Cinematography attracts not only talented people, but also energetic people. Cliff Robertson is a versatile personality. Before appearing on the set, he managed to work as a journalist and pilot.
Childhood and youth
Long-term practice shows that it can be very difficult to resist the established family traditions. The biography of Cliff Robertson is a clear illustration of this observation. The future actor and director was born on September 9, 1923 in the family of a director and a writer. Parents at that time lived in the famous city of San Diego. The child grew and developed in a comfortable environment. He was looked after by a babysitter. Despite the fact that his father worked at one of the Hollywood film studios, the boy did not want to become an actor.
Cliff learned to read early. He read all the books in the school library in a short period of time. Robertson not only read adventure novels and love stories, but also tried to write his own texts. He did not study badly. Peers treated him with respect. As a teenager, he stood out among friends not only for his extensive knowledge of various subjects, but also for his tall stature. This feature did not affect his behavior, he remained an outgoing and friendly guy. When the time came to choose a profession, the young man decided to become a journalist.
To get a specialized education, Robertson entered a private college, which was located in Ohio. The young man mastered not only the basics of journalistic skills, but also the basics of leadership in a team. At the same time, the student attended the local flying club and studied aircraft control techniques. At the appointed time, he passed the exams and received a pilot license for light-engine aircraft. After completing his studies, Cliff was listed as a reporter for a local newspaper for almost two years. One day, doing an editorial assignment, he ended up on a set in Hollywood. Got in and starred in the crowd. This happened in the early 40s.
First steps into the profession
At first, the directors did not pay much attention to the twenty-year-old handsome guy who willingly agreed to take part in the episodes. In the film "Corvette K-225", which was released in 1943, the name of Robertson was not even indicated in the credits. This fact did not bother the novice actor at all. Cliff continued to master the acting profession in practice. He easily passed the thorny path of knowledge, on which many performers stumble. He agreed to episodic roles, for which he received tiny royalties. He did not refuse to help with the arrangement of lighting equipment before filming.
In the second half of the forties, television developed rapidly in the United States. Cliff Robertson began to be invited to television series. The career of a professional actor was developing slowly, but the former journalist already got a taste for this work. The number of television channels increased, and there were not enough worthy performers who could stay in the frame. Of course, Cliff tried to spend as much time as possible at work, but he refused to explicitly hack. TV viewers recognized the actor in the Kraft Television Theater project.
Edge of success
For over a decade, Robertson has appeared on the blue screen every week. And now the full-length film "Picnic" appeared at the box office. This happened in 1955. The actor's name has appeared in several review articles. The next step to fame was the tape "Autumn Leaves", in which the actor convincingly played a schizophrenic. And in the film "The Naked and the Dead" Cliff appeared as a handsome officer, cynical and merciless. Well-known directors at that time began to pay attention to the potential of the actor. And gradually the attitude towards Robertson changed for the better.
In a professional environment, Robertson has developed a reputation as a reliable performer of any role in a project of any genre. Three Days of the Condor is a spy story. "Star Hero" is an action movie. Obsession is a thriller. The pinnacle of his work was the film Charlie, about the fate of an ordinary baker. For this role, Cliff won an Academy Award in 1969. It is interesting to note that the actor played several real-life characters. In the film "RT-109" he presented the image of US President John F. Kennedy, who commanded a torpedo boat in the Pacific Fleet during the war.
Hobbies and personal life
The film "Star-80" is based on facts from the biography of the publisher of the magazine "Playboy". In the film "Ford: Man and Machine" the actor played the legendary Henry Ford. In this context, it is interesting to note that throughout his adult life Robertson was fond of airplanes. At first, he was simply listed as an active member of the flying club. Later, when he began to receive decent royalties, he collected a decent collection of his own aircraft. Three models of cars from the Second World War have appeared in the hangar. Cliff regularly took to the skies on each of them. Airplanes, like horses, should not stagnate in one place.
Robertson's personal life was not very smooth. Two attempts to create a lasting matrimonial union were unsuccessful. In the first marriage, which lasted only three years, a daughter was born. In 1966, Cliff tied the knot for the second time. They lived with actress Dina Merrill for twenty years. The husband and wife raised a daughter who died of cancer in adulthood. The actor himself adhered to an active lifestyle until the last days. Cliff Robertson died in 2011, one day after his date of birth.
