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Robby Benson
Robby Benson (born Robin David Segal; January 21, 1956) is an American actor, director, and musician. He rose to prominence as a teen idol in the late 1970s, appearing in the films Ode to Billy Joe (1976), One on One (1977) and Ice Castles (1978). He subsequently garnered more fame for voicing the Beast in the Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991) and its numerous sequels, spin-offs and most Disney media. He has also worked as a television director, including six episodes of the sitcom Friends. He recently appeared in a recurring role as Dr. Mauer in Apple TV+'s Severance.
In addition to acting and directing, Benson is an activist in the field of heart research, having undergone four open-heart surgeries since age 28 to correct congenital aortic valve defects and related damage. In 2012, he published a memoir recounting his medical journey and numerous surgeries.
Benson was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Freda Ann (née Benson), a singer, actor, and business promotions manager, and Jerry Segal, a writer. His family is Jewish. When Benson was five years old, his family relocated to New York City, where he was raised. He subsequently took his mother's name as his stage name when he was 10. Benson attended the Lincoln Square Academy in Manhattan, where he graduated at age fourteen as the class valedictorian.
Benson made his film debut with an uncredited role in Wait Until Dark (1967) as the Boy Tossing Ball and his Broadway debut in the play Zelda followed by the musical The Rothschilds (1970). Benson had an early role on the daytime soap Search for Tomorrow (1971–1972). As a film actor, Benson was well known for teenage roles in coming of age films, such as 1972's Jory, 1973's Jeremy, and as Billy Joe McAllister in 1976's Ode to Billy Joe. He had an appearance in a 1973 commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups alongside Donny Most who would later co-star in Happy Days.
In 1975, Benson appeared in Death Be Not Proud and Lucky Lady. That year, he also screen tested for the role of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, a role which eventually went to Mark Hamill. In 1977, Benson starred in One on One which he co-wrote with his father Jerry Segal, and the TV movie The Death of Richie. In 1978, he co-starred in The End and Ice Castles. Benson, who had never ice skated before, learned to skate in order to film the movie, which had numerous skating scenes, including ice hockey. In 1980, Benson starred in Die Laughing and Tribute.
In 1981, he costarred in The Chosen, based on the book of the same name by Chaim Potok. The New York Times gave the film a mixed review, but noted that Benson's character Danny Saunders was "full of a gentle inquisitiveness that cannot help but win the audience's sympathy." Benson played Olympic 10,000-meter gold medalist Billy Mills in the 1983 film Running Brave. From the filming of this movie Benson implemented his training for the 1983 New York City Marathon, completing the race in 3:05:15. In 1991, he starred as the voice of Beast in the animated Disney film Beauty and the Beast, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, and starring alongside Paige O'Hara as Belle. Later in the 1990s he voiced lead character J.T. Marsh on the sci-fi cartoon series Exosquad.
His 2007 novel Who Stole the Funny?: A Novel of Hollywood landed Benson on the Los Angeles Times Bestseller list. Benson's medical memoir I'm Not Dead ... Yet! was released in June 2012. Outside of acting, Benson is also a musician and composer. He has composed songs in several films and has also won an RIAA Gold Records Award for writing the song "We Are Not Alone" performed by Karla DeVito on the soundtrack of the 1985 John Hughes film The Breakfast Club.
Benson has been a professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, the University of Utah, the University of South Carolina and Indiana University.
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Robby Benson
Robby Benson (born Robin David Segal; January 21, 1956) is an American actor, director, and musician. He rose to prominence as a teen idol in the late 1970s, appearing in the films Ode to Billy Joe (1976), One on One (1977) and Ice Castles (1978). He subsequently garnered more fame for voicing the Beast in the Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991) and its numerous sequels, spin-offs and most Disney media. He has also worked as a television director, including six episodes of the sitcom Friends. He recently appeared in a recurring role as Dr. Mauer in Apple TV+'s Severance.
In addition to acting and directing, Benson is an activist in the field of heart research, having undergone four open-heart surgeries since age 28 to correct congenital aortic valve defects and related damage. In 2012, he published a memoir recounting his medical journey and numerous surgeries.
Benson was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Freda Ann (née Benson), a singer, actor, and business promotions manager, and Jerry Segal, a writer. His family is Jewish. When Benson was five years old, his family relocated to New York City, where he was raised. He subsequently took his mother's name as his stage name when he was 10. Benson attended the Lincoln Square Academy in Manhattan, where he graduated at age fourteen as the class valedictorian.
Benson made his film debut with an uncredited role in Wait Until Dark (1967) as the Boy Tossing Ball and his Broadway debut in the play Zelda followed by the musical The Rothschilds (1970). Benson had an early role on the daytime soap Search for Tomorrow (1971–1972). As a film actor, Benson was well known for teenage roles in coming of age films, such as 1972's Jory, 1973's Jeremy, and as Billy Joe McAllister in 1976's Ode to Billy Joe. He had an appearance in a 1973 commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups alongside Donny Most who would later co-star in Happy Days.
In 1975, Benson appeared in Death Be Not Proud and Lucky Lady. That year, he also screen tested for the role of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, a role which eventually went to Mark Hamill. In 1977, Benson starred in One on One which he co-wrote with his father Jerry Segal, and the TV movie The Death of Richie. In 1978, he co-starred in The End and Ice Castles. Benson, who had never ice skated before, learned to skate in order to film the movie, which had numerous skating scenes, including ice hockey. In 1980, Benson starred in Die Laughing and Tribute.
In 1981, he costarred in The Chosen, based on the book of the same name by Chaim Potok. The New York Times gave the film a mixed review, but noted that Benson's character Danny Saunders was "full of a gentle inquisitiveness that cannot help but win the audience's sympathy." Benson played Olympic 10,000-meter gold medalist Billy Mills in the 1983 film Running Brave. From the filming of this movie Benson implemented his training for the 1983 New York City Marathon, completing the race in 3:05:15. In 1991, he starred as the voice of Beast in the animated Disney film Beauty and the Beast, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, and starring alongside Paige O'Hara as Belle. Later in the 1990s he voiced lead character J.T. Marsh on the sci-fi cartoon series Exosquad.
His 2007 novel Who Stole the Funny?: A Novel of Hollywood landed Benson on the Los Angeles Times Bestseller list. Benson's medical memoir I'm Not Dead ... Yet! was released in June 2012. Outside of acting, Benson is also a musician and composer. He has composed songs in several films and has also won an RIAA Gold Records Award for writing the song "We Are Not Alone" performed by Karla DeVito on the soundtrack of the 1985 John Hughes film The Breakfast Club.
Benson has been a professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, the University of Utah, the University of South Carolina and Indiana University.