Charlie Robinson (actor)

Charles "Charlie" Robinson (born November 9, 1945) is an American theater, film and television actor. He is best known for his role on the NBC sitcom Night Court as Macintosh "Mac" Robinson (Seasons 2–9), the clerk of the court and a Vietnam War veteran. Although his most frequent on-screen billing has been Charlie Robinson, Night Court had credited him as Charles Robinson throughout his 1984–1992 stint as Mac. In two of his earliest film appearances, 1974's Sugar Hill and 1975's The Black Gestapo, he was credited as Charles P. Robinson. Some of his credits have been occasionally commingled with those of Charles Knox Robinson who, billed as Charles Robinson, was featured in numerous films and TV episodes between 1958 and 1971.

Charlie Robinson
Born (1945-11-09) November 9, 1945
Houston, Texas, United States
Other namesCharles Robinson
Charles P. Robinson
OccupationActor, director
Years active1971–present
Spouse(s)Venus Duran
(m. 19??; div. 19??)
??
(m. 19??; div. 19??)
Dolorita Noonan-Robinson
​
(
m. after 1996)
Children4

Early career

A native of Houston, Robinson has been performing since the 1960s, is a member of the Actors Studio, and is considered by playwright Lyle Kessler to be "one of the great American Actors". In his early career, he was a singer; as a teenager with the group Archie Bell and the Drells, and later with a group called Southern Clouds of Joy.[1] In the late 1960s, Charlie attended, and was enrolled in, Studio 7, an acting school operated by Chris Wilson at the Houston Music Theatre. He stayed with Chris when the school was moved to another location in Southwest Houston where mainly children's theatre was presented. Charlie was cast in a made for TV production and soon moved to the Hollywood area where his career took off.

Later career

Robinson's acting credits include appearances in Black Gestapo, Emergency!, The White Shadow, Flamingo Road, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, The Game, Touched by an Angel, and Antwone Fisher. Robinson was cast in the role of Newdell in the NBC comedy Buffalo Bill. Not the show it was expected to be, Buffalo Bill was canceled after one season and replaced by Night Court. Robinson was cast as court clerk Mac Robinson, after the first season in 1984, when Karen Austin, who played the original court clerk, left the cast. Robinson played the role on Night Court from 1984 until the show ended in 1992. He also directed three episodes of the series.

From 1992 to 1995, Robinson co-starred on the sitcom Love & War, replacing John Hancock who died a few episodes into the series run.[2] Robinson played character Bud Harper in Home Improvement, and has appeared in many other television shows including House, The Bernie Mac Show, My Wife and Kids, Soul Food, Charmed, Hart of Dixie,[3][4] How I Met Your Mother and My Name Is Earl.

He has done commercial work for NEXTEL in which he is asking a worker if he's "agitating my dots" after he walks in on two other dispatchers staring at the dots, which represented delivery workers, on a computer screen. He also has done commercials for Old Spice, where he plays the head coach of the NFL's Denver Broncos, where he appears with perennial All-Pro Bronco linebacker Von Miller.

2000–2016

In 2010, Robinson worked at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and co-starred in the film Jackson which was directed by J.F. Lawton. Robinson appeared as "Troy" in August Wilson's Fences at Southern California's South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa from January 22, 2010 until February 21, 2010.[5] In September 2013, he returned to the theater to portray Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman.[6][7] In 2015, he played Mr. Munson, the blind tenant on Mom whom Bonnie avoids helping out with apartment issues.

