Robert Benchley

Biography

Robert Benchley was an American humorist, magazine essayist, and actor who began writing for the Harvard Lampoon while at Harvard University. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, he went on to contribute essays to Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, where his topical and absurdist pieces influenced later humorists. He also performed in short films, and his short How to Sleep earned the Academy Award for Best Short Subject in 1935. His 1937 short A Night at the Movies earned an Oscar nomination. Benchley appeared in features including Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent (1940), The Reluctant Dragon (1941), You'll Never Get Rich (1941), I Married a Witch (1942), The Sky's the Limit (1943), and Road to Utopia (1945). He died in 1945.

56years old at death

Born September 15, 1889Worcester
Died November 21, 1945New York City
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22

Movie Career

Films: 11
Career span: 12 years1933 to 1945

Genres

Comedy73%, 8 films
Romance45%, 5 films
Action18%, 2 films
Adventure18%, 2 films
Family18%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Benchley's first paid piece for Vanity Fair was a 1914 parody titled "Hints on Writing a Book," mocking the popular non-fiction of the day.
Behind the award
Benchley's 1935 short How to Sleep won the Academy Award for Best Short Subject, and MGM then launched a series of ten-minute mock-instructional reels with him.
About the name
Benchley first wrote his column for The New Yorker under the name Guy Fawkes, the chief plotter behind the English Gunpowder Plot, and readers responded well to it.
First role
Benchley's first feature film role was in The Sport Parade (1932) with Joel McCrea, and the part was so well received that it was often credited with the film's success.

Robert Benchley movies on Netflix

It's in the Bag!1945IMDb rating 6.6as Parker
Road to Utopia1945IMDb rating 7.1as Narrator
Flesh and Fantasy1943IMDb rating 6.9as Doakes
The Sky's the Limit1943IMDb rating 6.3as Philip 'Phil' Harriman
I Married a Witch1942IMDb rating 7.1as Dr. Dudley White
The Major and the Minor1942IMDb rating 7.3as Albert Osborne
The Reluctant Dragon1941IMDb rating 6.7as Robert Benchley
You'll Never Get Rich1941IMDb rating 6.7as Martin Cortland
Foreign Correspondent1940IMDb rating 7.4as Stebbins
China Seas1935IMDb rating 6.9as Charlie McCaleb
Dancing Lady1933IMDb rating 6.8as Ward King

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Foreign Correspondent1940 Action, Mystery, Thrilleras Stebbins
IMDb rating 7.426K votes
I Married a Witch1942 Comedy, Fantasy, Romanceas Dr. Dudley White
IMDb rating 7.111K votes
The Reluctant Dragon1941as Robert Benchley
IMDb rating 6.74.3K votes
The Major and the Minor1942as Albert Osborne
IMDb rating 7.38.6K votes
You'll Never Get Rich1941as Martin Cortland
IMDb rating 6.73.3K votes
The Sky's the Limit1943as Philip 'Phil' Harriman
IMDb rating 6.31.3K votes
Dancing Lady1933as Ward King
IMDb rating 6.82.9K votes
China Seas1935as Charlie McCaleb
IMDb rating 6.93.3K votes

Most often with

Fred Astaire appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Fred Astaire

Clark Gable

C. Aubrey Smith

Bobby Barber

Clarence Muse

Peter Lawford

Films together

Fred Astaire3 films together, 1933 to 1943
Fred Astaire's page
- The Sky's the Limit1943IMDb rating 6.3Benchley as Philip 'Phil' HarrimanAstaire as Fred Atwell (Fred Burton)
- You'll Never Get Rich1941IMDb rating 6.7Benchley as Martin CortlandAstaire as Robert Curtis
- Dancing Lady1933IMDb rating 6.8Benchley as Ward KingAstaire as Fred Astaire
Clark Gable2 films together, 1933 to 1935
Clark Gable's page
- China Seas1935IMDb rating 6.9Benchley as Charlie McCalebGable as Cpt Alan Gaskell
- Dancing Lady1933IMDb rating 6.8Benchley as Ward KingGable as Patch Gallagher
C. Aubrey Smith2 films together, 1935 to 1943
C. Aubrey Smith's page
- Flesh and Fantasy1943IMDb rating 6.9Benchley as DoakesSmith as Dean of Norwalk (segment 2)
- China Seas1935IMDb rating 6.9Benchley as Charlie McCalebSmith as Sir Guy Wilmerding
Bobby Barber2 films together, 1943 to 1945
Bobby Barber's page
- Road to Utopia1945IMDb rating 7.1Benchley as NarratorBarber as Bartender
- The Sky's the Limit1943IMDb rating 6.3Benchley as Philip 'Phil' HarrimanBarber as Canteen Waiter
Clarence Muse2 films together, 1943
Clarence Muse's page
- Flesh and Fantasy1943IMDb rating 6.9Benchley as DoakesMuse as Jeff
- The Sky's the Limit1943IMDb rating 6.3Benchley as Philip 'Phil' HarrimanMuse as Colonial Club Doorman
Peter Lawford2 films together, 1943
Peter Lawford's page
- Flesh and Fantasy1943IMDb rating 6.9Benchley as DoakesLawford as Pierrot
- The Sky's the Limit1943IMDb rating 6.3Benchley as Philip 'Phil' HarrimanLawford as Naval Commander
Also two films together7 more actors
- Elizabeth PattersonThe Sky's the Limit (1943) and I Married a Witch (1942)
- Chester ConklinRoad to Utopia (1945) and I Married a Witch (1942)
- Al BridgeRoad to Utopia (1945) and I Married a Witch (1942)
- Marjorie GatesonThe Sky's the Limit (1943) and You'll Never Get Rich (1941)
- George AndersonRoad to Utopia (1945) and The Major and the Minor (1942)
- Aldrich BowkerI Married a Witch (1942) and The Major and the Minor (1942)
- Jerry ColonnaIt's in the Bag! (1945) and Road to Utopia (1945)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

One award and honor.

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Robert Benchley's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Other honors
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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