Robby Benson was born in Dallas, Texas on January 21, the son of Ann Benson and Jerry Segal.  He grew up in New York City, graduating valedictorian from the prestigious Lincoln Square Academy.  His acting career started at age five when he began performing in summer stock productions with his mother.  By age 10, he had appeared in commercials, recorded voice-overs, jingles as well as having looped children's voices for foreign films. 

His Broadway debut came at age 12 in the play, "Zelda".  Benson went on to star in the Broadway production of "The Rothschilds", "Dude" and "The Pirates of Penzance" where he met his wife Karla DeVito.  Other theatrical credits include "Oliver", "The King and I", "Evita", "King of Hearts", "Do Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" and "Love Letters". 

A film actor since 14, Robby got his break in the 1971 production of "Jeremy" and has since starred in such films as "One On One", "The Chosen", "Running Brace", "Ice Castles", "harry and Son", "Tribute", "Ode To Billy Joe", "Walk Proud", "The End", "Lucky Lady", "The Webber's 15 Minutes", "Invasion of Privacy", "Homewrecker" (launched USA Network's Sci-Fi Channel), and "Deadly Exposure".  Memorable television credits include "Death Be Not Proud", "Our Town", "The Last Of Mrs. Lincoln", "Richie", "Two Of A Kind" and "California Girls".  Benson wrote, directed and starred in the feature films "Modern Love" (1990) and "White Hot" (1989) and was the voice of The Beast in Disney's first Academy Award nominated theatrical film to be so lauded and reprised the role in last year's sequel. 

Robby's writing career started when he co-wrote "One on One", and "Die Laughing" with his father Jerry Segal and has since made this a vital component in his career writing the screenplays for his films "Modern Love," "White Hot", and "Betrayal of the Dove", as well as many in development.  He has created pilots for television including last year's "Local Zeroes." 

His feature directorial bebut came in 1989 with Academy Entertainment actioner "White Hot" starring Danny Aiello.  The film is notable as the first American film shot directly on High Definition Video (HDTV) format.  Since then, Robby  went on to direct the romantic comedy "Modern Love" for SVS/Sony, episodes of Disney Channel's "Kids Incorporated" and in 1993, Robby had his network directing debut with eight episodes of the hit comedy "Evening Shade", and five of the first Bright/Kauffman/Crane ("Friends") network effort for CBS called "Family Album."  Robby was soon directing Ed Asner-starrer-"Thunder Alley" for Wind Dancer Prods (creators of "Home Improvement") as well as multiple episodes of "Good Advice," "Monty," "Muddling Through," and his first pilot "Bringing Up Jack" which was subsequently picked up for 6 episodes.  Robby directed the 1994/95 season of the ABC sitcom "Thunder Alley" as well as developing scripts for Disney Studios and shooting three more pilots one for "The George Wendt Show" (CBS), another for ABC and Witt Thomas starring football legend Terry Bradshaw and the other for CBS & Disney by the writers of "The Santa Clause", "Meant For Each Other" starring Jason Bateman.  Since then Robby has directed acclaimed episodes of the hit series "Friends," an episode of HBO's "Dream On" which was nominated for a Cable-ACE award, an entire season of ABC's "Ellen" a dozen "Naked Truth"'s and 8 of the new hit Thursday NBC sitcom "Jesse". 

Robby has been writing music since age 5, subsequently receiving two gold records for songs he wrote with his wife Karla DeVito.  He scored the film "Walk Proud" and wrote themes as well as the end title song for "Modern Love" and the hit rock single "We Are Not Alone" from John Hughes' "The Breakfast Club".  Robby and Karla also received a gold record for their song, "Nobody Makes Me Crazy" which Diana Ross covered on her "Swept Away" album.  Robby also sings on the Grammy-winning, double platinum "Beauty and the Beast" soundtrack. 

Robby has done extensive voice-over and spoken-word projects including the audiobook for Randy Shilts' best-selling "Conduct Unbecoming," the voice of Prince Valiant in the popular Family Channel series, the lead and multiple characters in Universal Cartoon's hit syndicated sci-fi show "ExoSquad" (52 episodes total) and many specials including PBS's "Lincoln", "The History of American Violence" and "P.T. Barnum."  Robby's best-known voice is the gruff beast with a heart of gold in Disney's classic "Beauty and the Beast".  In his upcoming project, "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" Robby voices Young Chris Kringle for Disney. 

Between 1988-1990, Robby held a two-year artist-in-residence status at The University of South Carolina where he taught courses in filmmaking and screen acting and recently taught graduate-level film and television acting at UCLA.  He is now an acting professor for the film program at the University of Utah in filmmaking art as well as serving as board chairman of disadvantaged children's charity Famous People Players (Toronto). 

Long active in health and social concerns, Robby is a member of The American Heart Association and has spoken on behalf of the National Institute of Health before the Senate Appropriations Committee in Washington, D.C. as well as on behalf of the bill to ban the promotion of cigarettes to minors (Ted Kennedy/C. Everett Coop).  In Columbia, South Carolina, Robby is a loyal supporter of The Richland Memorial Children's Hospital and the U.S.C. Department of Pediatrics where he has established an annual children's benefit "Robby Benson's Hoops For Hope".  He has worked with the Los Angeles Blind Children's Center and numerous other community projects in Southern California. 

Robby lives in Southern California and is married to songstress/actress Karla DeVito, and has two children Lyric and son Zephyr.

 
Last updated/reviewed - September 17, 2007