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Robert Preston

Robert Preston

Known For Acting
Birthday Jun 08, 1918
Died Mar 21, 1987 (68)
Birthplace Newton Highlands, Massachusetts, USA
Popularity 1 (history)
Updated Dec 19, 2024 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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 fi ... rst 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.

Known For

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Filmography

Disclosure

Disclosure

2020

as Carole 'Toddy' Todd (archive footage)

Broadway's Lost Treasures

Broadway's Lost Treasures

2003

as Harold Hill (segment "The Music Man")

Outrage!

Outrage!

1986

as Dennis Riordan

Finnegan Begin Again

Finnegan Begin Again

1985

as Mike Finnegan

The Last Starfighter

The Last Starfighter

1984

as Centauri

September Gun

September Gun

1983

as Ben Sunday

Rehearsal for Murder

Rehearsal for Murder

1982

as Alex Dennison

Victor/Victoria

Victor/Victoria

1982

as Carroll "Toddy" Todd

S.O.B.

S.O.B.

1981

as Dr. Irving Finegarten

Semi-Tough

Semi-Tough

1977

as Big Ed Bookman

My Father's House

My Father's House

1975

as Tom Lindholm Sr.

Mame

Mame

1974

as Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside

Child's Play

Child's Play

1972

as Joseph Dobbs

Junior Bonner

Junior Bonner

1972

as Ace Bonner

Island of Love

Island of Love

1963

as Steve Blair

All the Way Home

All the Way Home

1963

as Jay Follet

The Music Man

The Music Man

1962

as Harold Hill

How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won

1962

as Roger Morgan

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

1960

as Rubin Flood

Sentinels in the Air

Sentinels in the Air

1956

as Narrator (voice)

The Last Frontier

The Last Frontier

1955

as Col. Frank Marston

Face to Face

Face to Face

1952

as Jack Potter

Cloudburst

Cloudburst

1951

as John Graham

When I Grow Up

When I Grow Up

1951

as Father Reed

My Outlaw Brother

My Outlaw Brother

1951

as Joe Walter

Best of the Badmen

Best of the Badmen

1951

as Matthew Fowler

The Sundowners

The Sundowners

1950

as James Cloud ('Kid Wichita')

The Lady Gambles

The Lady Gambles

1949

as David Boothe

Tulsa

Tulsa

1949

as Brad Brady

Whispering Smith

Whispering Smith

1948

as Murray Sinclair

Big City

Big City

1948

as Rev. Philip Y. Andrews

Blood on the Moon

Blood on the Moon

1948

as Tate Riling

The Macomber Affair

The Macomber Affair

1947

as Francis Macomber

Wild Harvest

Wild Harvest

1947

as Jim Davis

Variety Girl

Variety Girl

1947

as Robert Preston

Night Plane from Chungking

Night Plane from Chungking

1943

as Nick Stanton

This Gun for Hire

This Gun for Hire

1942

as Det. Michael Crane

Wake Island

Wake Island

1942

as Pvt. Joe Doyle

Reap the Wild Wind

Reap the Wild Wind

1942

as Dan Cutler

Star Spangled Rhythm

Star Spangled Rhythm

1942

as Robert Preston (uncredited)

The Night of January 16th

The Night of January 16th

1941

as Steve Van Ruyle

Parachute Battalion

Parachute Battalion

1941

as Donald Morse

Pacific Blackout

Pacific Blackout

1941

as Robert Draper

The Lady from Cheyenne

The Lady from Cheyenne

1941

as Steve Lewis

New York Town

New York Town

1941

as Paul Bryson, Jr.

Typhoon

Typhoon

1940

as Johnny Potter

Moon Over Burma

Moon Over Burma

1940

as Chuck Lane

North West Mounted Police

North West Mounted Police

1940

as Ronnie Logan

Disbarred

Disbarred

1939

as Bradley Kent

Beau Geste

Beau Geste

1939

as Digby Geste

Union Pacific

Union Pacific

1939

as Dick Allen

Illegal Traffic

Illegal Traffic

1938

as Charles Bent Martin

King of Alcatraz

King of Alcatraz

1938

as Robert MacArthur

No data available

No data available

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

The Chisholms

as Hadley Chisholm

Episodes: 18

First Aired: Mar 29, 1979

General Electric Theater

as Jim Tweedy

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 01, 1953

Lux Video Theatre

as Phil Baxter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Climax!

as William Struthers

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 07, 1954

Robert Montgomery Presents

as Jeff Frazer

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 30, 1950

Lux Video Theatre

as Dowey

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Lux Video Theatre

as Jed Kennedy

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Lux Video Theatre

as Kelly

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Lux Video Theatre

as Isaac Eaton

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Lux Video Theatre

as Tom

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 02, 1950

Robert Montgomery Presents

as Professor Richard Wanley

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 30, 1950

Climax!

as Cleve Gordon

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 07, 1954

Climax!

as Lt. Hogue

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 07, 1954

Your Show of Shows

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Feb 25, 1950

What's My Line?

as Self - Mystery Guest

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Feb 02, 1950

Tony Awards

as Self - Host

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Apr 01, 1956

What's My Line?

as Self - Panelist

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Feb 02, 1950

The Merv Griffin Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1962

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 05, 1951

The 20th Century Fox Hour

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 05, 1955

Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter / Performer

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 01, 1956

Tony Awards

as Self - Host / Nominee/ Performer

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 01, 1956

Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 01, 1956

Tony Awards

as Self - Performer

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 01, 1956

The Bell Telephone Hour

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 12, 1959

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 9 13 6
2024 7 17 31 4
2024 8 11 23 3
2024 9 9 15 3
2024 10 4 10 2
2024 11 5 10 2
2024 12 12 19 6
2025 1 10 18 3
2025 2 6 12 1
2025 3 5 9 1
2025 5 2 2 1
2025 6 1 2 1
2025 7 1 1 0
2025 8 0 1 0
2025 9 0 1 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

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