1893 - 1973

His family went to the USA in 1902 where he grew up in the notorious Lower East Side. During the college he took acting lessons and gave up his earlier plans to become a rabbi or a lawyer.

In 1913 he appeared at stock theaters for the first time and chose the stage name Edward G. Robinson. Two years later followed the step to Broadway where he not only appeared as an actor but also was active as an author (The Kibitzer in collaboration with the later famous screen writer Jo Swerling). 

He made his film debut in 1916 with a small role in "Arms and the Woman" (16), some years later followed the movies "The Bright Shawl" (23) and "The Hole in the Wall" (29).

He had his breakthrough in the 30's finally. After the movies "A Lady to Love" (30) and "The Widow from Chicago" (30) followed "Little Caesar" (31) under the direction of Mervyn LeRoy and this movie catapulted Robinson into the guild of the big stars. Robinson shot some of his most successful productions at the beginning of the 30's under the direction of Mervyn LeRoy.
His impersonation in "Little Caesar" was so impressive that the following gangster movies were influenced enduringly by him.

In the next years followed other movies of this genre but Edward G. Robinson also played other character roles in front of the camera.
To his well-known movies of the 30's belong "Smart Money" (31), "Five Star Final" (31), "Two Seconds" (32), "Tiger Shark" (32), "The Little Giant" (33), "The Man with Two Faces" (34), "Barbary Coast" (35), "Kid Galahad" (37), "The Last Gangster" (37), "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse" (38) and "Blackmail" (39).

The 40's marked also a very successful decade and Edward G. Robinson, who impersonated character roles more and more, was convincing with an impressive performance in movies like "Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet" (40), "A Dispatch from Reuter's" (40), "The Sea Wolf" (41), "Tales of Manhattan" (42), "Double Indemnity" (44), "The Woman in the Window" (44), "Scarlet Street" (45), "The Stranger" (46), "Key Largo" (48) and "House of Strangers" (49) - for this movie he was awarded as the best actor in Cannes.

Afterwards followed the probably most difficult time in Edward G. Robinson's life. On the one hand his long lasting marriage went to pieces and because of the divorce he was forced to sell his art collections which gots to him seriously as a passionate collector. Arguments with his son, conflicts with the law and the communist-hunt of the McCarthy era of the 50's with hampered work conditions on the other hand accumulated for several times in the wish to depart this life.

Still he endured this difficult phase and he was able to continue his career in movies, on TV and at the theater. For his role in the Broadway play "Middle of the Night" (56) he was nominated for the Tony Award. 
To his cinematical works of those years belong "My Daughter Joy" (50), "Vice Squad" (53), "The Glass Web" (53), "Illegal" (55), "Nightmare" (56), "The Ten Commandments" (56) and "A Hole in the Head" (59).

At the end of his career he got again rewarding offers and he again was able to show his acting abilities. To these movies belong "Seven Thieves" (60), "The Prize" (63), "Cheyenne Autumn" (64), "The Cincinnati Kid" (65) with Steve McQueen and "Mackenna's Gold" (69).

Edward G. Robinson was able to be busy as an actor till his death. He gave his farewell from the film business as well as his own life with him impressive impersonation in the production "Soylent Green" (73) at Charlton Heston's side. Only two weeks after finishing the movie Edward G. Robinson died.
Two months later he was awarded with the Honorary Oscar for his lifework, a late honor for one of the most interesting American actors who never was nominated for an Oscar in his's lifetime.

In contrast to his roles the cultivated Edward G. Robinson had spoken seven languages (among others also German) and especially at the end of his career he also took part in some foreign movies. 
 

Other movies with Edward G. Robinson:
Night Ride (30) Die Sehnsucht jeder Frau (30) Outside the Law (30) East Is West (30) The Slippery Pearls (31) The Hatchet Man (32) Silver Dollar (32) I Loved a Woman (33) Dark Hazard (34) The Whole Town's Talking (35) Bullets or Ballots (36) Thunder in the City (37) A Slight Case of Murder (38) I Am the Law (38) Confessions of a Nazi Spy (39) Brother Orchid (40) Manpower (41) Unholy Partners (41) Larceny, Inc. (42) Destroyer (43) Flesh and Fantasy (43) Tampico (44) Mr. Winkle Goes to War (44) Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (45) Journey Together (45) American Creed (46) The Red House (47) All My Sons (48) Nights Has a Thousand Eyes (48) Actor's and Sin (52) Big Leaguer (53) Serie "Lux Video Theatre: Witness for the Prosecution" (53) For the Defense (54) Serie "Climax!: Epitaph for a Spy" (54) Black Tuesday (54) The Violent Men (55) Tight Spot (55) A Bullet for Joey (55) Serie "Celebrity Playhouse: For the Defense" (55) Serie "The Ford Televison Theatre: …and Son" (55) Serie "The Ford Television Theatre: A Set of Values" (55) Hell on Frisco Bay (55) Serie "Playhouse 90: Shadows Tremble" (58) Serie "Goodyear Theatre: A Good Name" (59) Serie "Zane Grey Theater: Heritage" (59) Serie "Sunday Showcase: The Devil and Daniel Webster" (60) Serie "General Electric Theater: The Drop-Out" (61) Serie "The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor: The Legend of Jim Riva" (61) My Geisha (62) Serie "The DuPont Show of the Week: Cops and Robbers" (62) Two Weeks in Another Town (62) Sammy Going South (63) Robin and the 7 Hoods (64) Good Neighbor Sam (64) The Outrage (64) Who has Seen the Wind? (65) All About People (67) La blonde de Pékin (67) Ad ogni costo (67) Operazione San Pietro (67) The Biggest Bundle of Them All (68) Never a Dull Moment (68) Uno scacco tutto matto (69) U.M.C. (69) Serie "The Name of the Game: Laurie Marie" (69) Serie "Bracken's World: Panic" (69) The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (70) Serie "Bracken's World: The Mary Tree" (70) Song of Norway (70) Serie "The Silent Force: The Courier" (70) Serie "Night Gallery: The Messiah on Mott Street" (71) Lo B'Yom V'Lo B'Layla (72)