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Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was an American actor and political activist whose career in film, television, and theater spanned nearly six decades. He was best known for his role as secret agent Napoleon Solo on The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964–68). He was a Primetime [[Emmy]] Award winner and was nominated for the [[Academy Award]], the [[BAFTA]] Award, and four [[Golden Globe]] Awards. | Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was an American actor and political [[activist]] whose career in film, television, and theater spanned nearly six decades. He was best known for his role as secret agent Napoleon Solo on The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964–68). He was a Primetime [[Emmy]] Award winner and was nominated for the [[Academy Award]], the [[BAFTA]] Award, and four [[Golden Globe]] Awards. | ||
Vaughn had his breakthrough role as disabled, drunken war veteran Chester A. Gwynn in The ''Young Philadelphians'', earning him a 1960 [[Oscar]] nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He subsequently appeared in scores of films, notably as gunman Lee in ''[[The Magnificent Seven]]'' (1960), Walter Chalmers in ''Bullitt'', Major Paul Krueger in ''The Bridge at Remagen'' (1969), the voice of Proteus IV in ''Demon Seed'' (1977) and Ross Webster in ''Superman III'' (1983). | Vaughn had his breakthrough role as disabled, drunken war veteran Chester A. Gwynn in The ''Young Philadelphians'', earning him a 1960 [[Oscar]] nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He subsequently appeared in scores of films, notably as gunman Lee in ''[[The Magnificent Seven]]'' (1960), Walter Chalmers in ''Bullitt'', Major Paul Krueger in ''The Bridge at Remagen'' (1969), the voice of Proteus IV in ''Demon Seed'' (1977) and Ross Webster in ''Superman III'' (1983). | ||
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Vaughn's acting portrayed Lee's internal struggle with cowardice. Having lost his nerve, he could not fight until he finally summoned the courage within to face certain death while freeing hostages. When offered the chance to run, Vaughn (Lee) is told, "Go ahead, Lee, you don’t owe anything to anybody. " His answer? "Except to myself." | Vaughn's acting portrayed Lee's internal struggle with cowardice. Having lost his nerve, he could not fight until he finally summoned the courage within to face certain death while freeing hostages. When offered the chance to run, Vaughn (Lee) is told, "Go ahead, Lee, you don’t owe anything to anybody. " His answer? "Except to myself." | ||
Vaughn died in 2016, the last of | Vaughn died in 2016, the last of ''The Magnificent Seven''actors. | ||
=== Bullitt === | === Bullitt === | ||
Latest revision as of 07:07, 30 April 2025
| Robert Vaughn | |
 Vaughn in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) | |
| Background information | |
| Born as: | Robert Francis Vaughn |
| Born | Nov 22, 1932 New York City, NY U.S. |
| Died | Nov 11, 2016 - at age 83 Danbury, Connecticut, U.S. Leukemia |
| Spouse(s): | Linda Staab (1974 - ) |
| Children: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Actor (1940s–2016) |
Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was an American actor and political activist whose career in film, television, and theater spanned nearly six decades. He was best known for his role as secret agent Napoleon Solo on The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964–68). He was a Primetime Emmy Award winner and was nominated for the Academy Award, the BAFTA Award, and four Golden Globe Awards.
Vaughn had his breakthrough role as disabled, drunken war veteran Chester A. Gwynn in The Young Philadelphians, earning him a 1960 Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He subsequently appeared in scores of films, notably as gunman Lee in The Magnificent Seven (1960), Walter Chalmers in Bullitt, Major Paul Krueger in The Bridge at Remagen (1969), the voice of Proteus IV in Demon Seed (1977) and Ross Webster in Superman III (1983).
To television audiences, in addition to his role as Solo Vaughn was known for his roles as private detective Harry Rule on The Protectors (1972–74), Morgan Wendell in the miniseries Centennial (1978–79), and Albert Stroller on the BBC Television drama Hustle (2004–12). He won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of the White House Chief of Staff in the miniseries Washington: Behind Closed Doors. He also appeared in the British soap opera Coronation Street as Milton Fanshaw from January until February 2012.
