Roberts Blossom was a remarkably talented and versatile character actor, particularly skilled at portraying eccentric old individuals with a sense of cantankerousness. Born in 1924 in New Haven, Connecticut, Blossom attended the prestigious Asheville School, graduating in 1941, and later went on to study at Harvard University.
Initially, Blossom had planned to pursue a career in therapy, but he eventually decided to follow his passion for acting instead. He made his film debut in the independent feature "The Sin of Jesus" in 1961, a role that marked the beginning of his long and illustrious career in cinema.
It wasn't until Blossom was in his late forties and early fifties that he truly found his stride as an actor, delivering memorable performances in a wide range of film roles. One of his most iconic roles was that of Ezra Cobb, a demented middle-aged backwoods lunatic, in the horror cult classic "Deranged" in 1974.
Blossom's other notable film roles include an elderly patient in "The Hospital" (1971),a soldier in "Slaughterhouse Five" (1972),Paul Le Mat's father in "Citizen's Band" (1977),a farmer who claims to have seen Bigfoot in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977),a felon in "Escape from Alcatraz" (1979),a kindly neighbor in "Home Alone" (1990),and a grumpy judge in "Doc Hollywood" (1991).
In addition to his work in film, Blossom also had a successful career in television, making guest appearances on popular shows such as "Northern Exposure," "The Twilight Zone," "The Equalizer," "Moonlighting," "Amazing Stories," and "Naked City."
Blossom was not only a talented actor but also a poet and playwright, having released several of his dramatic poems on video and winning four Obie Awards and a Show Business Award for his work. After retiring from acting, Blossom settled in Berkeley, California, where he continued to write poetry until his passing.
Sadly, Roberts Blossom passed away on July 8, 2011, at the age of 87, in Santa Monica, California.
