Robby Benson

Robby Benson (born Robin David Segal; January 21, 1956), is an American actor, singer, musician, educator, director, producer, writer and composer. He rose to prominence as a teen idol in the late 1970s, appearing in the sports films One on One (1977) and Ice Castles (1978). He subsequently garnered fame for portraying the voice of Beast in the Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991) and its numerous sequels and spin-offs. He later forged a career in directing television, including six episodes of the sitcom Friends.

For the Irish footballer, see Robbie Benson.

Robby Benson
Benson in 2007
Born	Robin David Segal (1956-01-21) January 21, 1956 Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actor singer musician educator director producer writer composer
Years active	1965–present
Spouse(s)	Karla DeVito ( m. 1982)
Children	2
Parent(s)	Jerry Segal Freda Ann Benson
Website	RobbyBenson.net

In addition to acting and directing, Benson is an activist in the field of heart research, having undergone four open-heart surgeries since age 28 to correct congenital aortic valve defects and related damage. In 2012, he published a memoir recounting his medical journey and numerous surgeries.

Early life

Benson was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Freda Ann (née Benson), a singer, actor, and business promotions manager, and Jerry Segal, a writer.[1] His family is Jewish.[2][3] When Benson was five years old, his family relocated to New York City, where he was raised.[1] He subsequently took his mother's maiden name as his stage name when he was 10.[3][4] Benson attended the Lincoln Square Academy in Manhattan, where he graduated at age fourteen as the class valedictorian.[1]

Career

Benson made his film debut with an uncredited role in Wait Until Dark (1967) as the Boy Tossing Ball and his Broadway debut in The Rothschilds (1970).[5] He had an appearance in a 1971 commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups alongside Donny Most who would later co-star in Happy Days. 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.[6]

In 1975, Benson appeared in Death Be Not Proud and Lucky Lady.[6] That year, he also screen tested for the role of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, a role which eventually went to Mark Hamill. In 1977, Benson starred in One on One[6] (which he co-wrote with his father and needed no double for the authentic looking college basketball scenes due to his prowess at the game) and the TV movie The Death of Richie. In 1978, he co-starred in The End and also Ice Castles, co-starring Lynn Holly Johnson, who was a U.S. national figure skating medalist.[6] Benson, who had never ice skated before, learned to skate in order to film the movie, which had numerous skating scenes, including ice hockey.[7] In 1980, Benson starred opposite Linda Grovenor in the Orion film, Die Laughing. The same year, Benson also starred in the movie Tribute opposite Jack Lemmon.[8]

In 1981, he costarred in the film The Chosen, based on the book of the same name by Chaim Potok.[6][7] The New York Times gave the film a mixed review, but noted that Benson's character was "full of a gentle inquisitiveness that cannot help but win the audience's sympathy."[9][10] Benson played Olympic 10,000-meter gold medalist Billy Mills in the 1983 film Running Brave. In 1991, he starred as the voice of Beast in the acclaimed animated Disney film Beauty and the Beast. Later in the 1990s he voiced lead character J.T. Marsh on the acclaimed sci-fi cartoon series Exosquad.

His 2007 novel Who Stole the Funny?: A Novel of Hollywood landed Benson on the Los Angeles Times Bestseller list.[11] Benson's medical memoir I'm Not Dead ... Yet! was released in June 2012.[12]

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.[13] It was announced he would serve as a professor of Practice in the fall of 2013 at Indiana University.[14] Benson left the university after the Spring 2016 semester when his three-year contract expired.[15]

Personal life

Benson has been married to singer and actress Karla DeVito since July 11, 1982. The pair met while starring together in The Pirates of Penzance.[16] Together they have two children, daughter Lyric (b. 1983) and son Zephyr (b. 1992).[17] He practices Transcendental Meditation.[7]

Health problems

While a teenager, Benson was diagnosed with a heart murmur caused by a bicuspid aortic valve defect.[18] Benson began experiencing symptoms such as dizziness and losing consciousness in his late twenties, and subsequently underwent his first open-heart surgery in October 1984 to repair the valve defect.[19][20] He received a bovine valve transplant, which lasted fifteen years.[21] After the bovine valve failed, Benson was required to have a second surgery in 2000,[22] during which he underwent the Ross procedure. For six years after his second surgery, Benson had consistent struggles breathing.[21] He subsequently underwent a third open-heart surgery, during which it was discovered that his aortic valve had buckled from the previous procedure and was closed approximately 90%, accounting for the breathing problems he had endured for the previous six years.[21] Benson received a delicate fourth surgery known as the "reverse Ross procedure" to correct damage to his heart in 2010.[23]

