Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was an American actor noted for his stage, film and television work. His television roles include the spy

Napoleon Solo Napoleon Solo is a fictional character from the 1960s TV spy series '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' The series format was notable for pairing the American Solo, played by Robert Vaughn, and the Russian Illya Kuryakin, played by David McCallum, as t ...

in the 1960s series ''

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a secret ...

''; the detective Harry Rule in the 1970s series ''

The Protectors ''The Protectors'' is a British television series, an action thriller created by Gerry Anderson. It was Anderson's second TV series to exclusively use live actors as opposed to marionettes (following ''UFO''), and his second to be firmly set in ...

''; Morgan Wendell in the 1978–1979 miniseries ''

Centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at ...

''; General Hunt Stockwell in the fifth season of the 1980s series ''

The A-Team ''The A-Team'' is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from January 1983 to March 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The four members of the team were tried by court ma ...

''; and

grifter A grifter may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Grifters (band), a 1990s American indie rock band * ''The Grifters'' (novel), a 1963 American novel by Jim Thompson * ''The Grifters'' (film), a 1990 American adaptation of the novel * Grifter (ch ...

and

card sharp A card sharp (also cardsharp, card shark or cardshark, sometimes hyphenated) is a person who uses skill and/or deception to win at poker or other card games. "Sharp" and "shark" spellings have varied over time and by region. The label is no ...

Albert Stroller '' Hustle'' is a British television comedy-drama series made by Kudos Film & Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom. Michael Stone ''Michael Stone'', (Played by Adrian Lester) who uses the alias ''Mickey Bricks'', was the show's principa ...

in the British television drama series '' Hustle'' (2004–2012), for all but one of its 48 episodes. He also appeared in the British

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

'' Coronation Street'' as

Milton Fanshaw ''Coronation Street'' is a British soap opera first broadcast on 9 December 1960. The following is a list of characters that first appeared or will appear in 2012, by order of first appearance. All characters were introduced by series producer, ...

from January until February 2012. In film, he portrayed the gunman Lee in ''

The Magnificent Seven ''The Magnificent Seven'' is a 1960 American Western film directed by John Sturges. The screenplay by William Roberts is a remake – in an Old West–style – of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Japanese film ''Seven Samurai'' (itself initially relea ...

'' with

Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in th ...

and Steve McQueen, Major Paul Krueger in ''

The Bridge at Remagen ''The Bridge at Remagen'' is a 1969 DeLuxe Color war film in Panavision starring George Segal, Ben Gazzara and Robert Vaughn. The film, which was directed by John Guillermin, was shot in Czechoslovakia. It is based on the nonfiction book ''The ...

'' with George Segal and

Ben Gazzara Biagio Anthony Gazzara (August 28, 1930 – February 3, 2012) was an American actor and director of film, stage, and television. He received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Drama Desk Award, in addition to nominatio ...

, the voice of Proteus IV, the computer villain of ''

Demon Seed ''Demon Seed'' is a 1977 American science fiction–horror film directed by Donald Cammell. It stars Julie Christie and Fritz Weaver. The film was based on the 1973 novel of the same name by Dean Koontz, and concerns the imprisonment and forc ...

'', Walter Chalmers in ''

Bullitt ''Bullitt'' is a 1968 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Peter Yates and produced by Philip D'Antoni. The picture stars Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, and Jacqueline Bisset. The screenplay by Alan R. Trustman and Harry Kleine ...

'' with Steve McQueen, Ross Webster in ''

Superman III ''Superman III'' is a 1983 superhero film directed by Richard Lester from a screenplay by David Newman and Leslie Newman based on the DC Comics character Superman. It is the third installment in the ''Superman'' film series and a sequel to '' ...

'' with

Christopher Reeve Christopher D'Olier Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, best known for playing the title character in the film '' Superman'' (1978) and three sequels. Born in New York City and raised in Princeton, New Jersey ...

, General Woodbridge in ''

The Delta Force ''The Delta Force'' is a 1986 American action film starring Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin (in his final film appearance) as leaders of an elite group of Special Operations Forces personnel based on the real life U.S. Army Delta Force unit. Directe ...

'' with

Lee Marvin Lee Marvin (born Lamont Waltman Marvin Jr.; February 19, 1924August 29, 1987) was an American film and television actor. Known for his bass voice and premature white hair, he is best remembered for playing hardboiled "tough guy" characters. Alt ...

