Robert Preston

Robert Preston

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1918-06-08
Deathday: 1987-03-21 (68 years old)

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Biography

Robert Preston (June 8, 1918 – March 21, 1987) was an American stage and film actor and singer, best known for his collaboration with composer Meredith Willson and originating the role of Professor Harold Hill in the 1957 musical The Music Man and the 1962 film adaptation; the film earned him his first of two Golden Globe Award nominations. Preston collaborated twice with filmmaker Blake Edwards, first in S.O.B. (1981) and again in Victor/Victoria (1982). For portraying Carroll "Toddy" Todd in the latter, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor at the 55th Academy Awards.


Preston was born Robert Preston Meservey in Newton, Massachusetts, the son of a garment worker and a record store clerk. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School, training as a musician and playing several instruments, but quit at age sixteen to study acting at the Pasadena Community Playhouse.


Preston made his Broadway debut in 1940 in the play The Philadelphia Story. He went on to star in a number of successful Broadway musicals, including The Pajama Game (1954), Damn Yankees (1955), and I Do! I Do! (1966). He also appeared in a number of films, including The Music Man (1962), The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960), and Victor/Victoria (1982).


Preston was a versatile actor who could play a wide range of roles. He was known for his charisma, his singing voice, and his comic timing. He was a two-time Tony Award winner and was nominated for an Academy Award. He was also a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame.


Preston died of cancer in 1987 at the age of 68. He was survived by his wife, Catherine Craig; the couple had no children.


A biography of the actor, @Robert Preston - Forever The Music Man”, was published in 2022.

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Filmography

all 73

Movies 60

TV Shows 13

self 11

Narrator 1

Carole 'Toddy' Todd (archive footage)
Disclosure

Disclosure (2020)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do

Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do (2015)

Movie
Self (archive footage)
Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade

Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade (2004)

Movie
Harold Hill (segment 'The Music Man')
Broadway's Lost Treasures

Broadway's Lost Treasures (2003)

Movie
Dennis Riordan
Outrage!

Outrage! (1986)

Movie
Self
Night of 100 Stars II

Night of 100 Stars II (1985)

Movie
Mike Finnegan
Finnegan Begin Again

Finnegan Begin Again (1985)

Movie
Centauri
The Last Starfighter

The Last Starfighter (1984)

Movie
6.09
Self - Host
Going Hollywood: The '30s

Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984)

Movie
Ben Sunday
September Gun

September Gun (1983)

Movie
Alex Dennison
Rehearsal for Murder

Rehearsal for Murder (1982)

Movie
Carole "Toddy" Todd
Victor/Victoria

Victor/Victoria (1982)

Movie
10
Self
Night of 100 Stars

Night of 100 Stars (1982)

Movie
Dr. Irving Finegarten
S.O.B.

S.O.B. (1981)

Movie
Stranger
The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg

The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg (1980)

Movie
Hadley Chisholm
The Chisholms

The Chisholms (1979)

TV
Big Ed Bookman
Semi-Tough

Semi-Tough (1977)

Movie
Tom Lindholm Sr.
My Father's House

My Father's House (1975)

Movie
Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside
Mame

Mame (1974)

Movie
5.33
Joseph Dobbs
Child's Play

Child's Play (1972)

Movie
Ace Bonner
Junior Bonner

Junior Bonner (1972)

Movie
Jay Follett
All the Way Home

All the Way Home (1963)

Movie
Steve Blair
Island of Love

Island of Love (1963)

Movie
Roger Morgan
How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won (1962)

Movie
6
Self
The Merv Griffin Show

The Merv Griffin Show (1962)

TV
Harold Hill
The Music Man

The Music Man (1962)

Movie
Rubin Flood
The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960)

Movie
Self - Host / Self - Presenter / Self - Host / Nominee/ Performer / Self - Presenter / Performer / Self - Performer
Tony Awards

Tony Awards (1956)

TV
1
Narrator
Sentinels in the Air

Sentinels in the Air (1956)

Movie
Col. Frank Marston
The Last Frontier

The Last Frontier (1955)

Movie
10
Doug Hallock / Tom Collier / Tom Waycroff
The Alcoa Hour

The Alcoa Hour (1955)

TV
The 20th Century Fox Hour

The 20th Century Fox Hour (1955)

TV
Lt. Hogue / William Struthers / Cleve Gordon
Climax!

