Robert Forster
Quick Facts
Biography
Robert Wallace Foster Jr. (July 13, 1941 – October 11, 2019), known professionally as Robert Forster,was an American actor, known for his roles as John Cassellis in Medium Cool (1969), Captain Dan Holland in The Black Hole (1979), Abdul Rafai in The Delta Force (1986), and Max Cherry in Jackie Brown (1997), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Forster's varied filmography includes: Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967), Alligator (1980), Me, Myself & Irene (2000), Mulholland Drive (2001), The Descendants (2011), Olympus Has Fallen (2013), London Has Fallen (2016), What They Had (2018), and The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020).
He also had prominent roles in television series such as Banyon (1971–1973), Heroes (2007–2008), Twin Peaks (2017) and the Breaking Bad episode "Granite State" as Ed Galbraith, for which he won the Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television. He reprised the role in the film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) and Better Call Saul.
Early life
Forster was born and raised in Rochester, New York. His mother was Italian American, while his father was of English and Irish descent. The couple divorced in 1949.
Forster added an "R" to his surname as there was another member of the Screen Actors Guild named Robert Foster.
Career
After acclaimed supporting performances in two major Hollywood films, one as Private Williams in John Huston's Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967), another as part-Indian Army scout Nick Tana in Robert Mulligan's The Stalking Moon (1968), Forster starred in the critically acclaimed film Medium Cool (1969). After starring roles in Cover Me Babe (1970) and the television series Banyon (1972) and Nakia (1974), he played mostly supporting roles in action and horror films including Disney's The Black Hole (1979). Forster had lead roles in cult B-movies in the 1980s like Alligator (1980), Vigilante (1983), The Delta Force (1986), and The Banker (1989).
Forster appeared in Jackie Brown as the character Max Cherry, which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1997. Jackie Brown revitalized Forster's career, an effect that occurred for many actors appearing in Quentin Tarantino films. He subsequently had consistent work in the film industry, appearing in Like Mike, Mulholland Drive, Me, Myself & Irene, Lucky Number Slevin, and Firewall. He appeared in the made-for-television movie The Hunt for the BTK Killer, as the detective intent on capturing serial killer Dennis Rader. Forster also played the father of Van on the short-lived Fox series Fastlane.
Forster recorded a public service announcement for Deejay Ra's Hip-Hop Literacy campaign, encouraging reading of books by Elmore Leonard, whose book Rum Punch was adapted as Jackie Brown.
He appeared in the hit NBC series Heroes as Arthur Petrelli, the father of Nathan and Peter Petrelli, as well as the Emmy Award-winning AMC crime drama Breaking Bad as Walter White's new identity specialist Ed Galbraith (a role he reprised in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and Better Call Saul). He played Bud Baxter, father to Tim Allen's Mike Baxter, on the ABC (later Fox) hit comedy Last Man Standing. Forster was also a motivational speaker.
He was the first choice to play Sheriff Harry S. Truman in David Lynch's Twin Peaks, but had to turn it down due to a prior commitment to a different television pilot, and was replaced by Michael Ontkean. He appeared in Lynch's Mulholland Drive, a pilot for a TV series that was not picked up but was later turned into a critically acclaimed movie, and finally appeared in Twin Peaks, playing the brother of Sheriff Harry S. Truman, Sheriff Frank Truman, in Twin Peaks: The Return, when Ontkean was not available to reprise his role.
About this, Forster said: "David Lynch, what a good guy he is. He wanted to hire me for the original, 25 years ago, for a part, and I was committed to another guy for a pilot that never went. So I didn't do the original Twin Peaks, which would have been a life-changer. It's a gigantic hit if you remember those years, a phenomenon. But I didn't do that. [...] And this time, I got a call from my agents and they said, David Lynch is going to call you. When he called me five minutes later, he said, "I'd like you to come and work with me again." And I said, 'Whatever it is David, here I come!'"
After Forster's death, he appeared posthumously in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, reprising the character of Ed the "Disappearer" from the Breaking Bad series. He died on the day the movie was released. Four months later, Forster again appeared posthumously as Ed in episode "Magic Man" of the fifth season of Better Call Saul. The episode ended with a dedication to "our friend Robert Forster." He also appeared in an episode "Dynoman and The Volt" of the rebooted Amazing Stories television series before his death; the episode was dedicated to Forster.
