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American actor (1932–2016)

Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was an American actor and political activist, whose career in film, television and theatre spanned nearly six decades. He was a Primetime Emmy Award winner, a four time Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award, and a BAFTA Award nominee. Vaughn had his breakthrough role as disabled, drunken war veteran Chester A. Gwynn in The Young Philadelphians, earning him a 1960 Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He subsequently appeared in scores of films, notably as gunman Lee in The Magnificent Seven (1960), Walter Chalmers in Bullitt, Major Paul Krueger in The Bridge at Remagen (1969), the voice of Proteus IV in Demon Seed (1977) and Ross Webster in Superman III (1983). To television audiences, Vaughn was known for his roles as secret agent Napoleon Solo on The Man from U. N. C. L. E. (1964–68), private detective Harry Rule on The Protectors (1972–74), Morgan Wendell in the miniseries Centennial (1978 79), and Albert Stroller on the BBC Television drama Hustle (2004–12). He won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of the White House Chief of Staff in the miniseries Washington: Behind Closed Doors. He also appeared in the British soap opera Coronation Street as Milton Fanshaw from January until February 2012. Aside from his acting career, Vaughn was active in Democratic Party politics. He was chair of the California Democratic State Central Committee speakers bureau during the 1960s, and publicly campaigned against the Vietnam War as a member of the peace group Another Mother for Peace. A Ph. D. in communications, his 1970 doctoral thesis "The Influence of the House Committee on Un American Activities on the American Theater 1938–58" is considered "the most complete and intelligent treatment of the virulent practice of blacklisting now available." His parents divorced, and Vaughn lived with his grandparents Frank and Mary Gaudel in Minneapolis while his mother traveled and performed. Discussing his childhood in a 1965 New York Sunday News interview, Vaughn said “I was a complete wreck as a child, emotionally unstable, excessively prideful” and that he often felt miserable. “I cried all the time and I was always getting beat up”.

Vaughn attended Lowell Elementary, Jordan Junior High School and North High School in Minneapolis, graduating in 1950. Nicknamed "Nobby", Vaughn's activity in high school included the Polaris Weekly school newspaper, the student council and various sports, including being named captain of the cross country team. After high school, he enrolled in the University of Minnesota as a journalism major. However, he dropped out after a year and moved to Los Angeles with his mother.

Vaughn's first notable appearance was in The Young Philadelphians (1959). Vaughn credited Paul Newman with helping him earn his first major film role. "The person who launched my career into A list movies was Paul Newman. When my agent called and said Warner Bros. had a role for me in The Young Philadelphians, I mentioned it to Paul, who belonged to the same health club I did. He told me it was the perfect role for me and offered to do the screen test with me. That was unheard of. In a screen test, you run your lines with a script girl who is off camera. I had never done one before, but Paul did it with me and the result was wonderful". In the film Vaughn portrayed alcoholic Chet Gwynn who lost his arm in the Korean War and was falsely accused of murder. His acting in the film earned Vaughn nominations for both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture. The film was an adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Japanese samurai epic Seven Samurai set in the American frontier. Vaughn recalled the morning in January when he arrived in Sturges’ office for his audition, " an ax was hanging over every movie project in Hollywood. Unless the casting for a picture was completed by noon on a particular Friday, production couldn’t begin". Telling Vaughn he wanted to cast him based on his performance in The Young Philadelphians, Sturges said, "We don’t have a script, just Kurosawa’s picture to work from. You’ll have to go on faith. But we’ll be filming in Cuernavaca. Never been there? You’ll love it — it’s the 'Palm Springs of Mexico' ". Vaughn told Sturges, “I'm in”. Saying, "Good decision, young man", Sturges asked, "And do you know any other good young actors? I’ve got four other slots to fill". Vaughn suggested James Coburn, a former classmate and friend. Sturges hired Coburn. Vaughn's portrayal of hired gunslinger Lee included wearing black gloves throughout the film, signifying his reluctance to "get his hands dirty" even while continuing to kill for hire. Vaughn's acting showed Lee's internal struggle with cowardice. Having lost his nerve, he could not fight until he finally summoned the internal courage to face certain death while freeing hostages. When offered the chance to run, Vaughn’s Lee is told, "Go ahead, Lee, you don’t owe anything to anybody". His answer? "Except to myself". The following year, he made his second guest appearance on Gunsmoke opposite Barbara Eden in a Romeo Juliet role, in the episode "Romeo", which turned out okay for the bride and groom.

