Rex McNicol Robbins (March 30, 1935 – September 23, 2003) was an American character actor of stage and screen.

Career

Robbins appeared opposite

Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...

in the 1974 Broadway revival of ''

Gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...

''. He made his Broadway debut in 1963 as the doctor in '' One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' and subsequently went on to play roles in over 30 plays and films. He also starred with

John Lithgow John Arthur Lithgow ( ; born , 1945) is an American actor. Lithgow studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his work on the stage and screen. He has been the recipient of numerous ...

in several British plays, including ''

The Changing Room ''The Changing Room'' is a 1971 play by David Storey, set in a men's changing room before, during and after a rugby league football game. It premiered at the Royal Court Theatre on 9 November 1971, directed by Lindsay Anderson. The 1973 Broadway ...

'' (1973) and ''Comedians'' (1976) and was directed by Lithgow in ''Boy Meets Girl'' (1976) based on the 1938 film of the same name. He replaced

David Ogden Stiers David Allen Ogden Stiers ( ; October 31, 1942 – March 3, 2018) was an American actor and conductor. He appeared in numerous productions on Broadway, and originated the role of Feldman in ''The Magic Show'', in which he appeared for four ...

in the long-running

Doug Henning Douglas James Henning (May 3, 1947 – February 7, 2000) was a Canadian magician, illusionist, escape artist and politician. Early life Henning was born in the Fort Garry district of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and began practising magic at Oakenw ...

musical ''

The Magic Show ''The Magic Show'' is a one-act musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Bob Randall. It starred magician Doug Henning. Produced by Edgar Lansbury, Joseph Beruh, and Ivan Reitman, it opened on May 28, 1974 at the Cort Thea ...

''. In 1972, he played the role of

Roger Sherman Roger Sherman (April 19, 1721 – July 23, 1793) was an American statesman, lawyer, and a Founding Father of the United States. He is the only person to sign four of the great state papers of the United States related to the founding: the Cont ...

in the film version of the musical ''

1776 Events January–February * January 1 – American Revolutionary War – Burning of Norfolk: The town of Norfolk, Virginia is destroyed, by the combined actions of the British Royal Navy and occupying Patriot forces. * January 1 ...

''. Off-Broadway, he appeared in ''Urban Blight'' at Manhattan Theatre Club,

A.R. Gurney Albert Ramsdell Gurney Jr. (November 1, 1930 – June 13, 2017) (sometimes credited as Pete Gurney) was an American playwright, novelist and academic. He is known for works including ''The Dining Room'' (1982), ''Sweet Sue (play), Sweet Sue'' (1 ...

's '' The Dining Room'' at Playwrights Horizons and ''

Henry IV, Part I ''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the Battle of H ...

'' at

the Public Theater The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: An American Li ...

. His last stage appearance was as Mr. Brown in the musical adaption of ''

James Joyce's The Dead ''James Joyce's The Dead'' is a Broadway musical by Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey based upon James Joyce's short story " The Dead". Productions The musical was originally presented Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons, starting on October 1, ...

'' in 2000. His last film was a brief appearance in ''

The Royal Tenenbaums ''The Royal Tenenbaums'' is a 2001 American comedy-drama film directed by Wes Anderson and co-written with Owen Wilson. It stars Danny Glover, Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, and Owen W ...

''.

Personal life

Robbins was born in Pierre, South Dakota, to Lucy Geraldine (McNichol), who worked in journalism, and Clarence Edward Robbins, a doctor. He was an alumnus of

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

and was married with three children. Robbins died of a stroke on September 23, 2003, at age 68.

Partial filmography

*'' Shaft'' (1971) - Rollie *''

'' (1972) - Roger Sherman (CT) *''

Simon Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...

'' (1980) - Army doctor *''The First Time'' (1983) - Leon *'' The Man Who Wasn't There'' (1983) - Minister *''

Reuben, Reuben ''Reuben, Reuben'' is a 1983 comedy-drama film directed by Robert Ellis Miller and starring Tom Conti, Kelly McGillis (in her film debut), Roberts Blossom, Cynthia Harris, and Joel Fabiani. The film was adapted by Julius J. Epstein from the 19 ...

'' (1983) - C. B. Springer *''

Key Exchange Key exchange (also key establishment) is a method in cryptography by which cryptographic keys are exchanged between two parties, allowing use of a cryptographic algorithm. If the sender and receiver wish to exchange encrypted messages, each m ...

'' (1985) - Dr. Fanshaw *'' The Secret of My Success'' (1987) - McMasters *''

Vampire's Kiss ''Vampire's Kiss'' is a 1988 American black comedy horror film directed by Robert Bierman and written by Joseph Minion. Starring Nicolas Cage, María Conchita Alonso, Jennifer Beals, and Elizabeth Ashley, the film tells the story of a literary ...

'' (1988) - Sidney Langdon *''Love or Money'' (1990) - Al McDonough *'' Stella'' (1990) - Minister *''

I.Q. An intelligence quotient (IQ) is a total score derived from a set of standardized tests or subtests designed to assess human intelligence. The abbreviation "IQ" was coined by the psychologist William Stern for the German term ''Intelligenzq ...

'' (1994) - Suit *''Breathing Room'' (1996) - David's Father *'' The Associate'' (1996) - Investor at 21 Club *''

'' (2001) - Mr. Levinson (final film role)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robbins, Rex 1935 births 2003 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male stage actors American male film actors People from Pierre, South Dakota Male actors from South Dakota Yale University alumni