, and war veteran Chester A. Gwynn in ''

The Young Philadelphians ''The Young Philadelphians'' is a 1959 American legal drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Paul Newman, Barbara Rush, Robert Vaughn and Alexis Smith. The film is based on the 1956 novel ''The Philadelphian'', by Richard P. Powell. ...

'' with Paul Newman, which earned him a 1959

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Early life

Robert Vaughn was born on November 22, 1932, in New York City, to Gerald Walter Vaughn, a radio actor, and his wife, Marcella Frances (Gaudel), a stage actress. His parents divorced, and Vaughn lived with his grandparents in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

while his mother traveled and performed. After high school, he enrolled in the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...

as a

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the " news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (pro ...

major. However, he dropped out after a year and moved to Los Angeles with his mother. He studied at

Los Angeles City College Los Angeles City College (LACC) is a public community college in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard on the former campu ...

, then transferred to Los Angeles State College of Applied Arts and Sciences, earning a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

in theater. After graduating from college, Vaughn was drafted into the Army, serving as a

drill sergeant A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces, fire department, or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. Foot drill, military step, and marching are typically taught by drill instructors. Australia A ...

. He later received a

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

in communications from the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

in 1970. In 1972, he published his dissertation as the book ''Only Victims: A Study of Show Business Blacklisting''.

Career

Vaughn made his television debut on the November 21, 1955, "Black Friday" episode of the American television series ''

Medic A medic is a person involved in medicine such as a medical doctor, medical student, paramedic or an emergency medical responder. Among physicians in the UK, the term "medic" indicates someone who has followed a "medical" career path in postgra ...

'', the first of more than two hundred episodic roles through mid-2000. His first film appearance was as an extra in ''

The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...

'' (1956), playing a golden calf idolater also visible in a scene in a chariot behind that of

. In 1956, Vaughn made his first guest appearance on '' Gunsmoke'' in the episode entitled “Cooter.” The following year, he made his second guest appearance on '' Gunsmoke'' opposite

Barbara Eden Barbara Eden (born Barbara Jean Morehead; August 23, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and producer best known for her starring role as Jeannie in the sitcom '' I Dream of Jeannie'' (1965-1970). Other notable roles include Roslyn Pierce opp ...

in a Romeo-Juliet role, in the episode "Romeo", which turned out okay for the bride and groom. Vaughn's first credited movie role came the following year in the

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

''Hell's Crossroads'' (1957), in which he played Bob Ford, the murderer of outlaw Jesse James. Seen by

Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor and producer. Initially known for playing tough guys with a tender heart, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-yea ...

Calder Willingham Calder Baynard Willingham Jr. (December 23, 1922 – February 19, 1995)Alex MacaulayBiographical entry of Calder Willinghamfrom the New Georgia Encyclopedia was an American novelist and screenwriter. Before the age of 30, after three novels ...

's play ''End as a Man'', Vaughn was signed with Lancaster's film company and was to have played the Steve Dallas role in ''

Sweet Smell of Success ''Sweet Smell of Success'' is a 1957 American film noir drama film directed by Alexander Mackendrick, starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, and Martin Milner, and written by Clifford Odets, Ernest Lehman, and Mackendrick from t ...

''. Vaughn appeared as Stan Gray in the episode "The Twisted Road" of the

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

syndicated series ''

Frontier Doctor ''Frontier Doctor'' is an American Western television series starring Rex Allen that aired in syndication from September 26, 1958, until June 20, 1959. The series was also known as ''Unarmed'' and ''Man of the West''.TV Guide Guide to TV. Barnes ...

''. Vaughn's first notable appearance was in ''

'' (1959), receiving a nomination for both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture. He next appeared as gunman Lee in ''

'' (1960), a role he essentially reprised 20 years later in ''

Battle Beyond the Stars ''Battle Beyond the Stars'' is a 1980 American space opera film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Jimmy T. Murakami, and starring Richard Thomas, Robert Vaughn, George Peppard, John Saxon, Sybil Danning and Darlanne Fluegel. Intended as ...

'' (1980), both films adapted from filmmaker

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...