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.[24] Benson also has spoken about his dealing with post-surgical cardiac depression, commenting after his fourth surgery:

They still saw your chest right down the middle, but they've done it [to me] enough that you no longer think about it as life-threatening. It's just a very tough surgery to go through. Doctors have also gotten better at helping you through the healing process. How we heal and how we deal with cardiac depression and how we can jump start our lives and get back on track. Doctors used to never talk about things like that and now they do.[23]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1967	Wait Until Dark	Boy tossing ball	Uncredited
1973	Jory	Jory Walden
1973	Jeremy	Jeremy Jones	Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male
1975	Lucky Lady	Billy
1975	Death Be Not Proud	Johnny Gunther
1976	Ode to Billy Joe	Billy Joe McAllister
1977	The Death of Richie	Richie
1977	One on One	Henry Steele
1978	The End	Father Dave Benson
1978	Ice Castles	Nick Peterson
1979	Walk Proud	Emilio Mendez	Stinker Award for Worst Fake Accent: Male Stinker Award for Worst Actor
1980	Die Laughing	Pinsky	Stinker Award for Most Annoying Fake Accent: Male Nominated — Stinker Award for Worst Actor Nominated — Stinker Award for Worst Song or Song Performance in a Film or End Credits
1980	Tribute	Jud Templeton	Nominated — Stinker Award for Worst Actor
1981	The Chosen	Danny Saunders
1982	Movie Madness	Brent Falcone
1983	Running Brave	Billy Mills
1984	Harry & Son	Howard Keach	Nominated — Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor
1985	City Limits	Carver
1987	Rent-a-Cop	Pitts
1989	White Hot	Scott
1990	Modern Love	Greg	Also writer, director and producer
1991	Beauty and the Beast	The Beast/Prince (voice)	Nominated — Grammy Award for Album of the Year
1992	Invasion of Privacy	Alex Pruitt
1993	Deadly Exposure	Max Pierce
1997	Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas	The Beast/Prince (voice)	Direct-to-video
1998	Belle's Magical World	The Beast/Prince (voice)	Direct-to-video
1999	Belle's Tales of Friendship	The Beast/Prince (voice)	Direct-to-video
2000	Dragonheart: A New Beginning	Drake (voice)
2000	The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus	Young Santa Claus (voice)
2001	Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse	The Beast/Prince (voice)	Direct-to-video
2002	Just a Dream	Dr. Sturbuck
2004	MXP: Most Xtreme Primate	Edward
2011	Brave New World	Damon Heller
2019	Apple Seed	Sirom

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1971–1972	Search for Tomorrow	Bruce Carson	2 episodes
1974	Remember When	Frankie Hodges	Television film
1974	All the Kind Strangers	John	Television film
1974	Virginia Hill	Leroy Small	Television film
1975	Death Be not Proud	Johnny Gunther	Television film
1976	One Day at a Time	Ken	Episode: "The College Man"
1976	The Last of Mrs. Lincoln	Tad Lincoln	Television film
1977	The Death of Richie	Richie Werner	Television film
1977	Our Town	George Gibbs	Television film
1982	Two of a Kind	Noel 'Nolie' Minor	Television film Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
1985	California Girls	Nathan Bowzer	Television film
1985	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Ed	Episode: "Method Actor"
1985	The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible	David (voice)	1 episode
1986	Tough Cookies	Det. Cliff Brady	6 episodes
1986	David and Goliath	David (voice)	Video short
1989	For Jenny with Love	Bud	TV series
1990	Deadly Nightmares	Bart	Episode: "Tourist Trap"
1991–1993	The Legend of Prince Valiant	Prince Valiant (voice)	5 episodes
1992	P.J. Sparkles	Blaze (voice)	Animated television film
1992	Batman: The Animated Series	Wilkes (voice)	Episode: "P.O.V."
1992	Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa	Additional voices	3 episodes
1992	Homewrecker	David Whitson	Television film
1992	Lincoln	Additional voices	Television film
1993	Avonlea	Jonathan Ravenhurst Blackwell	Episode: "The Disappearance"
1993	At Home with the Webbers	Roger Swade	Television film
1993	Precious Victims	Robert Sims	Television film
1993–1994	Exosquad	Lt./Lt. Cmdr J.T. Marsh (voice)	52 episodes
1994	The Magic School Bus	Archibald Seedplot (voice)	Episode: "Goes to Seed"
1996	O. Henry's Christmas	Jim	Television film
1996–1997	Sabrina the Teenage Witch	Edward Spellman	2 episodes
2000	The Christmas Lamb	Asah (voice)	Animated television film
2001	The Huntress	Dana Weatherly	Episode: "Who Are You?"
2001–2002	Disney's House of Mouse	The Beast/Prince Adam (voice)	8 episodes
2002–2003	American Dreams	Prof. Witt / Professor Witt	8 episodes
2019	A Feeling of Home	Wes (Abby's dad)	Hallmark Channel Television Film