In 1962 Vaughn starred as Boston based private detective A. Dunster Lowell in The Boston Terrier episode of the NBC network’s anthology series The Dick Powell Show. The episode was a pilot episode of a proposed Blake Edwards TV series. Edwards had created the popular Peter Gunn television show.

In 1963 Vaughn appeared in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show as Jim Darling, a successful businessman and an old flame of Laura Petrie in the episode "It's A Shame She Married Me".

During the 1963–64 season of The Lieutenant, Vaughn appeared as Captain Raymond Rambridge alongside Gary Lockwood, who played a Marine second lieutenant at Camp Pendleton. Vaughn had guest starred on Lockwood's 1961–62 series Follow the Sun.

His dissatisfaction with the somewhat diminished aspect of the Rambridge character led Vaughn to request an expanded role. During the conference, his name came up in a telephone call and he ended up being offered a series of his own—as Napoleon Solo, title character in a series originally to be called Solo, but which became The Man from U. N. C. L. E.

From 1964 to 1968, Vaughn played Solo with Scottish co star David McCallum playing his fellow agent, Illya Kuryakin. This production spawned a spinoff show, large amounts of merchandising, overseas theatrical movies of re edited episodes, and a sequel, The Return of the Man from U. N. C. L. E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair. Explaining the two The Man From U. N. C. L. E. characters' appeal, Vaughn said, “Girls age 9 to 12 liked David McCallum because he was so sweet, but the old ladies and the 13 to 16 year olds liked me because I was so detached”. "I was bombarded with house and apartment keys labeled with the addresses of the adoring girls who lived behind those doors," he wrote in his 2008 memoir, A Fortunate Life. "At the end of our first season, I had to put up an electric fence around my house to keep out the girls. I even tried using recorded animal noises to fend off my visitors, but I could never operate the sound system." Vaughn said the success of the show boosted his career. "Not only was it a great deal of fun, it changed me from being a working actor to a negotiating actor. After U. N. C. L. E., I never accepted the first offer: if I wanted more money, I asked for it. A better dressing room? Four first class tickets instead of two? I’d ask for them, and I’d often get them." In 1966 during the initial The Man From U. N. C. L. E. broadcast run, Vaughn appeared as a bachelor on the premiere episode of the nighttime version of The Dating Game which aired on October 6, 1966. Karen Carlson, the 1964 Miss America pageant first runner up, chose Vaughn as her date, which included a trip to London, England. After The Man from U. N. C. L. E was cancelled in 1968, Vaughn continued to appear on television and in films.

Vaughn starred in two seasons of the British detective series The Protectors from 1972 through 1974.

Vaughn first appeared on daytime television in 1995 as a guest star playing Rick Hamlin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. Vaughn later appeared in 1996 on ABC's One Life to Live playing the role of Bishop Corrington.

Vaughn played Judge Oren Travis on the 1998–2000 syndicated television series The Magnificent Seven. in addition to Woodrow Wilson (in the 1979 television mini series Backstairs at the White House). He additionally played Roosevelt in the 1982 HBO telefilm FDR: That Man in the White House. In 1983–1984, he appeared as industrialist Harlan Adams in the short lived series Emerald Point N. A. S., replacing Patrick O'Neal. In the mid 1990s, he made several cameo appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien as an audience member who berates the host and his guests beginning with "you people make me sick." After a string of guest roles on series such as Law & Order (in which he had a recurring role during season eight as Carl Anderton, a wealthy businessman who vows revenge on the NYC DA's office and longtime friend Adam Schiff for sending his grandson to juvenile correction for murdering his stepsister). In September 2006, he guest starred on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Vaughn also appeared as himself narrating and being a character in a radio play broadcast by BBC Radio 4 in 2007 about making the film The Bridge at Remagen in Prague, during the Russian invasion of 1968.