's 1954 Japanese

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

epic, '' Seven Samurai''. Vaughn was the last surviving member of those who portrayed The Magnificent Seven. He played a different role, Judge Oren Travis, on the 1998–2000 syndicated television series ''

''. In 1963 Vaughn appeared in an episode of ''

The Dick Van Dyke Show ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was produced by Calvada Product ...

'' as Jim Darling, a successful businessman and an old flame of Laura Petrie in the episode "It's A Shame She Married Me". During the 1963–64 season of ''

The Lieutenant ''The Lieutenant'' is an American television series, the first created by Gene Roddenberry. It aired on NBC on Saturday evenings in the 1963–1964 television schedule. It was produced by Arena Productions, one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most ...

'', Vaughn appeared as Captain Raymond Rambridge alongside

Gary Lockwood Gary Lockwood (born John Gary Yurosek; February 21, 1937) is an American actor. Lockwood is best known for his roles as astronaut Frank Poole in the film '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'' (1968), and as Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell in the '' Star ...

, who played a Marine second lieutenant at

Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by O ...

. Vaughn had guest-starred on Lockwood's 1961–62 series '' Follow the Sun''. His dissatisfaction with the somewhat diminished aspect of the Rambridge character led Vaughn to request an expanded role. During the conference, his name came up in a telephone call and he ended up being offered a series of his own—as

, title character in a series originally to be called ''Solo'', but which became ''

'' after the pilot was reshot with

Leo G. Carroll Leo Gratten Carroll (25 October 1886 – 16 October 1972) was an English actor. In a career of more than forty years, he appeared in six Hitchcock films including ''Spellbound'', '' Strangers on a Train'' and ''North by Northwest'' and in thre ...

in the role of Solo's boss. This was the role which would make Vaughn a household name even behind the Iron Curtain. Robert Vaughn David McCallum Man from UNCLE 1966

Robert Vaughn David McCallum Man from UNCLE 1966

Kurt_Russell_Robert_Vaughn_Man_From_UNCLE_1964

From 1964 to 1968, Vaughn played Solo with Scottish co-star

David McCallum David Keith McCallum Jr. (born 19 September 1933) is a Scottish actor and musician. He first gained recognition in the 1960s for playing secret agent Illya Kuryakin in the television series '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E''. In recent years, McCall ...

playing his fellow agent,

Illya Kuryakin Illya Kuryakin is a fictional character from the 1960s TV spy series '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' He is a secret agent with a range of weapons and explosives skills, and is described in the series as holding a Master's degree from the Sorbonne ...

. This production spawned a spinoff show, large amounts of merchandising, overseas theatrical movies of re-edited episodes, and a sequel, '' The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Fifteen-Years-Later Affair''. After the series ended, Vaughn landed a major film role playing Walter Chalmers, a U.S. Senator in the film ''

'' starring Steve McQueen; he was nominated for a

BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor Best Actor in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding supporting performance in a film. Actors of all n ...

for this role. In 1966, Vaughn appeared as a bachelor on the nighttime premiere of ''

The Dating Game ''The Dating Game'' is an American television game show that first aired on December 20, 1965, and was the first of many shows created and packaged by Chuck Barris from the 1960s through the 1980s. ABC dropped the show on July 6, 1973, but it ...

''. He was picked for the date, which was a trip to London. After ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E'' was cancelled in 1968, Vaughn continued to appear on television and in mostly B movies. A notable exception is his appearance in ''

The Towering Inferno ''The Towering Inferno'' is a 1974 American disaster film directed by John Guillermin and produced by Irwin Allen, featuring an ensemble cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. It was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from the novels '' The Towe ...

''. He starred in two seasons of the British detective series ''

'' in the early 1970s. He also appeared in two episodes of '' Columbo'' during the mid-1970s, "Troubled Waters" (1975) and "Last Salute to the Commodore" (1976). The latter episode is one of the few in the series where the identity of the murderer is not known until the end. Vaughn won an Emmy for his portrayal of Frank Flaherty in '' Washington: Behind Closed Doors'' (ABC, 1977) and during the 1980s starred with friend

George Peppard George Peppard (; October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an American actor. He is best remembered for his role as struggling writer Paul Varjak in the 1961 film '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', and for playing commando leader Col. John "Hannibal ...

in the final season of ''

''. Vaughn played Morgan Wendell, opponent to Paul Garrett played by David Janssen in the 1978–79 miniseries ''

''. Vaughn portrayed Presidents

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

and

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

, in addition to

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

(in the 1979 television mini-series ''

Backstairs at the White House ''Backstairs at the White House'' is a 1979 NBC television miniseries based on the 1961 book ''My Thirty Years Backstairs at the White House'' by Lillian Rogers Parks (with Frances Spatz Leighton). The series, produced by Ed Friendly Productions, ...

