Here is the biography of Robert Dunham:
Robert Dunham was an American actor who made his living in Tokyo, Japan. He is best known for his roles in several Japanese films, including "Godzilla vs. Megalon" (1973) and "Dogora or Dagora the Space Monster" (1964).
Born in Portland, Maine, Dunham grew up in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. He was born to an affluent family and had an older sister. He graduated from Noble and Greenough School in 1949 and later attended Williams College, where he played squash and lacrosse.
After graduating from college, Dunham joined the United States Marine Corps and served as a 2nd Lieutenant of the Military Police in Yokohama, Japan. After being honorably discharged, he returned to the United States and worked for his father's Pontiac dealership. However, he soon returned to Tokyo, Japan, where he learned to speak Japanese and started his own import and export business.
In the early 1960s, Dunham worked as a coordinator for Hino Motors and met American race car designer and driver Pete Brock. They started racing the Hino Contessa, a compact and speedy car, and gained attention on the racing circuit. However, Hino was bought out by Toyota, and the manufacturing of the Hino Contessa was ended.
Dunham's racing talents led him to work as a stunt man in the Japanese film industry. His ability to speak Japanese fluently and his diverse background opened up more opportunities for him, and he eventually started his acting career. He starred in several Japanese and American commercials and authored three satirical novels, "Tokyo Unzipped", "The Art of Being Japanese", and "Alice in Blunderland".
Dunham lived in Tokyo for over 22 years and was married three times. He had five children with his three wives. In 1975, he moved his family to the United States due to the energy crisis and lack of acting work. He became a freelance writer and contributed to several magazines.
Dunham lived on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, between 1975 and 1987. He divorced his third wife in 1984 and moved back to Truro, Massachusetts. In 1987, he moved to a gated community in Sarasota, Florida, where he was active in local theater productions. He directed a movie called "Samantha" in 1998, which was based on a short story he wrote many years ago.
Dunham passed away alone in his home in Sarasota, Florida, in late July 2001, at the age of 70. His body was discovered on August 6, 2001, by the Sarasota Sheriff's Office, and he died from a massive stroke. He is buried at the National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.