Personal life
Forster was married to June Forster (née Provenzano) from 1966 to 1975. The couple had met at their alma mater, the University of Rochester. The marriage produced three daughters, Elizabeth, Kathrine "Kate", and Maeghen. Robert was married to Zivia Forster from 1978 to 1980. He also had a son, Robert III, from a previous relationship. From 2004 to the time of his death, his longtime partner was Denise Grayson. He was a member of the high-IQ Triple Nine Society.
Death
In June 2019, Forster was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and he died from the disease at his home in Los Angeles on October 11, 2019, at the age of 78.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | Reflections in a Golden Eye | Private L.G. Williams | |
1968 | The Stalking Moon | Nick Tana | |
1969 | Justine | Narouz | |
Medium Cool | John Cassellis | ||
1970 | Pieces of Dreams | Gregory Lind | |
Cover Me Babe | Tony Hall | ||
1972 | Journey Through Rosebud | Frank | |
1973 | The Don Is Dead | Frank Regalbuto | |
1977 | Stunts | Glen Wilson | |
1978 | Avalanche | Nick Thorne | |
1979 | The Lady in Red | 'Turk' | Uncredited |
The Black Hole | Captain Dan Holland | ||
1980 | Alligator | Detective David Madison | |
1981 | Heartbreak High | Coach Alan Arnoldi | |
1983 | Vigilante | Eddie Marino | |
1985 | Walking the Edge | Jason Walk | |
1986 | The Delta Force | Abdul Rafai | |
Hollywood Harry | Harry Petry | Also producer and director | |
1988 | Counterforce | The Dictator | |
1989 | Satan's Princess | Lou Cherney | |
The Banker | Dan Jefferson | ||
Esmeralda Bay | Madero | ||
1990 | Peacemaker | Yates | |
1991 | Committed | Dr. Desmond Moore | |
Checkered Flag | Jack Cotton | ||
Diplomatic Immunity | Stonebridge | ||
29th Street | Sergeant Tartaglia | ||
In Between | Vinnie | ||
1993 | Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence | Dr. Powell | Direct-to-video |
South Beach | Detective Ted Coleman | ||
American Yakuza | Littman | ||
Cover Story | Therapist | ||
1994 | Point of Seduction: Body Chemistry III | Bob Sibley | Direct-to-video |
1995 | Scanners: The Showdown | Captain Jack Bitters | Direct-to-video |
Guns and Lipstick | Captain Dimaggio | ||
1996 | The Method | Christian's Father | |
Original Gangstas | Detective Slatten | ||
Uncle Sam | Congressman Alvin Cummings | Direct-to-video | |
Hindsight | Michael Donahue | ||
1997 | American Perfekt | Jake Nyman | |
Demolition University | Gentry | Direct-to-video | |
Jackie Brown | Max Cherry | Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
Night Vision | Teak Taylor | ||
1998 | Psycho | Dr. Fred Simon | |
Outside Ozona | Odell Parks | ||
1999 | It's the Rage | Tyler | |
Family Tree | Henry Musser | ||
Kiss Toledo Goodbye | Sal Fortuna | ||
2000 | Supernova | A.J. Marley | |
The Magic of Marciano | Henry | ||
Lakeboat | Joe Litko | ||
Cowboys and Angels | Barbequeman At Wedding | Uncredited | |
Me, Myself & Irene | Colonel Partington | ||
Diamond Men | Eddie Miller | Also executive producer | |
It's a Shame About Ray | Wally | Short film | |
2001 | Mulholland Drive | Detective Harry McKnight | |
Human Nature | Nathan's Father | ||
Finder's Fee | Officer Campbell | ||
2002 | Lone Hero | Gus | |
Strange Hearts | Jack Waters | ||
Like Mike | Coach Wagner | ||
2003 | Confidence | Morgan Price | |
Where's Angelo? | Bob | Short film | |
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle | Roger Wixon | ||
Grand Theft Parsons | Stanley Parsons | ||
2006 | Firewall | Harry Romano | |
Lucky Number Slevin | Murphy | ||
Wild Seven | Wilson | ||
2007 | Rise: Blood Hunter | Lloyd | |
D-War | Jack Wilson | ||
Cleaner | Arlo Grange | ||
Grampa's Cabin | Grampa | Short film | |
2008 | Expecting Love | George Patten | |
Jack and Jill vs. the World | Norman / Narrator | Uncredited | |
Touching Home | Jim 'Perk' Perkins | ||