Video games

Video games
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1992	King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow	Prince Alexander
2000	Disney's Beauty and the Beast Magical Ballroom	The Beast/Prince Adam
2002	Kingdom Hearts
2006	Kingdom Hearts II
2007	Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+
2011	Kinect Disneyland Adventures

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1970	The Rothschilds	Urchin	Broadway
1981	The Pirates of Penzance	Frederic
2004	Open Heart	Jimmy	Off-Broadway

Production credits

Director

• White Hot (1989)
• Modern Love (1990)
• Family Album (TV Series) - 4 episodes
  • 1.3 "Guardian Angel" (1993)
  • 1.4 "Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall All You Gotta Do Is Call..." (1993)
  • 1.5 "Salon, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehn, Goodbye" (1993)
  • 1.6 "Will You Still Feed Me?" (1993)
• Evening Shade (TV Series) - 8 episodes
  • 3.14 "Private School" (1993)
  • 3.22 "Teaching Is a Good Thing" (1993)
  • 3.24 "The Graduation" (1993)
  • 4.8 "Wood and Evan's Excellent Adventure" (1993)
  • 4.11 "Chain of Fools" (1993)
  • 4.12 "Sleepless in Arkansas" (1993)
  • 4.14 "The People's Choice" (1994)
• Monty (TV Series) - 2 episodes
  • 1.3 "The Son Also Rises" (1994)
  • 1.6 "Baby Talk" (1994)
• Muddling Through (TV Series) - 2 episodes
  • 1.2 "Let It Be Normal" (1994)
  • 1.5 "Second Time's the Charm" (1994)
• Good Advice (TV Series) - 2 episodes
  • 2.3 "Divorce, Egyptian Style" (1994)
  • 2.12 "Lights, Camera, Friction!" (1994)
• The George Wendt Show (TV Show) - 1 episode
  • 1.2 "A Need for See" (1995)
• Bringing Up Jack (TV Series) - 1 episode
• Thunder Alley (TV Series) - 21 episodes
  • 1.2 "The Love Triangle" (1994)
  • 1.4 "Girls' Night Out" (1994)
  • 1.5 "Bloodsuckers" (1994)
  • 1.6 "Happy Endings" (1994)
  • 2.1 "Never Say Die" (1994)
  • 2.2 "Speak No Evil" (1994)
  • 2.3 "Easy Money" (1994)
  • 2.4 "Get a Job" (1994)
  • 2.5 "First Date" (1994)
  • 2.6 "Give 'Em Hell, Bobbi" (1994)
  • 2.7 "Sex, Lies & Popcorn" (1994)
  • 2.8 "The Garage Sale" (1994)
  • 2.9 "Accidentally at First Sight" (1995)
  • 2.10 "Are We There Yet?" (1995)
  • 2.12 "The Trouble with Harry" (1995)
  • 2.13 "Workin' Man's Blues" (1995)
  • 2.14 "A Little Me Time" (1995)
  • 2.15 "I Am Spartacus" (1995)
  • 2.17 "Just a Vacation" (1995)
  • 2.18 "Buzz Off, Buzzard Boy" (1995)
  • 2.19 "No Swing Set" (1995)
• Dream On (TV Series) - 1 episodes
  • 6.1 "Try Not to Remember" (1995)
• Ellen (TV Series) - 25 episodes
  • 3.1 "Shake, Rattle and Rumble" (1995)
  • 3.2 "These Successful Friends of Mine" (1995)
  • 3.3 "The Shower Scene" (1995)
  • 3.4 "The Bridges of L.A. County" (1995)
  • 3.5 "Hello, I Must Be Going" (1995)
  • 3.6 "Trick or Treat - Who Cares?" (1995)
  • 3.7 "She Ain't Friendly, She's My Mother" (1995)
  • 3.8 "Salad Days" (1995)
  • 3.9 "The Movie Show" (1995)
  • 3.10 "What's Up, Ex-Doc?" (1995)
  • 3.11 "Ellen's Choice" (1995)
  • 3.12 "Do You Fear What I Fear?" (1995)
  • 3.13 "Horschak's Law" (1996)