Early life
Robert Vaughn was born on November 22, 1932, to Gerald Walter and Marcella Frances (née Gaudel) Vaughn at Charity Hospital in New York City. Vaughn's father was a radio actor, and his mother was a stage actress. His parents divorced, and Vaughn lived with his grandparents, Frank and Mary Gaudel, in Minneapolis while his mother traveled and performed.
Discussing his childhood in a 1965 New York Sunday News interview, Vaughn said, “I was a complete wreck as a child, emotionally unstable, excessively prideful”, and that he often felt miserable. “I cried all the time, and I was always getting beaten up."
Education
- Wikipedia article: Robert Vaughn Education
Military service
- Wikipedia article: Robert Vaughn Military service
Acting career
- Wikipedia article: Robert Vaughn Acting career
The Magnificent Seven
Vaughn's played the gun-for-hire, Lee, in director John Sturges' 1960 film The Magnificent Seven. The film was an adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Japanese samurai epic, Seven Samurai, set in the American frontier.
Vaughn recalled the morning in January when he arrived in Sturges’ office for his audition. "...an ax was hanging over every movie project in Hollywood. Unless the casting for a picture was completed by noon on a particular Friday, production couldn’t begin. " Telling Vaughn he wanted to cast him based on his performance in The Young Philadelphians, Sturges said, "We don’t have a script, just Kurosawa’s picture to work from. You’ll have to go on faith. But we’ll be filming in Cuernavaca. Never been there? You’ll love it — it’s the 'Palm Springs of Mexico'. " Vaughn told Sturges, “I'm in. " Saying, "Good decision, young man, " Sturges asked, "And do you know any other good young actors? I’ve got four other slots to fill. " Vaughn suggested James Coburn, a former classmate and friend. Sturges hired Coburn.
Vaughn's portrayal of hired gun Lee included wearing black gloves throughout the film, signifying his reluctance to "get his hands dirty" even as he continued to kill for hire.
Vaughn's acting portrayed Lee's internal struggle with cowardice. Having lost his nerve, he could not fight until he finally summoned the courage within to face certain death while freeing hostages. When offered the chance to run, Vaughn (Lee) is told, "Go ahead, Lee, you don’t owe anything to anybody. " His answer? "Except to myself."
Vaughn died in 2016, the last of The Magnificent Sevenactors.
Bullitt
After The Man From U.N.C.L.E. series ended, Vaughn landed a major film role playing Walter Chalmers, a U.S. Senator in the film Bullitt starring Steve McQueen; he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role.
Television career
- Wikipedia article: Robert Vaughn Television career
Personal life
During the late 1960s, Joyce Jameson was Vaughn's girlfriend. She acted opposite Vaughn as a guest star in a 1966 U.N.C.L.E. episode, "The Dippy Blond Affair. "
Vaughn married actress Linda Staab in 1974. They appeared together in a 1973 episode of The Protectors, 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.
For many years, it was believed that Vaughn was the biological father of English film director and producer Matthew Vaughn, who was 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. Early in Matthew's life, when everyone believed Vaughn was the father, he requested that "his" child's surname be Vaughn, which Matthew continues to use professionally, still seeing Vaughn as his social father, even if not biologically.
Death
Vaughn died in a hospice in Danbury, Connecticut, on November 11, 2016, after undergoing year-long treatment for leukemia.
Theater
- Wikipedia article: Robert Vaughn Theater
Filmography
- Wikipedia article: Robert Vaughn Filmography
Television
- Wikipedia article: Robert Vaughn Television
External links
- [ Official website] (inactive as of 04/25 R/ )
- Robert Vaughn at the Internet Movie Database
- Robert Vaughn at the Internet Broadway Database
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Robert_Vaughn ]
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