# 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 and spin-offs. He has also worked as a television director, including six episodes of the sitcom Friends. His most recent role as Dr. Mauer in Apple TV+'s Severance is a departure from his traditional role, seeing him play a dark, potentially evil character.
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.

## Early life

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.

## Career

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.

## Personal life

Benson has been married to singer and actress Karla DeVito since July 11, 1982. The pair met while starring together in The Pirates of Penzance. Together they have two children, daughter Lyric (b. 1983) and son Zephyr (b. 1992). He practices Transcendental Meditation.

### Health problems and activism

While a teenager, Benson was diagnosed with a heart murmur caused by a bicuspid aortic valve defect. He began experiencing symptoms such as dizziness and losing consciousness in his late twenties, and subsequently underwent open-heart surgery in October 1984 to repair the valve defect. He received a bovine valve transplant, which lasted fifteen years. After the bovine valve failed, Benson had a second surgery in 2000, during which he underwent the Ross procedure. For six years after his second surgery, Benson had consistent struggles breathing. He subsequently underwent a third open-heart surgery, during which it was discovered that his breathing problems were caused by the previous procedure causing his aortic valve to buckle and close. In 2010, Benson received a delicate fourth surgery known as the "reverse Ross procedure" to correct damage to his heart.
Benson is an activist and fundraiser for heart research, which, in 2004, led him to write the book, lyrics and music for an original Off-Broadway play called Open Heart, in which he also starred. Benson also has spoken about his dealing with post-surgical cardiac depression, commenting after his fourth surgery:
   They still saw your chest right down the middle, but they've done it [to me] enough that you no longer think about it as life-threatening. It's just a very tough surgery to go through. Doctors have also gotten better at helping you through the healing process. How we heal and how we deal with cardiac depression and how we can jump start our lives and get back on track. Doctors used to never talk about things like that and now they do.

## Filmography
### Film

List of Robby Benson film credits :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1967 | Wait Until Dark | Boy Tossing Ball | Uncredited |
| 1973 | Jory | Jory Walden | |
| 1973 | Jeremy | Jeremy Jones | |
| 1975 | Lucky Lady | Billy Weber | |
| 1976 | Ode to Billy Joe | Billy Joe McAllister | |
| 1977 | One on One | Henry Steele | |
| 1978 | The End | Father Dave Benson | |
| 1978 | Ice Castles | Nick Peterson | |
| 1979 | Walk Proud | Emilio Mendez | |
| 1980 | Die Laughing | Pinsky | |
| 1980 | Tribute | Jud Templeton | |
| 1981 | The Chosen | Danny Saunders | |
| 1982 | Movie Madness | Brent Falcone | |
| 1983 | Running Brave | Billy Mills | |
| 1984 | Harry & Son | Howard Keach | |
| 1985 | City Limits | Carver | |
| 1987 | Rent-a-Cop | Andrew Pitts | |
| 1989 | White Hot | Scott | Also director |
| 1990 | Modern Love | Greg | Also writer, director and producer |
| 1991 | Beauty and the Beast | The Beast/Prince (voice) | |
| 1992 | Invasion of Privacy | Alex Pruitt | |
| 1993 | Deadly Exposure | Max Pierce | |
| 1997 | Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas | The Beast/Prince (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 1998 | Belle's Magical World | The Beast/Prince (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 1999 | Belle's Tales of Friendship | The Beast/Prince (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 2000 | Dragonheart: A New Beginning | Drake (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 2000 | The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus | Young Santa Claus (voice) | |
| 2001 | Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse | The Beast/Prince (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Just a Dream | Dr. Sturbuck | |
| 2004 | MXP: Most Xtreme Primate | Edward | |
| 2011 | Brave New World | Damon Heller | |
| 2019 | Apple Seed | Sirom | |
| 2023 | Once Upon a Studio | The Beast/Prince (voice) | Short film |