In 1966 Vaughn founded a film production company, Ferdporqui Productions with his lifelong best friend actor Sherwood Price. The company was headquartered at the M. G. M. Studios in Culver City, California. and hired Peter Allan Fields to produce a script treatment. Vaughn was reportedly to star in their first independent film venture. They also acquired the rights to Robert Laxalt's novel The Man in the Wheatfield in 1966 and sought investors in the proposed film's production. In 1968 the company opened a branch office in Great Britain. In the 1970s Ferdporqui Productions provided production management on The Protectors which starred Vaughn. In 1967, one of his wells saw an increase in production output from $13 per week to $270 per day, a $98,550 annual output (98550.0 in 1967 is equivalent to about <calculated amount> in recent years). The reportedly frugal Vaughn said, "If it went tomorrow, it wouldn't visibly change my life." Vaughn said he had lived on one quarter of his salary for the past ten years and that his business manager allowed him $25 spending money per week.

In later years, Vaughn appeared in syndicated advertisements marketed by Commercial Pro, Inc. for various personal injury and workers compensation law firms, using the catchphrase, "Tell them you mean business". Vaughn was also an infomercial pitchman from 1985 through 1990 for the Helsinki Formula, a claimed baldness cure. In 1994 the Federal Trade Commission sued, blocking the product's bogus claims, but $100 million of the product had already been sold. In 1993, Vaughn told The Los Angeles Times he had no problem promoting the Helsinki Formula "cure". He said, “That was about the most profitable thing I’ve ever done in my life. Every call that came in on the 800 number, I got a piece of that”.

Vaughn married actress Linda Staab in 1974. They appeared together in a 1973 episode of The Protectors, called "It Could Be Practically Anywhere on the Island". They adopted two children, Cassidy (born 1976) and Caitlin (born 1981). During the late 1960s Joyce Jameson was a girlfriend of Vaughn's. She acted opposite Vaughn as a guest star on a 1966 U. N. C. L. E. episode "The Dippy Blond Affair". For many years, it was believed Vaughn was the biological father of English film director and producer Matthew Vaughn, born when the actor was in a relationship with early 1970s socialite Kathy Ceaton. However, a paternity investigation identified the father as George de Vere Drummond, an English aristocrat and godson of King George VI. Early in Matthew's life, when all believed Vaughn was the father, he asked for "his" child's surname to be Vaughn, which Matthew continues to use professionally, still seeing Vaughn as his social father, even if not biologically.

In 1967 Vaughn released the MGM Records spoken word album Readings From Hamlet, which featured him performing seven excerpts from Shakespeare's Hamlet accompanied with incidental music. The MGM Records E/SE 4488 lp was released in both mono and stereo formats.