2009 | Thick as Thieves | Lieutenant Sam Weber | |
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past | Sergeant Mervis Volkom | ||
Middle Men | Louie 'La-La' | ||
2010 | The Bannen Way | Mr. B | |
Red Princess Blues | The Storyteller | Short film | |
The Trial | Ray | ||
Kalamity | Tom Klepack | ||
2011 | Girl Walks into a Bar | Dodge | |
The Descendants | Scott Thorson | ||
2012 | Hotel Noir | Jim Logan | |
2013 | Olympus Has Fallen | General Edward Clegg | |
Coffee, Kill Boss | Walt Ford | ||
Somewhere Slow | Chris McConville | ||
2014 | Autómata | Robert Bold | |
2015 | The Biffle Murder Case | James Burke | Short film |
The Bridge Partner | Don Whalen | Short film | |
Run Fast | Peter Cirone | Short film | |
Survivor | Bill Talbot | ||
Too Late | Gordy Lyons | ||
The Program | Michael | Short film | |
The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster | James Burke / Lieutenant Frank Murphy | ||
Home | Man | Short film | |
2016 | London Has Fallen | General Edward Clegg | |
The Confirmation | Otto | ||
The American Side | Sterling Whitmore | ||
Bus Driver | General Sorbin | ||
2017 | Small Town Crime | Steve Yendel | |
Small Crimes | Joe Denton Sr. | ||
The Case for Christ | Walter Strobel | ||
Acts of Vengeance | Chuck | ||
2018 | What They Had | Norbert Everhardt | |
Damsel | Old Preacher | ||
The Big Take | Detective Aborn | ||
Bigger | Joe (2008) | ||
Nasty | Bob | Short film | |
2019 | Phil | Bing Fisk | |
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie | Ed Galbraith | Posthumous release | |
QT8: The First Eight | Himself | Documentary Posthumous release | |
2020 | The Wolf of Snow Hollow | Sheriff Hadley | Posthumous release |
2021 | Grave Intentions | Don Whalen | Segment: "The Bridge Partner" Posthumous release Final film role |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1957 | Wagon Train | Mr. Hedson | Episode: "The Julie Gage Story" (S1E14) |
1967 | N.Y.P.D. | Tony | Episode: "To Catch a Hero" |
1968 | Judd, for the Defense | Ray Elliott | Episode: "In a Puff of Smoke" |
Premiere | Doug Payson | Episode: "Higher and Higher, Attorneys at Law" | |
1971–1973 | Banyon | Miles Banyon | 16 episodes |
1974 | Nakia | Deputy Nakia Parker | 14 episodes |
The Death Squad | Eric Benoit | Television film | |
1975 | Medical Story | David Corbin | Episode: "The Moonlight Heater" |
1975–1977 | Police Story | Various roles | 5 episodes |
1977 | The City | Lieutenant Matt Lewis | Pilot |
1978 | Standing Tall | Luke Shasta | Television film |
1979 | The Darker Side of Terror | Paul Corwin | Television film |
1981 | Goliath Awaits | Commander Jeff Selkirk | Television film |
1985 | Magnum, P.I. | Tyler Peabody McKinney | 2 episodes |
1986 | Tales from the Darkside | Gary Gooley | Episode: "The Milkman Cometh" |
Murder, She Wrote | Gilbert Gaston | Episode: "The Perfect Foil" | |
1987 | Hotel | Steve Cameron | Episode: "Unfinished Business" |
Once a Hero | Gumshoe | 7 episodes | |
1987–1988 | William Tell | Aymong | 3 episodes |
1989 | Mick and Franki | Feinstein | Pilot |
1991 | Jake and the Fatman | Ed Delaney | 2 episodes |
P.S. I Luv U | Dan | Episode: "There Goes the Neighbourhood" | |
1992 | In the Shadow of a Killer | Charles Galbis | Television film |
1993 | Silk Stalkings | Vince Riker | Episode: "Tough Love" |
Sex, Love and Cold Hard Cash | Sid | Television film | |
1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Ricky Rickettes | Episode: "The Big Bingo Bamboozle" |
Murder, She Wrote | Frank Roussel | Episode: "Big Easy Murder" | |
One West Waikiki | Gerard Foster | Episode: "Flowers of Evil" | |
1997 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Lane Tillman | Episode: "Texas vs. Cahill" |
1998 | Rear Window | Detective Charlie Moore | Television film |
1999 | Todd McFarlane's Spawn | Major Forsberg | Voice, 3 episodes |
