Robert Foxworth is an actor who never received the highest accolades. Neither an Oscar statue nor a Cannes Palme d’Or graces his mantle. Despite this, he holds a significant place in the U.S. film industry. His roles were mostly secondary, but connoisseurs of cinema know that sometimes the supporting performance outshines the leads. This was certainly the case with Foxworth. Although his characters were primarily negative, the actor’s true nature shone through in his eyes: insightful, deep, and carrying a spark of wisdom. We discuss the actor’s career and the whims of fate that shaped it next on houstonski.
Quick Success in Film
A boy was born on November 1, 1941, to writer Erna Beth and building contractor John Foxworth. This event took place in Houston. The family later moved to Austin, where the young man graduated from Lamar High School. Robert earned his higher arts education at Carnegie Mellon University, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting.
Immediately after graduation, Robert Foxworth attracted the attention of theater professionals. Directors at the Arena Stage in Washington saw his spark. The young actor landed his first stage roles and was quickly invited to film. His first screen role was as John David Singer in the series “Storefront Lawyers.” This was the first legal drama of its kind, following the work of young attorneys. The series aired on CBS from September 1970 to January 1971. Foxworth’s character and his colleague open a law office in a poor neighborhood of Los Angeles, taking on cases from people who had been turned away by other lawyers for various reasons. These were mostly hopeless cases concerning the rights of ordinary people. Despite the risk to their reputations, the fearless lawyers took them on.
The series reflected the contemporary reality of mid-20th-century America, covering issues such as social inequality, racial discrimination, and corruption. The creators presented one season, consisting of 22 episodes. Further filming was canceled due to low ratings. However, this work allowed Foxworth to announce himself to a wider audience. He had good, appealing looks and knew how to develop a role. People began talking about him as a future talent. He starts receiving invitations for other roles.
Robert’s next project was the science-fiction television film, “The Questor Tapes.” In this film, Foxworth played the lead role of Questor, an android created to unlock the mysteries of human existence. Due to a limited memory resource, the robot can’t recall its entire mission. It sets out to find its creator to learn its origins and purpose. Critics and audiences alike spoke highly of Foxworth’s performance in this role.
This was followed by several episodic roles in “All My Tomorrows,” the NBC romantic anthology “Love Story,” “The Mask of Adonis,” and others. These helped the young actor establish himself. Robert was waiting for serious roles, and such an opportunity eventually arose.
The Series “Dallas” and a Dispute with the Director
He was offered a role in the extremely popular series of the time, “Dallas.” Robert was cast as the villain, J.R. Ewing. Filmmakers shot several episodes featuring Foxworth. Producers were satisfied with Robert’s acting and his typecasting. However, the young actor disagreed with the director’s vision. He demanded that his character’s nature be softened. A heated argument ensued. The director refused to compromise his vision, and the ambitious actor stood his ground. Robert Foxworth was not yet famous enough to influence the producers’ decision, so he was released from the role. Time would prove that the actor shouldn’t have left the film. His successor, Larry Hagman, became world-famous because of that very role.
Life went on, and Robert Foxworth did not despair. He was almost immediately invited to another TV saga. The actor was offered the role of Chase Gioberti in the American television series “Falcon Crest.” It was this job that allowed Foxworth to gain widespread popularity. In the series, he played the owner of a vineyard, Chase Gioberti, who is constantly in conflict with his aunt, played by Jane Wyman.
The soap opera became hugely successful, airing for 11 years. In addition to honing his acting skills, Robert Foxworth managed to try his hand at directing. He was permitted to direct several episodes of “Falcon Crest.” But everything comes to an end sooner or later, even popular soap operas. Thus, the “Falcon Crest” project also concluded, bringing Robert Foxworth critical and audience recognition.
Foxworth’s Subsequent Career
Along with popularity, invitations for new roles began to pour in for Robert Foxworth. The actor’s next work was the series “Six Feet Under.” This series aired on HBO from 2001 to 2005. The saga’s plot revolves around the Fisher family, who own a funeral home in Los Angeles. The film addresses issues such as family relationships, the eternal problem of parents and children, and the rejection of change. The series is considered one of the best of its kind, making Foxworth’s involvement notable.
The actor played Bernard Chenowith, whose character had a rather gloomy image. Bernard is a conservative and religious man who lives in his own bubble. Furthermore, he has strained relations with his daughter. Despite the complexity of the character and his episodic nature in the series, Robert Foxworth played his role perfectly.
Subsequent roles were again episodic. Foxworth played a killer in “Big Deceptions” and one episode of the popular series “Columbo.” Then came “Hawaii Five-0,” “Password Plus,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “The Outer Limits,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” “Stargate SG-1,” “Babylon 5,” and a whole host of other films. Despite the supporting roles, Robert Foxworth played them effectively and devotedly, sometimes overshadowing the main characters. In total, the actor’s creative portfolio includes over 40 roles.
Robert Foxworth also worked in voice acting. Notably, he voiced the corrupt Professor Hamilton in “Justice League Unlimited.” His voice also belonged to the Autobot Ratchet in the fantasy saga “Transformers.”
Personal Life
Robert Foxworth keeps his private life a secret, rarely giving interviews. It is known that he was first married to Marilyn McCormick. The couple lived together for 10 years, and the actor has two children from that marriage. His son, Bo Foxworth, also became an actor. The reason for their separation remained private.
Robert then lived with famous actress Elizabeth Montgomery for 20 years. They finally legalized their relationship only in 1993. Two years later, Elizabeth passed away. Since 1998, Foxworth has been in a relationship with Stacy Thomas. He continues to work in the film industry, focusing on voice acting for film characters.
Robert Foxworth’s career proves a truth: to become a recognizable and successful actor, you don’t necessarily have to play leading roles. You can play a small, episodic role and become a public favorite. Furthermore, you can even play negative characters, and popularity won’t pass you by. It’s only important to approach the task seriously, devotedly, and with soul.
