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Cliff Robertson
Actor
About This Interview
In his two-and-a-half hour Archive interview, Cliff Robertson (1923-2011) talks about his training at the Actors Studio and his early career on the New York stage. He talks about working in anthology series during the "live" television era of the 1950s. He discusses his role as mentally disabled "Charlie Gordon" in both television (The U.S. Steel Hour's "The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon") and film (Charly, which earned him an Oscar for Best Actor). He speaks in great detail about his work with director John Frankenheimer on the Playhouse 90 show "The Days of Wine and Roses." Robertson talks about being personally selected by President John F. Kennedy to play him in the feature film PT109. He describes his two appearances on the classic anthology series The Twilight Zone and spoke about series creator Rod Serling. Robertson discusses his blacklisting by the industry following "Hollywoodgate," in which he accused Columbia Pictures head David Begelman of forging a check. Robertson speaks about several of his television movie appearances as well as such television series as Rod Brown and the Rocket Rangers and Batman. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview in Los Angeles, CA on March 1, 2005.
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Video: Watch a clip of Cliff Robertson in The Twilight Zone episode "The Dummy":
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Highlights
Cliff Robertson on being selected by John F. Kennedy to play JFK in the film "PT 109"
Clip begins at: 17:44, Duration: 03m 50s
Cliff Robertson on the premise of the Playhouse 90 production of "The Days of Wine and Roses"
Clip begins at: 06:58, Duration: 01m 55s
On his blacklisting by the industry following "Hollywoodgate," in which he accused Columbia Pictures head David Begelman of forging a check
Clip begins at: 14:02, Duration: 05m 10s- Cliff Robertson on The U.S. Steel Hour's "The Two Worlds of Charly Gordon" and the feature film "Charly"
Clip begins at: 23:45, Duration: 06m 07s 
Cliff Robertson on appearing on The Twilight Zone episode "The Dummy"
Clip begins at: 23:34, Duration: 05m 19s
Interview
- Part 1
- On his early years and influences; on being raised by his grandmother; on his interest in aviation; on his talent for journalism and his start in acting in New York
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his formal acting training at The Actors Studio; on his acting style
Clip begins at: 10:39 - On being cast to star in the feature film "PT 109"; on meeting John F. Kennedy
Clip begins at: 17:44 - On moving to New York; on his first television work in dramatic anthologies
Clip begins at: 23:03 - Part 2
- On working on Robert Montgomery Presents; on his predilection for live television when he was younger
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On starring in the Playhouse 90 production of "The Days of Wine and Roses"
Clip begins at: 04:04 - On the ensemble feeling of working in live anthology dramas and the prestige level of television in the early 1950s; on encouragement he received from Bosley Crowther
Clip begins at: 17:20 - On U.S. Steel Hour's "The Secret World of Charly Gordon" and the film version of "Charly"
Clip begins at: 23:26 - Part 3
- On his involvement with William Goldman's first movie; on winning an Oscar for the film version of "Charly" but not being allowed to attend the ceremony
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his work on Philco Television Playhouse and Hallmark Hall of Fame; on the writers for the classic anthology series, including Rod Serling
Clip begins at: 09:31 - On on appearing on The Twilight Zone episode "The Dummy"
Clip begins at: 23:34 - Part 4
- On his two appearances on The Twilight Zone and on series creator Rod Serling; on appearances on shows including The Outer Limits and Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his blacklisting by the industry following "Hollywoodgate," in which he accused Columbia Pictures head David Begelman of forging a check
Clip begins at: 13:15 - On going back and forth between film and television; on differences between production on feature films and classic TV anthology dramas
Clip begins at: 19:12 - On the possibility of a sequel to "Charly"; on his guest appearances on The Untouchables, Wagon Train, and Ben Casey
Clip begins at: 21:32 - Part 5
- On his fun experience on Batman; on guest-starring on Falcon Crest; on his appearances in television movies including "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" and "Henry Ford, the Man and the Machine"
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On being a spokesperson for AT&T; on advice to aspiring actors; on then-current projects and voiceover work
Clip begins at: 09:02 - On his proudest career achievement and his biggest career regret; on the best advice he's ever received; on how he'd like to be remembered
Clip begins at: 14:22
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