2000 | Godzilla: The Series | Jack Chapman, Police Officer | Voice, episode: "Wedding Bells Blew" |
2001 | Like Mother Like Son | Ken 'Pappa' Kimes | Television film |
2002 | Murder in Greenwich | Steve Carroll | Television film |
Due East | Jesse Rapple | Television film | |
2002–2003 | Fastlane | Raymond Ray | 2 episodes |
2003 | Undefeated | Scott Green | Television film |
Street Time | Tony DeAngelo | Episode: "Cop Killer" | |
2003–2004 | Karen Sisco | Marshall Sisco | 10 episodes |
2004 | The Grid | Jay Aldrich | 6 episodes |
Clubhouse | Burt Austin | Episode: "Spectator Interference" | |
2004–2005 | Huff | Ben Huffstodt | 3 episodes |
2005 | Tilt | Jimmy "Gentleman Jim" Towne | 2 episodes |
Justice League Unlimited | The President | Voice, 2 episodes | |
Bounty Hunters | Jerry | Pilot | |
The Hunt for the BTK Killer | Detective Jason Magida | Television film | |
2006 | Numb3rs | Agent Thomas Lawson | Episode: "Protest" |
13 Graves | Tom Ferris | Pilot | |
2007 | Army Wives | General Grayson | Episode: "Truth and Consequences" |
Desperate Housewives | Nick Delfino | Episode: "Now I Know, Don't Be Scared" | |
2007–2008 | Heroes | Arthur Petrelli | 10 episodes |
2008 | The Simpsons | Lucky Jim | Voice, episode: "Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes" |
2011 | CSI: NY | Joe Vincent | Episode: "Indelible" |
2012 | Alcatraz | Ray Archer | 4 episodes |
Transformers: Prime | General Bryce | Voice, episode: "Grill" | |
The Eric Andre Show | Himself | Episode: "J-Moe" | |
2012–2018 | Last Man Standing | Bud Baxter | 10 episodes |
2013 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Booth Whitman | Episode: "Unfrozen Agent Man" |
Breaking Bad | Ed Galbraith | Episode: "Granite State" | |
Ironside | Virgil's Father | Episode: "Hidden Agenda" | |
2014 | Intruders | Frank Shepherd | 2 episodes |
2014–2015 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Jack J. Kurtzman | Voice, 4 episodes |
2015 | Childrens Hospital | Donald | Episode: "The 27 Club" |
Backstrom | Sheriff Blue Backstrom | 2 episodes | |
2016 | Divorce | Donald | 2 episodes |
2017 | Twin Peaks | Sheriff Frank Truman | 10 episodes |
I'm Dying Up Here | Guy Apuzzo | Episode: "Pilot" | |
2020 | Better Call Saul | Ed Galbraith | Posthumous release Episode: "Magic Man" |
Amazing Stories | Grandpa Joe Harris | Posthumous release Episode: "Dynoman and The Volt" |
Theater
Year | Title | Role | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
1965 | Mrs. Dally Had a Lover | Performer | John Golden Theater, Broadway |
1973 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Stanley Kowalski | Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway |
2017 | Chasing Mem'ries | Franklin | Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Jackie Brown | Nominated | |
1998 | Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | ||
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award | Best Supporting Actor | Won | |||
Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | |||
2000 | Hamptons International Film Festival | Special Recognition | Diamond Men | Won | |
2002 | Chlotrudis Award | Best Actor | Nominated | ||
2008 | Saturn Awards | Guest Actor – Television | Heroes | Nominated | |
2011 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture | The Descendants | Nominated | |
2011 | Gotham Awards | Best Ensemble Cast | Nominated | ||
Georgia Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | |||
Southeastern Film Critics Association | Best Ensemble | Nominated | |||
2014 | Saturn Awards | Guest Actor – Television | Breaking Bad | Won | |
2016 | Winter Film Awards | Best Actor | The Bridge Partner | Nominated | |
2018 | Newport Beach Film Festival | Icon Award | Body of Work | Awarded | |
2019 | AARP Movie Awards | Best Supporting Actor | What They Had | Nominated |