### Television

List of Robby Benson television credits :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1971–1972 | Search for Tomorrow | Bruce Carson | 2 episodes |
| 1974 | Remember When | Frankie Hodges | Television film |
| 1974 | All the Kind Strangers | John | Television film |
| 1974 | Virginia Hill | Leroy Small | Television film |
| 1975 | Death Be Not Proud | Johnny Gunther | Television film |
| 1976 | One Day at a Time | Ken Anderson | Episode: "The College Man" |
| 1976 | The Last of Mrs. Lincoln | Tad Lincoln | Television film |
| 1977 | The Death of Richie | Richie Werner | Television film |
| 1977 | Our Town | George Gibbs | Television film |
| 1982 | Two of a Kind | Noel 'Nolie' Minor | Television filmNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television |
| 1985 | California Girls | Nathan Bowzer | Television film |
| 1985 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Ed | Episode: "Method Actor" |
| 1985 | The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible | David (voice) | Episode: "David and Goliath" |
| 1986 | Tough Cookies | Det. Cliff Brady | 6 episodes |
| 1986 | David and Goliath | David (voice) | Video short |
| 1989 | For Jenny with Love | Bud | TV series |
| 1990 | The Hitchhiker | Bart Allen | Episode: "Tourist Trap" |
| 1991–1993 | The Legend of Prince Valiant | Prince Valiant (voice) | 65 episodes |
| 1991 | Evening Shade | Skeeter Hatfield | Episode: "Winning Isn't Everything" |
| 1992 | P.J. Sparkles | Blaze (voice) | Television film |
| 1992 | Batman: The Animated Series | Wilkes (voice) | Episode: "P.O.V." |
| 1992 | Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa | Additional voices | 3 episodes |
| 1992 | Homewrecker | David Whitson | Television film |
| 1992 | Lincoln | William Stoddard (voice) | Television film |
| 1993 | Road to Avonlea | Jonathan Ravenhurst Blackwell | Episode: "The Disappearance" |
| 1993 | At Home with the Webbers | Roger Swade | Television film |
| 1993 | Precious Victims | Robert Sims | Television film |
| 1993–1994 | Exosquad | Lt./Lt. Cmdr J.T. Marsh (voice) | 52 episodes |
| 1994 | The Magic School Bus | Archibald Seedplot (voice) | Episode: "Goes to Seed" |
| 1996 | O. Henry's Christmas | Jim Dillingham Young | Television film |
| 1996 | Caroline in the City | Robby Benson | Episode: "Caroline and the Movie" |
| 1996–1997 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Edward Spellman | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Seinfeld | Vincent (voice) | Episode: "The Comeback" |
| 2000 | The Christmas Lamb | Asah (voice) | Animated television film |
| 2001 | The Huntress | Dana Weatherly | Episode: "Who Are You?" |
| 2001–2002 | House of Mouse | The Beast/Prince Adam (voice) | 7 episodes |
| 2002–2003 | American Dreams | Professor Witt | 8 episodes |
| 2019 | A Feeling of Home | Wes Porter | Hallmark Channel Television Film |
| 2025 | Severance | Dr. Mauer | Season 2 |

### Video games

List of Robby Benson video game credits :
| Video games ||||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow | Prince Alexander (voice) | |
| 2000 | Disney's Beauty and the Beast Magical Ballroom | The Beast/Prince (voice) | |
| 2002 | Kingdom Hearts | The Beast/Prince (voice) | |
| 2006 | Kingdom Hearts II | The Beast/Prince (voice) | |
| 2011 | Kinect Disneyland Adventures | The Beast/Prince (voice) | |
| 2022 | Cookie Run Kingdom | Beast Cookie (voice) | |
| 2023 | Disney Speedstorm | The Beast/Prince (voice) | |
| 2023 | Disney Dreamlight Valley | The Beast/Prince (voice) | |

## Theatre

List of Robby Benson theatre credits :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1969 | Zelda | David Hartman | Broadway |
| 1970 | The Rothschilds | Young Solomon Rothschild | Broadway |
| 1981 | The Pirates of Penzance | Frederic | Broadway |
| 2004 | Open Heart | Jimmy | Off-Broadway |