Climax! (1954)

TV
Ben Wagner
The Elgin Hour

The Elgin Hour (1954)

TV
Jim Tweedy
General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater (1953)

TV
Jack Potter
Face to Face

Face to Face (1952)

Movie
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)

TV
Joe Waldner
My Outlaw Brother

My Outlaw Brother (1951)

Movie
Matthew Fowler
Best of the Badmen

Best of the Badmen (1951)

Movie
John Graham
Cloudburst

Cloudburst (1951)

Movie
Father Reed
When I Grow Up

When I Grow Up (1951)

Movie
Dowey / Kelly / Tom / Jed Kennedy / Isaac Eaton / Phil Baxter
Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre (1950)

TV
Your Show of Shows

Your Show of Shows (1950)

TV
James Cloud - aka Kid Wichita
The Sundowners

The Sundowners (1950)

Movie
Self - Panelist / Self - Mystery Guest
What's My Line?

What's My Line? (1950)

TV
Jeff Frazer / Professor Richard Wanley
Robert Montgomery Presents

Robert Montgomery Presents (1950)

TV
David Boothe
The Lady Gambles

The Lady Gambles (1949)

Movie
Brad Brady
Tulsa

Tulsa (1949)

Movie
Murray Sinclair
Whispering Smith

Whispering Smith (1948)

Movie
7.33
Tate Riling
Blood on the Moon

Blood on the Moon (1948)

Movie
Rev. Philip Y. Andrews
Big City

Big City (1948)

Movie
Jim Davis
Wild Harvest

Wild Harvest (1947)

Movie
Robert Preston
Variety Girl

Variety Girl (1947)

Movie
Francis Macomber
The Macomber Affair

The Macomber Affair (1947)

Movie
Capt. Nick Stanton
Night Plane from Chungking

Night Plane from Chungking (1943)

Movie
Self
Wings Up

Wings Up (1943)

Movie
Pvt. Joe Doyle
Wake Island

Wake Island (1942)

Movie
Michael Crane
This Gun for Hire

This Gun for Hire (1942)

Movie
Dan Cutler
Reap the Wild Wind

Reap the Wild Wind (1942)

Movie
Robert Preston (uncredited)
Star Spangled Rhythm

Star Spangled Rhythm (1942)

Movie
Robert Draper
Pacific Blackout

Pacific Blackout (1941)

Movie
Steve Van Ruyle
The Night of January 16th

The Night of January 16th (1941)

Movie
Paul Bryson, Jr.
New York Town

New York Town (1941)

Movie
Donald Morse
Parachute Battalion

Parachute Battalion (1941)

Movie
Steve Lewis
The Lady from Cheyenne

The Lady from Cheyenne (1941)

Movie
Ronnie Logan
North West Mounted Police

North West Mounted Police (1940)

Movie
Chuck Lane
Moon Over Burma

Moon Over Burma (1940)

Movie
Johnny Potter
Typhoon

Typhoon (1940)

Movie
Digby Geste
Beau Geste

Beau Geste (1939)

Movie
Dick Allen
Union Pacific

Union Pacific (1939)

Movie
Bradley Kent
Disbarred

Disbarred (1939)

Movie
Charles Bent Martin
Illegal Traffic

Illegal Traffic (1938)

Movie
Robert MacArthur
King of Alcatraz

King of Alcatraz (1938)

Movie

Ratings

Average 6
Based on 194 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1938
1947
1952
1948
2020
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Robert PrestonRobert PrestonRobert PrestonRobert Preston

Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Male

Birthday
1918-06-08

Deathday
1987-03-21 (68 years old)

Birth Place
Massachusetts, United States

Relationships
Catherine Craig (1940-01-01 - 1987-01-01)

Citizenships
United States

Also Known As
Robert Preston Meservey

Awards
Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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