''). He additionally played Roosevelt in the 1982 HBO

telefilm A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

''FDR: That Man in the White House''. In 1983, he starred as villainous multi millionaire Ross Webster in ''

''. In 1983–1984, he appeared as industrialist Harlan Adams in the short-lived series '' Emerald Point N.A.S.'', replacing Patrick O'Neal. In the mid-1990s, he made several cameo appearances on ''

Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...

'' as an audience member who berates the host and his guests beginning with "you people make me sick." After a string of guest roles on series such as '' Law & Order'' (in which he had a recurring role during season eight as Carl Anderton, a wealthy businessman who vows revenge on the NYC DA's office and longtime friend

Adam Schiff Adam Bennett Schiff (born June 22, 1960) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who has served as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative since 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Par ...

for sending his grandson to juvenile correction for murdering his stepsister), Vaughn experienced a resurgence in 2004. He began co-starring in the British TV drama series '' Hustle'', made for

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

. The series was also broadcast in the United States on the

cable network Networking cables are networking hardware used to connect one network device to other network devices or to connect two or more computers to share devices such as printers or scanners. Different types of network cables, such as coaxial cable, op ...

AMC AMC may refer to: Film and television * AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain * AMC Networks, an American entertainment company ** AMC (TV channel) ** AMC+, streaming service ** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company *** ...

. In the series, Vaughn played elder-statesman American con artist

, a father figure to a group of younger grifters. In September 2006, he guest-starred on an episode of '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''. Vaughn also appeared as himself narrating and being a character in a radio play broadcast by

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

in 2007 about making the film ''

'' in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, during the Russian invasion of 1968. In November 2011, it was announced that Vaughn would appear for three weeks in the British

'' Coronation Street''. His role as Milton in the long-running program lasted from January to February 2012. In later years, Vaughn appeared in syndicated advertisements marketed by Commercial Pro, Inc. for various personal injury and workers compensation law firms, using the catchphrase, "Tell them you mean business".

Personal life

Vaughn married actress Linda Staab in 1974. They appeared together in a 1973 episode of ''

'', called "It Could Be Practically Anywhere on the Island". They adopted two children, Cassidy (born 1976) and Caitlin (born 1981). They resided in

Ridgefield, Connecticut Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 25,033 at the 2020 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough ...

. During the late 1960s

Joyce Jameson Joyce Jameson (born Joyce Beverly Kingsley; September 26, 1932 – January 16, 1987) was an American actress, known for many television roles, including recurring guest appearances as Skippy, one of the "fun girls" in the 1960s television seri ...

was a girlfriend of Vaughn's. She acted opposite Vaughn as a guest star on a 1966 ''U.N.C.L.E.'' episode "The Dippy Blond Affair". For many years, it was believed Vaughn was the biological father of English film director and producer

Matthew Vaughn Matthew Allard de Vere Drummond (born Matthew Allard Robert Vaughn; 7 March 1971) is an English filmmaker. He has produced films including ''Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'' (1998) and '' Snatch'' (2000), and directed ''Layer Cake'' (2004 ...

, born when the actor was in a relationship with early 1970s socialite Kathy Ceaton. However, a paternity investigation identified the father as George de Vere Drummond, an English aristocrat and godson of King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

. Early in Matthew's life, Vaughn asked for the child's surname to be Vaughn, which Matthew continues to use professionally.

Political views

Vaughn was a longtime member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. His family was also Democratic and was involved in politics in

. Early in his career, he was described as a "

liberal Democrat Several political parties from around the world have been called the Liberal Democratic Party or Liberal Democrats. These parties usually follow a liberal democratic ideology. Active parties Former parties See also *Liberal democracy *Lib ...

