Character actor Jay Robinson was a master of playing slimy, cruel, and menacing characters, with a unique combination of piercing eyes, a wicked sneer, crisp diction, and a sinister cackle. He made a memorable film debut as Caligula in The Robe (1953),stealing the show from the actual stars. Born on April 14, 1930, in New York City, Jay had a fine upbringing, tutored at private schools in the United States and Europe, and developed a background in summer stock and repertory companies.
Jay's early career included Broadway work in Shakespeare classics such as "As You Like It" (1950) and "Much Ado About Nothing" (1952),as well as the play "Buy Me Blue Ribbons" in 1951. After his movie debut, he reprised the role of Caligula in Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and appeared in The Virgin Queen (1955) and My Man Godfrey (1957).
However, Jay's career began to unravel due to his increasing difficulty to work with and reckless drug use. He was arrested for possession of narcotics in 1958 and sentenced to a year in jail, which ruined his career. After recovering from his addiction and marrying, Jay worked in obscure bit parts, but had another relapse that led to 15 months in jail.
Jay's career was revived in the late 1960s when he started appearing on television, including an episode of Bewitched (1964). He worked with Bette Davis on Bunny O'Hare (1971) and went on to appear in a range of films, including Woody Allen's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972),Warren Beatty's Shampoo (1975),and Big Top Pee-wee (1988).
Jay also played the role of Dr. Shrinker on The Krofft Supershow (1976) and appeared in made-for-video Shakespearean performances of Macbeth (1981),The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice (1981),and Richard II (1982). He also played horror roles in Train Ride to Hollywood (1975),Transylvania Twist (1989),and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).
In the 1990s, Jay hosted the Discovery Channel's Beyond Bizarre (1997) and provided voices for the animated comedy series Mad Jack the Pirate (1998). Jay Robinson passed away at the age of 83 on September 27, 2013, due to congestive heart failure in his home in Sherman Oaks, California.