  • 3.14 "Morgan, P.I." (1996)
  • 3.15 "Oh, Sweet Rapture" (1996)
  • 3.16 "Witness" (1996)
  • 3.17 "Ellen: With Child" (1996)
  • 3.18 "Lobster Diary" (1996)
  • 3.19 "Two Ring Circus" (1996)
  • 3.20 "A Penney Saved..." (1996)
  • 3.21 "Too Hip for the Room" (1996)
  • 3.22 "Two Mammograms and a Wedding" (1996)
  • 3.23 "Go Girlz" (1996)
  • 3.24 "When the Vow Breaks: Part 1" (1996)
  • 3.26 "When the Vow Breaks: Part 2" (1996)
• Life with Roger (TV Series) - 1 episode
• Pearl (TV Series) - 1 episodes
  • 1.2 "Teacher's Pet" (1996)
• Common Law (TV Series) - 1 episodes
  • 1.1 "Pilot" (1996)
• Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV Series) - 3 episodes
  • 1.1 "Pilot" (1996)
  • 1.10 "Sweet & Sour Victory (1996)
  • 1.17 "First Kiss" (1997)
• Friends (TV Series) - 6 episodes
  • 1.22 "The One with the Ick Factor" (1995)
  • 3.12 "The One with All the Jealousy" (1997)
  • 3.13 "The One Where Monica and Richard Are Just Friends" (1997)
  • 3.14 "The One with Phoebe's Ex-Partner" (1997)
  • 3.18 "The One with the Hypnosis Tape" (1997)
  • 3.24 "The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion" (1997)
• House Rules (TV Series) - 1 episodes
  • 1.7 "Who Knew?" (1998)
• The Naked Truth (TV Series) - 14 episodes
  • 2.8 "The Scoop" (1997)
  • 2.9 "The Birds" (1997)
  • 3.1 "Things Change" (1997)
  • 3.2 "Her Girl Friday" (1997)
  • 3.3 "Bully for Dave" (1997)
  • 3.4 "Liesl Weapon" (1997)
  • 3.5 "Bridesface Revisited" (1997)
  • 3.7 "Look at Me! Look at Me!" (1997)
  • 3.12 "Women on the Verge of a Rhytidectomy" (1998)
  • 3.13 "8 1/2" (1998)
  • 3.14 "The Neighbor of Bath" (1998)
  • 3.15 "Day of the Locos" (1998)
  • 3.17 "Born to Be Wilde" (1998)
  • 3.16 "Muddy for Nothing" (1998)
• Reunited (TV Series) - 1 episodes
• Brother's Keeper (TV Series) - 1 episode
  • 1.12 "The Date" (1999)
• Jesse (TV Series) - 8 episodes
  • 1.2 "Goober Up the Nose" (1998)
  • 1.3 "Bees Do It, Birds Do It, But Not in a Car" (1998)
  • 1.4 "Live Nude Girls" (1998)
  • 1.5 "Boo! He's Back" (1998)
  • 1.6 "The Methadone Clinic" (1998)
  • 1.7 "The Kiss" (1998)
  • 1.8 "The Cheese Ship" (1998)
  • 1.13 "My Casual Friend's Wedding" (1999)
• Dharma & Greg (TV Series) - 1 episode
  • 4.7 "Mad Secretaries and Englishmen" (2000)
• Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (TV Series) - 2 episodes
  • 4.10 "Rescue Me" (2000)
  • 4.19 "The Love Boat" (2001)
• The Huntress (TV Series) - 4 episodes
  • 1.10 "Black Widow" (2001)
  • 1.15 "Generations" (2001)
  • 1.19 "Undercover" (2001)
  • 1.23 "Showdown" (2001)
• Bob Patterson (TV Series) - 1 episodes
  • 1.5 "Bathroom Bob" (2001)
• 8 Simple Rules (TV Series) - 2 episodes
  • 2.2 "Sex Ed" (2003)
  • 2.3 "Donny Goes AWOL" (2003)
• I'm with Her (TV Series) - 2 episodes
  • 1.9 "Meet the Parent" (2003)
  • 1.10 "The Greatest Christmas Story Ever Told" (2003)
• Baby Bob (TV Series) - 2 episodes
  • 2.6 "You Don't Know Jack" (2003)
  • 2.5 "Boys Will Be Girls" (2003)
• Complete Savages (TV Series) - 1 episode
  • 1.5 "Car Jack" (2004)
• 2008 Billy: The Early Years

