Robert Stack
Robert Langford Modini Stack (January 13, 1919 – May 14, 2003) was a multilingual American actor and television host. In addition to acting in more than 40 films, he also appeared on the television series The Untouchables and later served as the host of Unsolved Mysteries. Born in Los Angeles, California, Stack spent his early childhood growing up in Europe. Becoming fluent in French and Italian at an early age, and he did not learn English until returning to Los Angeles. Stack achieved minor fame in sporting, winning multiple championships including setting two world records and winning multiple honors in skeet shooting Stack studied drama at Bridgewater State College, earning his first Hollywood role at the age of 20 and continuing to star in numerous roles throughout the early 1940s. After serving in the military, Stack returned to Hollywood to star in numerous films including stand out roles in The High and the Mighty (opposite John Wayne) and Written on the Wind (1957), for which he was awarded an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Stack later moved on to televised dramatic series, depicting the crime-fighting Eliot Ness in The Untouchables (1959–1963), which earned him a best actor Emmy Award in 1960. Stack also starred in multiple drama series, before returning to film, this time in comedies to satirize his famed stoic and humorless demeanor. He began hosting Unsolved Mysteries in 1987, and served as the show's host throughout it's entire original run from 1987 to 2002.
Filmography
Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy
as Self (archive footage)
Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy
as Self (archive footage)
Jacques Tati, tombé de la lune
Jacques Tati, tombé de la lune
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
as (archive footage)
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
as (archive footage)
These Dead Souls
as (archive footage)
These Dead Souls
as (archive footage)
Acting for Douglas Sirk
as Self (archive footage)
Acting for Douglas Sirk
as Self (archive footage)
Unsolved Mysteries Volume 1: UFOs
as Host
Unsolved Mysteries Volume 1: UFOs
as Host
Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir
as Self
Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir
as Self
Killer Bud
as The Gooch
Killer Bud
as The Gooch
Recess: School's Out
as Superintendent (voice)
Recess: School's Out
as Superintendent (voice)
Mumford
as Himself
Mumford
as Himself
Sealed with a Kiss
as Sumner Ethridge
Sealed with a Kiss
as Sumner Ethridge
Hercules: Zero to Hero
as Narrator (voice) (archive sound)
Hercules: Zero to Hero
as Narrator (voice) (archive sound)
The Y2K Crisis
as Host
The Y2K Crisis
as Host
BASEketball
as Robert Stack
BASEketball
as Robert Stack
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
as Self
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
as Self
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
as Agent Flemming (voice)
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
as Agent Flemming (voice)
Clark Gable: Tall, Dark, and Handsome
as Self
Clark Gable: Tall, Dark, and Handsome
as Self
The Return of Eliot Ness
as Eliot Ness
The Return of Eliot Ness
as Eliot Ness
The Real Story of Baa Baa Black Sheep
as Lt. Littleboy (voice)
The Real Story of Baa Baa Black Sheep
as Lt. Littleboy (voice)
Joe Versus the Volcano
as Dr. Ellison
Joe Versus the Volcano
as Dr. Ellison
Dangerous Curves
as Louis Faciano
Dangerous Curves
as Louis Faciano
Caddyshack II
as Chandler Young
Caddyshack II
as Chandler Young
Plain Clothes
as Mr. Gardner
Plain Clothes
as Mr. Gardner
Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit
as Jordan White
Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit
as Jordan White
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
as Self
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
as Self
The Transformers: The Movie
as Ultra Magnus (voice)
The Transformers: The Movie
as Ultra Magnus (voice)
Big Trouble
as Winslow
Big Trouble
as Winslow
Midas Valley
as Drew Hammond
Midas Valley
as Drew Hammond
My Kingdom For...
My Kingdom For...