". He was opposed to the

Hollywood Blacklist The Hollywood blacklist was an entertainment industry blacklist, broader than just Hollywood, put in effect in the mid-20th century in the United States during the early years of the Cold War. The blacklist involved the practice of denying empl ...

of suspected Communists on freedom of speech principles, but Vaughn also was opposed to Communism as a totalitarian system. Vaughn campaigned for

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

in the Presidential election of 1960 for

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

. He was the chair of the California Democratic State Central Committee

speakers bureau A speakers bureau is a collection of speakers who talk about a particular subject, or a company, which operates to facilitate speakers for clients requiring motivational speakers, celebrity appearances, conference facilitators, or keynote speaker ...

and actively campaigned for candidates in the 1960s. Vaughn was the first popular American actor to take a public stand against the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

and was active in the peace group

Another Mother for Peace Another Mother for Peace (AMP) is a grass-roots anti-war advocacy group founded in 1967 in opposition to the U.S. war in Vietnam. The association is "dedicated to eliminating the use of war as a means of solving disputes among nations, people and ...

. Vaughn debated

William F. Buckley Jr. William Frank Buckley Jr. (born William Francis Buckley; November 24, 1925 – February 27, 2008) was an American public intellectual, conservative author and political commentator. In 1955, he founded ''National Review'', the magazine that stim ...

on his program '' Firing Line'' on the

. With Dick Van Dyke and

Carl Reiner Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, stand-up comedian, director, screenwriter, and author whose career spanned seven decades. He was the recipient of many awards and honors, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, ...

, he was a founder of Dissenting Democrats. Early in the 1968 presidential election, they supported the candidacy of Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy, who was running for president as an alternative to Vice President

Hubert Humphrey Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American pharmacist and politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Mi ...

, who had supported President Lyndon Johnson's escalation of the war in Vietnam. Vaughn was reported to have political ambitions of his own, but in a 1973 interview, he denied having had any political aspirations. In a conversation with historian Jack Sanders, he stated that after the

assassination of Robert F. Kennedy On June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan shortly after midnight at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles. He was pronounced dead at 1:44 a.m. PDT the following day. Kennedy was a senator from New York and a candidate ...

in 1968, "I lost heart for the battle."

Books

Vaughn published ''Only Victims: A Study of Show Business Blacklisting'' in 1972. His second book, ''A Fortunate Life'', was published in 2008.

Death

Vaughn died in a hospice in Danbury, Connecticut, on November 11, 2016, eleven days before his 84th birthday, after a year-long treatment for

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ...

Theatre

Filmography

Film

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'' , Proteus IV , , - , '' Starship Invasions'' , Prof. Allan Duncan , . , - , rowspan="3" , 1978 , ''The Lucifer Complex'' , Glen Manning , Science fiction film directed by Kenneth Hartford &

David L. Hewitt David L. Hewitt (born August 12, 1939) is a film director and producer. Among the films he has directed are ''The Wizard of Mars'', ''Monsters Crash the Pajama Party'' (both 1965), ''Journey to the Center of Time'' (1967), ''The Mighty Gorga'' ( ...

and written by Hewitt & Dale Skillicorn. , - , '' Brass Target'' , Col. Donald Rogers , , - , ''

Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O or Hawaii Five-0 may refer to: * ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010 TV series), an American action police procedural television series * ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1968 TV series), an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productio ...

'' , Rolande , Episode: "The Spirit is Willie" , - , 1979 , ''

Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff ''Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff'' is a 1979 American drama film directed by Marvin J. Chomsky. The screenplay by Polly Platt is based on the 1970 novel of the same title by William Inge. Inge wrote two novels, both set in the fictional town of Freedom, K ...

'' , Dr. Neal , Drama film directed by Marvin J. Chomsky. , - , rowspan="4" , 1980 , ''

Cuba Crossing ''Cuba Crossing'', also known as ''Assignment: Kill Castro'', ''Kill Castro'', and ''Sweet Dirty Tony'', is a 1980 German/American international co-production action film directed by Chuck Workman and distributed by Troma Entertainment. It was pro ...

'' , Hud , , - , ''

Virus A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Since Dmitri Ivanovsk ...

'' , Senator Barkley , , - , '' Hangar 18'' , Gordon Cain , Action science fiction film directed by James L. Conway and written by Ken Pettus with the story by Thomas C. Chapman and Conway. , - , ''

'' , Gelt , Science fiction–adventure film directed by Jimmy T. Murakami. , - , 1981 , '' S.O.B.'' , David Blackman , Comedy film written and directed by

Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio s ...

