling with alcoholism, reflecting his own passion for aviation.
His testimony in the Begelman scandal was a major plot point in the 1982 film 'The Verdict', though his character was renamed.
“I'm not a fighter by nature, but there are some things you have to fight for.”