Uncommon Valor
as MacGregor
Uncommon Valor
as MacGregor
Barry Norman in Celebrity City
as Self
Barry Norman in Celebrity City
as Self
Airplane!
as Captain Rex Kramer
Airplane!
as Captain Rex Kramer
Douglas Sirk: Über Stars
as Self
Douglas Sirk: Über Stars
as Self
1941
as Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell
1941
as Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell
Undercover with the KKK
as Host - Narrator
Undercover with the KKK
as Host - Narrator
The Muppets Go Hollywood
as Self (uncredited)
The Muppets Go Hollywood
as Self (uncredited)
Second Wind
as François Davis
Second Wind
as François Davis
Murder on Flight 502
as Captain Larkin
Murder on Flight 502
as Captain Larkin
Adventures of the Queen
as Capt. James Morgan
Adventures of the Queen
as Capt. James Morgan
The Strange and Deadly Occurrence
as Michael Rhodes
The Strange and Deadly Occurrence
as Michael Rhodes
The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World
as Self
The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World
as Self
The Selling of the Pentagon
as Self (archive footage)
The Selling of the Pentagon
as Self (archive footage)
Story of a Woman
as David Frasier
Story of a Woman
as David Frasier
Laura
as Mark McPherson
Laura
as Mark McPherson
Action Man
as Jim Beckley
Action Man
as Jim Beckley
The Corrupt Ones
as Cliff Wilder
The Corrupt Ones
as Cliff Wilder
Is Paris Burning?
as General Sibert
Is Paris Burning?
as General Sibert
Asylum for a Spy
as James Andrew Congers
Asylum for a Spy
as James Andrew Congers
The Caretakers
as Dr. Donovan MacLeod
The Caretakers
as Dr. Donovan MacLeod
Alcatraz Express
as Eliot Ness
Alcatraz Express
as Eliot Ness
The Gun of Zangara
as Eliot Ness
The Gun of Zangara
as Eliot Ness
The Last Voyage
as Cliff Henderson
The Last Voyage
as Cliff Henderson
John Paul Jones
as John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
as John Paul Jones
The Scarface Mob
as Eliot Ness
The Scarface Mob
as Eliot Ness
The Gift of Love
as William 'Bill' Beck
The Gift of Love
as William 'Bill' Beck
The Tarnished Angels
as Roger Shumann
The Tarnished Angels
as Roger Shumann
Written on the Wind
as Kyle Hadley
Written on the Wind
as Kyle Hadley
Great Day in the Morning
as Owen Pentecost
Great Day in the Morning
as Owen Pentecost
Good Morning, Miss Dove
as Dr. Tommy Baker
Good Morning, Miss Dove
as Dr. Tommy Baker
Laura
as Mark Macpherson
Laura
as Mark Macpherson
House of Bamboo
as Eddie Kenner
House of Bamboo
as Eddie Kenner
The High and the Mighty
as John Sullivan
The High and the Mighty
as John Sullivan
The Iron Glove
as Captain Charles Wogan
The Iron Glove
as Captain Charles Wogan
Sabre Jet
as Col. Gil Manton
Sabre Jet
as Col. Gil Manton
Conquest of Cochise
as Maj. Tom Burke
Conquest of Cochise
as Maj. Tom Burke
War Paint
as Lt. Billings
War Paint
as Lt. Billings
Bwana Devil
as Bob Hayward
Bwana Devil
as Bob Hayward
My Outlaw Brother
as Patrick O´Moore
My Outlaw Brother
as Patrick O´Moore
Bullfighter and the Lady
as John Regan
Bullfighter and the Lady
as John Regan
Mr. Music
as Jeff Blake
Mr. Music
as Jeff Blake
Riviera Dream
Riviera Dream
Fighter Squadron
as Capt. Stuart L. Hamilton
Fighter Squadron
as Capt. Stuart L. Hamilton
Miss Tatlock's Millions
as Nickey Van Alen
Miss Tatlock's Millions
as Nickey Van Alen
A Date with Judy
as Stephen Andrews
A Date with Judy
as Stephen Andrews
Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform
as Himself
Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform
as Himself
Keeping Fit
as Bob - Factory worker
Keeping Fit
as Bob - Factory worker
Men of Texas
as Barry Conovan
Men of Texas
as Barry Conovan
Eagle Squadron
as Chuck S. Brewer
Eagle Squadron
as Chuck S. Brewer
To Be or Not to Be
as Lieut. Stanislav Sobinski
To Be or Not to Be
as Lieut. Stanislav Sobinski
Badlands of Dakota
as Jim Holliday
Badlands of Dakota
as Jim Holliday
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
as Self
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
as Self
Nice Girl?
as Don Webb
Nice Girl?
as Don Webb
A Little Bit of Heaven
as Bob Terry
A Little Bit of Heaven
as Bob Terry
The Mortal Storm
as Otto Von Rohn
The Mortal Storm
as Otto Von Rohn
First Love
as Ted Drake
First Love
as Ted Drake