Awards and nominations

Robinson received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1974 Sugar Hill Bernie Simmons
1975 The Black Gestapo Colonel Kojah
1975 Caribe Kishara, the Assassin
1976 Emergency! Alan Benedict (Season 5, episode 16)
1977 A Killing Affair Buck Fryman
1977 The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald Melvin Johnson
1978 Gray Lady Down McAllister
1978 The White Shadow Jackie Solomon
1979 Lou Grant Don Vet TV series
1979 Roots: The Next Generations Luke Bettiger TV miniseries
1979 Buffalo Soldiers Private Wright TV movie
1981 Flamingo Road Phil TV series
1982 Hill Street Blues Roy TV series (1 episode)
1982 Rehearsal for Murder The Second Officer
1982 St. Elsewhere Bill Austin TV series (1 episode)
1983–1984 Buffalo Bill Newdell TV series
1984 The River Truck
1984–1992 Night Court Macintosh "Mac" Robinson Main role (seasons 2–9)
1986 Hotel TV series (1 episode)
1988 Crash Course Larry Pearle TV movie
1990 Murder C.O.D. Lieutenant Silk TV movie
1992–1995 Love & War Abe Johnson TV series
1993 CBS Schoolbreak Special Sam Raynor TV series (1 episode)
1995 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Ernest TV series (1 episode)
1995–1999 Home Improvement Bud Harper TV series (9 episodes)
1996 Ink Ernie Trainor TV series
1996 The John Larroquette Show Norm TV series (1 episode)
1996 Project ALF Dr. Stanley TV movie
1996 In the House Major TV series (1 episode)
1996 The Crew Reverend Edwards TV series (1 episode)
1996 Set It Off Nate Andrews
1997–1998 Malcolm & Eddie Marcus McGee TV series (2 episodes)
1998 Buddy Faro El Jefe TV series
1998 Land of the Free Matt McCaster (McCuster)
1999 Beowulf Weaponsmaster Film
2001 The Trouble with Normal Mr. Lindquist TV series (1 episode)
2002 Miss Lettie and Me Isiah Griffin TV movie
2003 Yes, Dear Goodwill Guy Episode: "Space Jam"
2005 House Robert Humpty Dumpty
2006 How I Met Your Mother Bank President Aldrin Justice
2007–2014 The Game Mr. Pitts TV series (4 episodes)
2008 30 Rock Himself Episode: "The One with the Cast of Night Court"
2008 Natural Disasters Charlie
2009 Big Love Baptist Episode: "Come, ye Saints"
2009 Hank Reuben Episode: "Relax, Don't Do It"
2009 Alligator Point
2009 Ronna & Beverly Leron
2010 The Secret Life of an American Teenager Episode: "Ben There, Done That"
2010 Krews Mr. Davis
2010 $#*! My Dad Says Mr. Campbell Episode: "You Can't Handle the Truce"
2011 Harry's Law Judge Marvin Baum Episode: "Bangers in the House"
2011 Light, Streets of Redemption Store Clerk
2012 Falling Away Mr. King
2012 The Soul Man Ike Episode: "Lost in the Move"
2012 Swerve Charlie
2012 Rosita Lopez for President Thomas Hamilton
2012-2015 Hart of Dixie Sergeant Jeffries 16 episodes
2013-2015 Key and Peele Dying Father/Pawn Shop Owner 2 episodes
2015–2017 K.C. Undercover Pops TV series (3 episodes)
2015–2019 Mom Mr. Munson TV series (7 episodes)
2015 Hoovey Coach Wilson
2015 Russell Madness Mike
2015 Sweet Kandy Eddie Morehouse
2015 Come Away with Me Michael Blake
2015 How Sarah Got Her Wings Max
2016 Pee-wee's Big Holiday Police Captain
2016 Grey's Anatomy Leo Polson Episode: "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side"
2017 Maybe Somebody Edgar
2017 The Quad Bradford TV series (1 episode)
2017-2018 The Guest Book Wilfred 11 episodes
2017 Disjointed Scooter Boots TV series (1 episode)
2018 This Is Us Donald Robinson 2 episodes
2018 NCIS Ray Jennings Episode: "Fragments"
2019 Better Things Sylvester Episode: "Holding"
2020 Raven's Home Mr. Arthur 2 episodes
gollark: Ridiculous. They would simply not make the mistake in the first place.
gollark: In case you're worried about ethics, we checked and it is 175% ethical.
gollark: I put a few bees in there with "fastest" work speed, but it randomly allocated them throughout the system and they got geneticized down to "fast".
gollark: It's programmed to select for bee work speed, and does that fairly effectively. Unfortunately, it hit a wall when they basically all got up to "fast".
gollark: Troublingly, it looks like I may have to partially override the bee eugenics system™'s decisions.

References
  1. "Celebrity Mailbag". Toledo Blade. 1998-11-05. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
  2. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present Ballantine Books. 2003 p.705. ISBN 0-345-45542-8
  3. Goldberg, Lesley. "'Hart of Dixie' Taps 'Night Court' Funnyman for Recurring Gig (Exclusive) (The Hollywood Reporter, July 31, 2012)"
  4. Gennis, Sadie. "Hart of Dixie Books Night Court's Charlie Robinson" (TVGuide, August 1, 2012; includes photograph)
  5. South Coast Repertory 2009-2010 Winter Season Playbill
  6. Donloe, Darlene. "Charlie Robinson and SCR’s Masterson Pay Attention to Willy Loman" (This Stage Magazine, September 6, 2013)
  7. Boehm, Mike. "Charlie Robinson has no delusions playing Willy Loman" (Los Angeles Times, September 7, 2013)
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