. , - , rowspan="2" , 1983 , ''

'' , Ross Webster , British

superhero film A superhero film (or superhero movie) is a film that focuses on the actions of superheroes. Superheroes are individuals who possess superhuman abilities and are dedicated to protecting the public. These films typically feature action, advent ...

directed by

Richard Lester Richard Lester Liebman (born January 19, 1932) is an American retired film director based in the United Kingdom. He is best known for directing the Beatles' films '' A Hard Day's Night'' (1964) and '' Help!'' (1965), and the superhero films ' ...

and based on the

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...

character

Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...

. , - , ''

Great Transport ''Great Transport'' ( sh, Veliki transport) is a 1983 Yugoslav action–drama war film directed by Veljko Bulajić. The film was selected as the Yugoslav entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 56th Academy Awards, but was not accepted ...

'' , Dr. Emil Kovac , . , - , rowspan="2" , 1986 , ''

Black Moon Rising ''Black Moon Rising'' is a 1986 science fiction action thriller film directed by Harley Cokliss, written by John Carpenter, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Hamilton, Robert Vaughn, Keenan Wynn, and Richard Jaeckel. The plot revolves around ...

'' , Ed Ryland , Action film directed by

Harley Cokliss Harley Cokeliss (born Harley Louis Cokliss, February 11, 1945) is an American director, writer and producer of film and television. Early life Originally brought up in Chicago, he moved to Britain in 1966 to study at the London Film School ...

and written by

John Carpenter John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer. Although he worked in various film genres, he is most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s. He ...

. , - , ''

'' , Gen. Woodbridge , , - , rowspan="3" , 1987 , ''

Hour of the Assassin ''Hour of the Assassin'' (also known as es, Misión en los Andes) is a 1987 action–drama film starring Erik Estrada, Robert Vaughn, Alfredo Álvarez Calderón, Orlando Sacha, Reynaldo Arenas, and Lourdes Berninzon. The film was directed by ...

'' , Sam Merrick , , - , ''

They Call Me Renegade ''They Call Me Renegade'' is a 1987 road movie directed by E.B. Clucher and starring Terence Hill and his adoptive son Ross. Plot summary "Renegade" Luke (Hill), a drifter and petty con artist, lives a free and easy life with no responsibility t ...

'' , Lawson , , - , ''

Killing Birds ''Killing Birds'' is a 1988 Italian horror film starring Lara Wendel and Robert Vaughn. The film is set in Louisiana where Fred Brown returns from the Vietnam war to find his wife in bed with her lover and slaughters the whole family sparing the ...

'' , Dr. Fred Brown , , - , rowspan="3" , 1988 , ''

Skeleton Coast The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Atlantic coast of Namibia and south of Angola from the Kunene River south to the Swakop River, although the name is sometimes used to describe the entire Namib Desert coast. The indigenous San peo ...

'' , Maj. Schneider , , - , ''Captive Rage'' , Eduard Delacorte , , - , ''Another Way: D-Kikan Joho'' , Mr. D , Japanese film , - , rowspan="5" , 1989 , '' The Emissary'' , Ambassador Ed MacKay , , - , ''

That's Adequate ''That's Adequate'' is a 1990 mockumentary comedy film documenting a fictional Hollywood studio, Adequate Film Studios. Narrated and hosted by Tony Randall, the film features an all-star cast including James Coco (in his final film role), Robert D ...

'' ,

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

, , - , '' C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D.'' , Colonel Masters , , - , '' River of Death'' , Dr. Wolfgang Manteuffel , , - , ''

Transylvania Twist ''Transylvania Twist'' is a 1989 comedy film that parodies horror films. Originally released by Concord Production Inc., this film is distributed on home video by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In the film Angus Scrimm reprises his role of the "Tall Man" ...

'' , Lord Byron Orlock , , - , rowspan="2" , 1990 , ''

Buried Alive Premature burial, also known as live burial, burial alive, or vivisepulture, means to be buried while still alive. Animals or humans may be buried alive accidentally on the mistaken assumption that they are dead, or intentionally as a form of t ...

'' , Gary Julian , , - , '' Nobody's Perfect'' , Dr. Duncan , , - , 1991 , ''

Going Under "Going Under" is a song by American rock band Evanescence from their debut studio album, ''Fallen'' (2003). It was released by Wind-up Records as the album's second single on August 18, 2003. Lee wrote the song about coming out of a difficult r ...