Year Title Role Notes 1956 The Ten Commandments Spearman / Hebrew at Golden Calf 1957 Hell's Crossroads Bob Ford Western film directed by Franklin Adreon. No Time to Be Young Buddy Root Film noir drama film directed by David Lowell Rich. 1958 Teenage Cave Man The Symbol Maker's Teenage Son Independent black and white adventure–science fiction film produced and directed by Roger Corman. Unwed Mother Don Bigelow Drama film directed by Walter A. Doniger. 1959 Good Day for a Hanging Eddie Campbell Western film directed by Nathan H. Juran. The Young Philadelphians Chester A. Gwynn 1960 The Magnificent Seven Lee Western film directed by John Sturges. 1961 The Big Show Klaus Everard 1963 The Caretakers Jim Melford 1964 To Trap a Spy Napoleon Solo Feature length film of the Pilot episode of The Man from U. N. C. L. E. directed by Don Medford. 1965 The Spy with My Face Spy fi spy film based on The Man from U. N. C. L. E. and directed by John Newland. 1966 One Spy Too Many Feature length film of The Man from U. N. C. L. E. s two–part season two premiere episode "Alexander the Greater Affair" written by Dean Hargrove and directed by Joseph Sargent. The Glass Bottom Boat One of Our Spies is Missing 1967 The Spy in the Green Hat Feature length film of The Man from U. N. C. L. E. s third season two–part episode "The Concrete Overcoat Affair" directed by Joseph Sargent and written by Peter Allan Fields with the story by David Victor. The Venetian Affair Bill Fenner The Karate Killers Napoleon Solo Feature length film of The Man from U. N. C. L. E. s third season two–part episode "The Five Daughters Affair" directed by Barry Shear and written by Norman Hudis with the story by Boris Ingster. 1968 The Helicopter Spies Feature length film of The Man from U. N. C. L. E. s fourth season two–part episode "The Prince of Darkness Affair" directed by Boris Sagal and written by Dean Hargrove. How to Steal the World Feature length film of The Man from U. N. C. L. E. s two–part series finale episodes "The Seven Wonders of the World Affair" directed by Sutton Roley and written by Norman Hudis. Bullitt Walter Chalmers Drama–thriller film directed by Peter Yates and produced by Philip D'Antoni. 1969 If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium Antonio, Photographer DeLuxe Color romantic comedy film directed by Mel Stuart. The Bridge at Remagen Major Paul Kreuger 1970 Julius Caesar Servilius Casca British independent adaptation of William Shakespeare's play of the same name, directed by Stuart Burge and written by Robert Furnival. The Mind of Mr. Soames Dr. Michael Bergen 1971 The Statue Ray Whiteley Clay Pigeon Neilson Action film directed by Lane Slate and Tom Stern. 1974 The Man from Independence Harry S Truman Biographical–drama film directed by Jack Smight and written by Edward DeBlasio. The Towering Inferno Senator Parker Action–drama disaster film directed by John Guillermin. 1975 Wanted: Babysitter Stuart Chase 1976 Atraco en la jungla Tony Starship Invasions Professor Allan Duncan 1978 The Lucifer Complex Glen Manning Science fiction film directed by Kenneth Hartford & David L. Hewitt and written by Hewitt & Dale Skillicorn. Brass Target Colonel Donald Rogers Hawaii Five O Rolande Episode: "The Spirit is Willie" 1979 Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff Dr. Neal Drama film directed by Marvin J. Chomsky. 1980 Cuba Crossing Hud Virus Senator Barkley Hangar 18 Gordon Cain Action science fiction film directed by James L. Conway and written by Ken Pettus with the story by Thomas C. Chapman and Conway. Battle Beyond the Stars Gelt Science fiction–adventure film directed by Jimmy T. Murakami. 1981 S. O. B. David Blackman Comedy film written and directed by Blake Edwards. 1983 Superman III Ross Webster British superhero film directed by Richard Lester and based on the DC Comics character Superman. Great Transport Dr. Emil Kovac 1986 Black Moon Rising Ed Ryland Action film directed by Harley Cokliss and written by John Carpenter. The Delta Force General Woodbridge 1987 Hour of the Assassin Sam Merrick They Call Me Renegade Lawson Killing Birds Dr. Fred Brown 1988 Skeleton Coast Major Schneider Captive Rage Eduard Delacorte Another Way: D Kikan Joho Mr. D Japanese film 1989 The Emissary Ambassador Ed MacKay That's Adequate Adolf Hitler C. H. U. D. II: Bud the C. H. U. D. Colonel Masters River of Death Dr. Wolfgang Manteuffel Transylvania Twist Lord Byron Orlock 1990 Buried Alive Gary Julian Nobody's Perfect Dr. Duncan 1991 Going Under Wedgewood Also known as Dive! 1992 Blind Vision Mr. X 1994 Dust to Dust Mayor Sampson Moses 1995 Witch Academy The Devil 1996 Joe's Apartment Senator Dougherty Milk & Money Uncle Andre 1997 Menno's Mind Senator Zachary Powell Motel Blue Chief MacIntyre Vulcan Vince Baxter An American Affair Professor Michaels 1998 Visions Agent Silvestri McCinsey's Island Walter Denkins The Sender Ron Fairfax BASEketball Baxter Cain Vaughn's 100th feature film 2001 Pootie Tang Dick Lecter 2002 Cottonmouth Judge Mancini 2003 Happy Hour Tulley Sr. Doug McPlug: The Life and Times Hoodlum & Son Benny 'The Bomb' Palladino 2004 Scene Stealers Dr. Gadsden Braden 2BPerfectlyHonest Nick Gang Warz Chief Hannigan 2012 Excuse Me for Living Jacob The Magnificent Eleven American Bob 2014 A Cry from Within Doc Williams 2016 The American Side Silver Haired Man Gold Star Carmine (final film role)