Robert Lansing (born Robert Howell Brown; June 5, 1928 – October 23, 1994) was a prolific American actor in television, film and theatre.
A San Diego native, Lansing got his first taste of show business as a drummer in local dance bands, but after winning the Southern California Shakespearian Festival at age 15, Bob knew that acting was his calling. He wound up serving a two-year hitch in the Army, followed by a move to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he worked as a radio announcer and stage actor.
Eventually, Lansing made the move to New York City and, after working a few odd jobs, got his first big break as Dunbar in the Broadway production of Stalag 17. This was followed by roles in Cyrano de Bergerac and Richard III, but more often than not, he wasn't working, so he and his family made the move to California in 1956. Upon discovering that there was already an actor named Robert Brown, he was forced to change his name to avoid confusion. He blindfolded himself and pointed to a spot on the map of the United States...he pointed to Lansing, Michigan, hence the name change to Robert Lansing.
Lansing landed roles in anthology dramas and eventually was cast in the starring role in the sci-fi film 4D Man in 1959. Two years later, he was cast in his first series, 87th Precinct, as Detective Steve Carella. The series was critically acclaimed and fans of the books the series was based on were pleased, but the show lasted one season, and Lansing continued on with guest roles in series.
Bob was soon cast in the role he was best known for, that of Brigadier General Frank Savage in the World War II drama 12 O'Clock High. The series, which debuted in the Fall of 1964 on ABC, was an instant hit, and Lansing was critically praised for his role, but behind-the-scenes drama derailed things. Executive Producer Quinn Martin, who never really was fond of actors, disliked Lansing immensely, particularly complaining that the actor mumbled his lines and that he couldn't understand him. Lansing got back at Martin in one set of dailies, turning to the camera when the scene was finished and yelling "DID YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?", which rankled the producer so much that he went to William Self, President of Creator/20thCenturyFox Television, and told him that he wanted to replace Lansing. Self reminded Martin that he could do that, but as Fox was the co-producer of the series, they would have to approve Martin's choice. Martin immediately mentioned Paul Burke as a replacement, and Burke was on board as the series' new lead character, Lt. Colonel Joe Gallagher, The series never recovered from the change and limped along for another season and a half before being canceled early in 1967.
Lansing busied himself with guest shots and movie roles before getting another chance at a series in the fall of 1966. Quinn Martin may have had a problem with Lansing, but evidently, 20th Century Fox didn't, as they produced a new series for the actor, The Man Who Never Was. Filmed in Europe, the series featured Lansing in a dual role as a spy named Peter Murphy and his lookalike, a millionaire named Mark Wainwright. When Wainwright is inadvertently killed by assassins gunning for Murphy, the spy takes Wainwright's identity and lifestyle, which includes marriage to a beautiful woman. Once again, the critics were in Lansing's corner, praising him and co-star Dana Wynter, but the ratings were abysmal, and the series lasted only eight weeks on ABC.
For the remainder of the 1960s and throughout the 1970s, Lansing busied himself with television guest roles and stage work. One of his best-known roles was in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Assignment: Earth", a pilot for a possible series in which he played Gary Seven, an alien who travels to Earth and assimilates himself among Earth people. Despite being a well-done pilot, it was not picked up for series.
Lansing eventually returned to series work in late 1983, co-starring as Lt. Jack Curtis is the cop/superhero hybrid drama Automan, and later had the recurring role of Control in The Equalizer. He also did a series of commercials that aired in the Cleveland area for Giant Eagle supermarkets, and in 1993, landed another series, playing Captain Paul Blaisdell in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.
Robert Lansing died of lung cancer on October 23, 1994.
Filmography on TV Tropes:
- One Step Beyond (1 episode, 1960) as Jared Corning
- Thriller (1 episode, 1960) as Lt. Brian Rome
- Bonanza (3 episodes, 1961–72) as John Dundee/Gunny O'Riley/Jud Trask
- The Virginian (3 episodes, 1963–67) as Lee Knight/Mark Denning/George Calhoun
- The Twilight Zone (1 episode, 1964) as Commander Douglas Stansfield
- Wagon Train (1 episode, 1964) as Judge Arthur Forbes
- Daniel Boone (1 episode, 1965) as Captain Robert Ives
- Gunsmoke (2 episodes, 1965–69) as Yancy Tice/Luke Frazer
- The Loner (1 episode, 1966) as Hibbard
- Branded (3, episodes 1966) as General George Armstrong Custer
- Cimarron Strip (1 episode, 1968) as Darcy
- Ironside (1 episode, 1968) as Fred Hickman
- Star Trek: The Original Series (1 episode, 1968) as Gary Seven
- The Mod Squad (1 episode, 1968) as Dave Evans
- The Flying Nun (1 episode, 1970) as Mr. Sanders
- Mannix (2 episodes, 1970–71) as Chief Carl Yaring/George Edward Diamond
- Marcus Welby, M.D. (1 episode, 1971) as David Craft
- The Rookies (1 episode, 1975) as Dave Banner
- Automan (13 episodes, 1983–84) as Lt, Jack Curtis
- Simon & Simon (2 episodes, 1983–85) as Sam Penny
- The Equalizer (29 episodes, 1985–89) as Control
- Hotel (1 episode, 1986) as Brian O'Connell
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1 episode, 1988) as G. William Howe
- Monsters (1 episode, 1988) as Ernest Chariot
- Law & Order (1 episode, 1991) as COO Peter O'Farrell
- Murder, She Wrote (2 episodes, 1991–92) as Lawrence Jarvis/Herb Walsh
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (25 episodes, 1993–94) as Captain Paul Blaisdell
- An Eye for an Eye (1966) as Talian
- Empire of the Ants (1977) as Dan Stokley