## Production credits
### Director

* White Hot (1989)
* Modern Love (1990)
* Family Album (TV Series) – 4 episodes
** 1.3 "Guardian Angel" (1993)
** 1.4 "Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall All You Gotta Do Is Call..." (1993)
** 1.5 "Salon, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehn, Goodbye" (1993)
** 1.6 "Will You Still Feed Me?" (1993)
* Evening Shade (TV Series) – 8 episodes
** 3.14 "Private School" (1993)
** 3.22 "Teaching Is a Good Thing" (1993)
** 3.24 "The Graduation" (1993)
** 4.8 "Wood and Evan's Excellent Adventure" (1993)
** 4.11 "Chain of Fools" (1993)
** 4.12 "Sleepless in Arkansas" (1993)
** 4.14 "The People's Choice" (1994)
* Monty (TV Series) – 2 episodes
** 1.3 "The Son Also Rises" (1994)
** 1.6 "Baby Talk" (1994)
* Muddling Through (TV Series) – 2 episodes
** 1.2 "Let It Be Normal" (1994)
** 1.5 "Second Time's the Charm" (1994)
* Good Advice (TV Series) – 2 episodes
** 2.3 "Divorce, Egyptian Style" (1994)
** 2.12 "Lights, Camera, Friction!" (1994)
* The George Wendt Show (TV Show) – 1 episode
** 1.2 "A Need for See" (1995)
* Bringing Up Jack (TV Series) – 1 episode
* Thunder Alley (TV Series) – 21 episodes
** 1.2 "The Love Triangle" (1994)
** 1.4 "Girls' Night Out" (1994)
** 1.5 "Bloodsuckers" (1994)
** 1.6 "Happy Endings" (1994)
** 2.1 "Never Say Die" (1994)
** 2.2 "Speak No Evil" (1994)
** 2.3 "Easy Money" (1994)
** 2.4 "Get a Job" (1994)
** 2.5 "First Date" (1994)
** 2.6 "Give 'Em Hell, Bobbi" (1994)
** 2.7 "Sex, Lies & Popcorn" (1994)
** 2.8 "The Garage Sale" (1994)
** 2.9 "Accidentally at First Sight" (1995)
** 2.10 "Are We There Yet?" (1995)
** 2.12 "The Trouble with Harry" (1995)
** 2.13 "Workin' Man's Blues" (1995)
** 2.14 "A Little Me Time" (1995)
** 2.15 "I Am Spartacus" (1995)
** 2.17 "Just a Vacation" (1995)
** 2.18 "Buzz Off, Buzzard Boy" (1995)
** 2.19 "No Swing Set" (1995)
* Dream On (TV Series) – 1 episodes
** 6.1 "Try Not to Remember" (1995)
* Ellen (TV Series) – 25 episodes
** 3.1 "Shake, Rattle and Rumble" (1995)
** 3.2 "These Successful Friends of Mine" (1995)
** 3.3 "The Shower Scene" (1995)
** 3.4 "The Bridges of L.A. County" (1995)
** 3.5 "Hello, I Must Be Going" (1995)
** 3.6 "Trick or Treat - Who Cares?" (1995)
** 3.7 "She Ain't Friendly, She's My Mother" (1995)
** 3.8 "Salad Days" (1995)
** 3.9 "The Movie Show" (1995)
** 3.10 "What's Up, Ex-Doc?" (1995)
** 3.11 "Ellen's Choice" (1995)
** 3.12 "Do You Fear What I Fear?" (1995)
** 3.13 "Horschak's Law" (1996)
** 3.14 "Morgan, P.I." (1996)
** 3.15 "Oh, Sweet Rapture" (1996)
** 3.16 "Witness" (1996)
** 3.17 "Ellen: With Child" (1996)
** 3.18 "Lobster Diary" (1996)
** 3.19 "Two Ring Circus" (1996)
** 3.20 "A Penney Saved..." (1996)
** 3.21 "Too Hip for the Room" (1996)
** 3.22 "Two Mammograms and a Wedding" (1996)
** 3.23 "Go Girlz" (1996)
** 3.24 "When the Vow Breaks: Part 1" (1996)
** 3.26 "When the Vow Breaks: Part 2" (1996)
* Life with Roger (TV Series) – 1 episode
* Pearl (TV Series) – 1 episodes
** 1.2 "Teacher's Pet" (1996)
* Common Law (TV Series) – 1 episodes
** 1.1 "Pilot" (1996)
* Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV Series) – 3 episodes
** 1.1 "Pilot" (1996)
** 1.10 "Sweet & Sour Victory (1996)
** 1.17 "First Kiss" (1997)
* Friends (TV Series) – 6 episodes
** 1.22 "The One with the Ick Factor" (1995)
** 3.12 "The One with All the Jealousy" (1997)
** 3.13 "The One Where Monica and Richard Are Just Friends" (1997)
** 3.14 "The One with Phoebe's Ex-Partner" (1997)
** 3.18 "The One with the Hypnosis Tape" (1997)
** 3.24 "The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion" (1997)
* House Rules (TV Series) – 1 episodes
** 1.7 "Who Knew?" (1998)
* The Naked Truth (TV Series) – 14 episodes
** 2.8 "The Scoop" (1997)
** 2.9 "The Birds" (1997)
** 3.1 "Things Change" (1997)
** 3.2 "Her Girl Friday" (1997)
** 3.3 "Bully for Dave" (1997)
** 3.4 "Liesl Weapon" (1997)
** 3.5 "Bridesface Revisited" (1997)
** 3.7 "Look at Me! Look at Me!" (1997)
** 3.12 "Women on the Verge of a Rhytidectomy" (1998)
** 3.13 "8 1/2" (1998)
** 3.14 "The Neighbor of Bath" (1998)
** 3.15 "Day of the Locos" (1998)
** 3.17 "Born to Be Wilde" (1998)
** 3.16 "Muddy for Nothing" (1998)
* Reunited (TV Series) – 1 episodes
* Brother's Keeper (TV Series) – 1 episode
** 1.12 "The Date" (1999)
* Jesse (TV Series) – 8 episodes
** 1.2 "Goober Up the Nose" (1998)
** 1.3 "Bees Do It, Birds Do It, But Not in a Car" (1998)
** 1.4 "Live Nude Girls" (1998)
** 1.5 "Boo! He's Back" (1998)
** 1.6 "The Methadone Clinic" (1998)
** 1.7 "The Kiss" (1998)
** 1.8 "The Cheese Ship" (1998)
** 1.13 "My Casual Friend's Wedding" (1999)
* Dharma & Greg (TV Series) – 1 episode
** 4.7 "Mad Secretaries and Englishmen" (2000)
* Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (TV Series) – 2 episodes
** 4.10 "Rescue Me" (2000)
** 4.19 "The Love Boat" (2001)
* The Huntress (TV Series) – 4 episodes
** 1.10 "Black Widow" (2001)
** 1.15 "Generations" (2001)
** 1.19 "Undercover" (2001)
** 1.23 "Showdown" (2001)
* Bob Patterson (TV Series) – 1 episodes
** 1.5 "Bathroom Bob" (2001)
* 8 Simple Rules (TV Series) – 2 episodes
** 2.2 "Sex Ed" (2003)
** 2.3 "Donny Goes AWOL" (2003)
* I'm with Her (TV Series) – 2 episodes
** 1.9 "Meet the Parent" (2003)
** 1.10 "The Greatest Christmas Story Ever Told" (2003)
* Baby Bob (TV Series) – 2 episodes
** 2.6 "You Don't Know Jack" (2003)
** 2.5 "Boys Will Be Girls" (2003)
* Complete Savages (TV Series) – 1 episode
** 1.5 "Car Jack" (2004)
* Billy: The Early Years (2008)