Producer

• Die Laughing (1980)
• Modern Love (1990)
• Caligo (2014)
• Unwelcome (2014)
• Calypso (2014)
• Straight Outta Tompkins (2015)

Writer

• One on One (1977)
• Die Laughing (1980)
• Modern Love (1990)
• Betrayal of the Dove (1993)

Composer

• Walk Proud (1979)
• Unwelcome (2014)
• Straight Outta Tompkins (2015)

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Title	Result
1974	Golden Globe	Most Promising Newcomer - Male	Jeremy	Nominated
1979	Stinker Award	Worst Actor Worst Fake Accent: Male	Walk Proud	Won
1980	Stinker Award	Worst Actor	Die Laughing, Tribute	Nominated
1980	Stinker Award	Worst Song or Song Performance in a Film or End Credits	Die Laughing	Won
1980	Stinker Award	Worst Fake Accent: Male	Die Laughing	Won
1983	Golden Globe	Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television	Two of a Kind	Nominated
1985	Razzie Awards	Worst Supporting Actor	Harry & Son	Nominated
1993	Grammy Award	Album of the Year	Beauty and the Beast	Nominated
1995	CableACE Award	Directing a Comedy Series	Dream On	Nominated

References

1. Reilly, Sue (July 11, 1979). "To Jon Peters, Robby Benson Is Today's 'Greatest Young Talent'—Women Like Him Too". People. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019.
2. Gordon, Buzz (July 4, 2003). "Pulling Up Stakes". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
3. Roston, Tom (October 12, 2008). "Robby Benson directs 'Billy: The Early Years'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
4. Maslin, Janet (August 19, 1977). "One-on-one Star And Writer Robby Benson Elated By Role..." St. Petersburg Times. p. 14D. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
5. "Wait Until Dark". RareFilmFinder. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
6. "Robby Benson". TV Guide. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
7. Benson, Robby (2012). I'm Not Dead Yet!. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0983141655.
8. "Film Reviews: Tribute". Variety. December 31, 1979. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
9. Maslin, Janet (April 30, 1982). "Movie review: 'The Chosen'". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
10. Bloom, Harold, ed. (2005). Chaim Potok's "The Chosen". Chelsea House. p. 15. ISBN 978-0791081730.
11. Benson, Robby (October 13, 2009). Who Stole the Funny?: A Novel of Hollywood. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0061756092. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
12. Host:Guy Raz (September 29, 2012). "Actor Robby Benson Is 'Not Dead ... Yet!'". All Things Considered. NPR. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
13. "Teaching". Robby Benson Official. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
14. "Actor and director Robby Benson to join Indiana University's telecommunications faculty" (Press release). Indiana University. March 25, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
15. Creps, Marcela (April 25, 2016). "Robbie Benson leaving IU, having made a lasting impact". Bloomington Herald-Times. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via Indiana University.
16. Mackay, Kathy (October 11, 1982). "Gilbert and Sullivan's Most Improbable Pair? Robby Benson and Rocker Karla DeVito". People.
17. Roston, Tom (October 12, 2008). "The odd career twist of a former screen heartthrob". Los Angeles Times.
18. Ordoña, Michael (July 20, 2012). "Robby Benson opens up about his heart in many ways in iBook". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019.
19. "Actor Robby Benson, who underwent heart surgery Oct. 31, has been discharged". United Press International. November 10, 1984. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
20. "Robby Benson: Inside His 'Brutal Experience' of Four Heart Surgeries". People. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
21. "Robby Benson's Open Heart Surgeries". The Doctors. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
22. "Benson is alive and talking—about health". USA Today. September 26, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
23. "Robby Benson and the secret he kept from Hollywood". The Maine Edge. December 13, 2012. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019.
24. Genzlinger, Neil (March 23, 2004). "Theater in Review: Words Can Never Harm Him, But Cardiac Arrest Can". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2011.

External links

• Official website
• Robby Benson on IMDb
• Robby Benson at the Internet Broadway Database
• Robby Benson at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Robby Benson at the TCM Movie Database
• Robby Benson at Rotten Tomatoes
• Robby Benson at AllMovie