'' , Wedgewood , Also known as ''Dive!'' , - , 1992 , ''Blind Vision'' , Mr. X , , - , 1994 , ''Dust to Dust'' , Mayor Sampson Moses , , - , 1995 , '' Witch Academy'' , The Devil , , - , rowspan="2" , 1996 , ''

Joe's Apartment ''Joe's Apartment'' is a 1996 American musical black comedy film written and directed by John Payson (in his feature directorial debut), based on his 1992 short film of the same name, and starring Jerry O'Connell and Megan Ward. The first MTV Films ...

'' , Senator Dougherty , , - , ''

Milk & Money ''Milk & Money'' is a 1996 American romantic comedy written and directed by Michael Bergmann and starring Robert Petkoff and Calista Flockhart. Ted Hartley and Dina Merrill, who also appear in the film, served as producer and executive producer ...

'' , Uncle Andre , , - , rowspan="4" , 1997 , '' Menno's Mind'' , Senator Zachary Powell , , - , ''

Motel Blue ''Motel Blue'' (also known as ''Blue Motel'') is a 1997 thriller film directed by Sam Firstenberg and starring Sean Young. Plot Kyle Rivers has joined the Department of Defense as an investigator. Her first assignment is to do a background chec ...

'' , Chief MacIntyre , , - , ''Vulcan'' , Vince Baxter , , - , ''

An American Affair ''An American Affair'', also known as ''Boy of Pigs'', is a 2008 American independent period drama film directed by William Olsson and starring Gretchen Mol, James Rebhorn, Noah Wyle, Perrey Reeves, Mark Pellegrino, and Cameron Bright. It was r ...

'' , Prof. Michaels , , - , rowspan="4" , 1998 , ''Visions'' , Agent Silvestri , , - , ''McCinsey's Island'' , Walter Denkins , , - , ''The Sender'' , Ron Fairfax , , - , ''

BASEketball ''BASEketball'' is a 1998 American sports comedy film co-written and directed by David Zucker and starring ''South Park'' creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Yasmine Bleeth, Jenny McCarthy, Robert Vaughn, Ernest Borgnine, and Dian B ...

'' , Baxter Cain , Vaughn's 100th feature film , - , 2001 , ''

Pootie Tang ''Pootie Tang'' is a 2001 American comedy film written and directed by Louis C.K. Adapted from a comedy sketch that first appeared on ''The Chris Rock Show'', the character Pootie Tang is a satire of the stereotyped action heroes who appeared in ...

'' , Dick Lecter , , - , 2002 , ''Cottonmouth'' , Judge Mancini , , - , rowspan="3" , 2003 , '' Happy Hour'' , Tulley Sr. , , - , ''Doug McPlug: The Life and Times'' , , , - , '' Hoodlum & Son'' , Benny 'The Bomb' Palladino , , - , rowspan="3" , 2004 , ''Scene Stealers'' , Dr. Gadsden Braden , , - , '' 2BPerfectlyHonest'' , Nick , , - , ''

Gang Warz A gang is a social group, group or secret society, society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over Territory (animal), territory in a communi ...

'' , Chief Hannigan , , - , rowspan="2" , 2012 , '' Excuse Me for Living'' , Jacob , , - , ''The Magnificent Eleven'' , American Bob , , - , 2014 , ''A Cry from Within'' , Doc Williams , , - , rowspan="2" , 2016 , '' The American Side'' , Silver-Haired Man , , - , ''Gold Star'' , Carmine , (final film role) , -

Television

References

Sources

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External links

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Obituary: Robert Vaughn
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; first published November 11, 2016
Robert Vaughn
(Aveleyman) {{DEFAULTSORT:Vaughn, Robert 1932 births 2016 deaths 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American anti–Vietnam War activists American male film actors American male radio actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors American memoirists Connecticut Democrats Deaths from cancer in Connecticut Deaths from leukemia Los Angeles State College alumni Los Angeles City College alumni Male actors from Connecticut Male actors from Minneapolis Male actors from New York City Minnesota Democrats New York (state) Democrats Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Ridgefield, Connecticut University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumni University of Southern California alumni Western (genre) television actors United States Army soldiers