### Producer

* Die Laughing (1980)
* Modern Love (1990)
* Caligo (2014)
* Unwelcome (2014)
* Calypso (2014)
* Straight Outta Tompkins (2015)

### Writer

* One on One (1977)
* Die Laughing (1980)
* Modern Love (1990)
* Betrayal of the Dove (1993)

### Composer

* Walk Proud (1979)
* Unwelcome (2014)
* Straight Outta Tompkins (2015)

## Discography
### Singles

* "Blue Balloon (The Hourglass Song)" (1973)
* "Hey Everybody" (1974)
* "A Rock and Roll Song" (1975)
* "Adios Yesterday" (1979)
* "All I Want Is Love" (1980)

## Awards and nominations

List of Robby Benson awards and nominations :
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
| 1974 | Golden Globe | Most Promising Newcomer – Male | Jeremy | Nominated |
| 1980 | Stinker Award | Worst ActorWorst Fake Accent: Male | Walk Proud | Won |
| 1980 | Stinker Award | Worst Actor | Die Laughing, Tribute | Nominated |
| 1980 | Stinker Award | Worst Song or Song Performance in a Film or End Credits | Die Laughing | Won |
| 1980 | Stinker Award | Worst Fake Accent: Male | Die Laughing | Won |
| 1983 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Two of a Kind | Nominated |
| 1985 | Razzie Awards | Worst Supporting Actor | Harry & Son | Nominated |
| 1993 | Grammy Award | Album of the Year | Beauty and the Beast | Nominated |
| 1995 | CableACE Award | Directing a Comedy Series | Dream On | Nominated |