Robert Preston
Biography
Robert Preston was an American actor who worked on stage and in films. Born in Massachusetts, he grew up in Los Angeles and began performing in stock and Pasadena Playhouse productions before Paramount signed him. Under the name Robert Preston, he appeared in many Hollywood films, often Westerns, including Beau Geste (1939), Union Pacific (1939), North West Mounted Police (1940), and This Gun for Hire (1942). He became best known as Professor Harold Hill in the Broadway musical The Music Man, winning a Tony Award, and he reprised the role in the film The Music Man (1962). He won a second Tony for I Do! I Do! and later starred in Junior Bonner (1972), S.O.B. (1981), and Victor/Victoria (1982), earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for the latter. His final theatrical film was The Last Starfighter (1984).
68years old at death
- Born Massachusetts
- Died Montecito
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- Also credited as Robert Preston Meservey
Movie Career
- Films
- 26
- Career span
- 64 years1939 to 2003
Genres
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A role that slipped away
Warner Brothers first wanted Frank Sinatra to play the fast-talking Harold Hill in the 1962 film of The Music Man, but playwright Willson insisted that Preston, who had starred on Broadway, be cast opposite Shirley Jones.
First role
Preston's first musical part was Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man, and he recalled that all the musical comedy performers had been tried before him.
Getting ready for a role
Preston based his performance as the interstellar recruiter Centauri in The Last Starfighter on the approach he had taken to Professor Harold Hill, and the part was written for him with that role in mind.
Beyond film
Preston recorded Chicken Fat, a song by Meredith Willson, for a President's Council on Physical Fitness program; Capitol Records sent it to elementary schools, where students exercised to it.
A first
Preston was the first to play Henry II on stage in The Lion in Winter, the part Peter O'Toole took in the film. In 1964 he also starred in the title role of the musical Ben Franklin in Paris.
A change of course
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Preston joined the United States Army Air Forces. He was an intelligence officer with the 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) in the U.S. 9th Air Force.
Robert Preston movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Cecil B. DeMille directed three of these films, Blake Edwards two. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Julie Andrews's page
Brian Donlevy's page
Lynne Overman's page
John Wayne's page
Henry Fonda's page
Barbara Stanwyck's page
All films by Cecil B. DeMille
All films by Blake Edwards
Also two films together19 more actors
- Gary CooperNorth West Mounted Police (1940) and Beau Geste (1939)
- Angela LansburyBroadway's Lost Treasures (2003) and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960)
- Gregory PeckHow the West Was Won (1962) and The Macomber Affair (1947)
- Bob GuntonBroadway's Lost Treasures (2003) and Finnegan Begin Again (1985)
- Ray MillandReap the Wild Wind (1942) and Beau Geste (1939)
- Walter BrennanHow the West Was Won (1962) and Blood on the Moon (1948)
- Regis ToomeyNorth West Mounted Police (1940) and Union Pacific (1939)
- Akim TamiroffNorth West Mounted Police (1940) and Union Pacific (1939)
- Frank FaylenBlood on the Moon (1948) and Whispering Smith (1948)
- Albert DekkerWake Island (1942) and Beau Geste (1939)
- Willard RobertsonNorth West Mounted Police (1940) and Union Pacific (1939)
- Raymond MasseyHow the West Was Won (1962) and Reap the Wild Wind (1942)
- Susan HaywardReap the Wild Wind (1942) and Beau Geste (1939)
- Alan LaddWhispering Smith (1948) and This Gun for Hire (1942)
- Francis McDonaldNorth West Mounted Police (1940) and Union Pacific (1939)
- Victor KilianReap the Wild Wind (1942) and This Gun for Hire (1942)
- Paulette GoddardReap the Wild Wind (1942) and North West Mounted Police (1940)
- Walter HampdenReap the Wild Wind (1942) and North West Mounted Police (1940)
- Mikhail RasumnyThis Gun for Hire (1942) and Wake Island (1942)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Robert Preston's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$124 million
7 of the 26 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 26 films: 7 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 4 never in cinemas; 12 figure not found.
- 7Worldwide figure
- 3US gross only
- 4Never in cinemas
- 12Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$44M35.7% of the total
- 2$29M23.2% of the total
- 3$28M22.8% of the total
- 4$15M12.1% of the total
- 5$6.5M5.3% of the total
- 6$1.0M0.8% of the total
- 7$77K0.1% of the total
Awards
Two awards and honors from 1958 to 1967, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1967 | Best Actor in a Musical | Won | |
| 1958 | Best Actor in a Musical | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.