A look back at Edward G. Robinson's career

May 27, 2008

Love ya, Cleveland. In my last entry about Charlton Heston, I mentioned one of Heston’s more underappreciated films, the sci-fi, futuristic detective mystery, Soylent Green. Heston co-starred in that movie with Edward G. Robinson, which turned out to be Robinson’s last film.

Many of you younger readers might not know a lot about Robinson, but he’s one of the more underappreciated, fabulous talents that Hollywood has ever had. In keeping with my last few entries where I paid tribute to Richard Widmark and Heston, I thought I would do a tribute to Robinson, a semi-forgotten actor who had a tremendous career. If you don’t know who he is, haven’t seen any of his films or are just a fan of film noir, you owe it to yourself to check out Robinson’s career.

He was born in Bucharest, Romania as Emmanuel Goldenberg. He migrated to the U.S. with his family before the turn of the last century. He was intending on becoming a rabbi or a lawyer but decided on an acting career while at City College in New York City. In 1913, he started appearing in summer stock after changing his name to Edward G. Robinson. It launched what was one of the more incredible careers in motion picture history. Robinson appeared in over 100 movies from 1915 to 1973. Just think of how long a career that is. And, as you’ll see, during those seven decades, he worked with an incredibly long list of legendary actors, actresses, directors and writers – it’s pretty astounding when you look at it.

Another unfortunate note about Robinson’s career, and another reason I wanted to do this entry, was he never won or even got nominated for an Oscar – despite having several more-than-worthy performances. He received an honorary Oscar, which his wife accepted on his behalf after he passed in 1973, but the fact that he never won one during his life blows my mind. It’s one of the biggest misses in the history of Hollywood.

He made his reputation as a mobster figure in the ‘30s, which was contrary to his personality. He’s a very soft-spoken, unassuming man, but he portrayed these horrific, murderous gangsters in so many movies – particularly in the ‘30s when he was typecast as such. That was such a misuse of his fabulous talent. His versatility showed later in his career as he played a vast range of characters.

The very first talkie that he made was in 1929, called The Hole in the Wall, co-starring Claudette Colbert. Colbert was the first great actress on Robinson’s long list as she won Best Actress opposite Clark Gable 10 years later for It Happened One Night.

The next movie that really put Robinson on the map was Little Caesar in 1931. This was the first talkie gangster movie to really capture the public’s imagination. He played ‘Rico’ and was made to look a lot like the real-life Al Capone, whom lived and thrived during that same era. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. co-starred. The movie was only a 1:20 but was an absolute classic that stands the test of time.

Robinson did so many mobster movies, but another notable one was Smart Money. It is the only film he ever made with James Cagney, the top gangster actor of the ‘30s who went on to win the Oscar in Yankee Doodle Dandee. This was the only movie these two gangster actors both appeared in.

The John Ford directed movie, The Whole Town’s Talking (1935), is known for somewhat reviving Robinson’s career. He had been typecast in all of these gangster films in the ‘30s, and a few of them were flops, but The Whole Town’s Talking was well done and jumpstarted Robinson again. The same can be said for A Slight Case of Murder (1938), which was a comedy. Robinson actually made quite a few comedies in his career, more than one might imagine considering he played such a heavy.

In Barbary Coast (1935) he was the heavy again. He played a night club owner in San Francisco. He’s very shady, and he’s constantly looking to steal money to become more powerful. He gives just a great performance.

Thunder in the City (1937) is a satire of the British/American relations. Robinson plays a hard-sale American salesman. His company sends him to England to learn to tone down his act. This is another significant role and a sign of his versatility as his career was beginning to take off.

In Kid Galahad (1937), he played a fight manager. It is an action/drama and one of Robinson’s more memorable roles. He co-starred with Humphrey Bogart (he was in quite a few movies with Bogart in his career) and Bette Davis.

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938) was quite a turn for Robinson. It’s a comedy that co-stars Claire Trevor and Bogart (who both co-star in one of Robinson’s most memorable roles, Key Largo which I’ll talk about later). Robinson shows his versatility, this time as a comedian. He plays Dr. Clitterhouse, a brilliant psychiatrist doing research about the criminal mind (Bogart). I highly recommend it because of how well it shows Robinson’s versatility.

In Bullets or Ballots (1938), Robinson plays a NY police detective who goes undercover. Bogart is in this movie as well. Robinson is very convincing as a former cop turned mobster –  one of his more underappreciated movies.

I Am the Law was another great movie he made in 1938. That makes three significant roles in 1938 that are all completely different –  he plays not just the gangster but a psychiatrist in a comedy, a District Attorney and a cop. This one was maybe the best of the late 1930 films, inspired by the racket-busting career of NY District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey, portrayed by Robinson.

Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) was made just prior to WWII and was an expose of a genuine Nazi espionage ring operating in the U.S. He played an FBI agent assigned to investigate the possible Nazi infiltration of the U.S. This was a very timely and interesting movie.

The Sea Wolf (1941) was another movie that showed Robinson’s range. He plays a character named Wolf Larsen opposite Ida Lupino and John Garfield. The character was this notorious, satanic sea captain that Robinson played so well. He should have gotten at least a nomination, which he didn’t. He was totally snubbed.

Here is one movie that, in my opinion, is one of the biggest snubs in motion picture history. Robinson starred in Double Indemnity with Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck in 1944, directed by Billy Wilder, one of the best director’s ever. Robinson plays an insurance investigator who is absolutely relentless on a gigantic claim made against his company. He eventually discovers what appeared to be an accident was definitely premeditated murder. It is a fabulous movie and his performance is absolutely tremendous. How he didn’t get nominated for best supporting actor or even win is beyond me. Barry Fitzgerald won in ‘44 for Going My Way with Bing Crosby but believe me, Robinson deserved a nomination and a perhaps a win. It’s one of my favorite movies and favorite performances all time by Robinson. MacMurray and Stanwyck are phenomenal too. Stanwyck got nominated for Best Actress.

In Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945), Robinson plays a character more true to his own personality. He plays an immigrant from Norway who settles in Wisconsin on a grape farm. He co-stars with Agnes Moorehead and Francis Gifford. Margaret O’Brien plays his daughter. There is a very heartwarming chemistry with O’Brien, a very popular young actress at the time. He just absolutely adores her, and it’s just totally opposite of his more hardcore gangster roles.

Robinson co-stared with Orson Welles in The Stranger in 1946. Welles also directed the film. It’s based in a small Connecticut town. Welles plays a college professor who was a notorious Nazi war criminal. He is uncovered by Robinson who heads the war crimes commission. Here’s another example of him co-starring with all of these great actors and working with all of these great directors.

All My Sons (1948) is another movie where he co-stars with a great actor in Burt Lancaster. It’s based on a play by Arthur Miller. It’s a very compassionate role, noteworthy enough to be nominated, but Robinson was snubbed yet again.

That brings us to Key Largo (1948) where Robsinson arguably gives the finest performance of his career. I say arguably because he made so many good movies and showed so much versatility in his career. This movie is directed by John Huston, co-stars Bogart, Trevor, Lauren Bacall and Lionel Barrymore. It is the story of a gangster named Johnny Rocco (played by Robinson), who at one time ruled Chicago and is now at the end of his career, doing one last counterfeiting deal in Key Largo, Florida. Bogart plays a good guy in this movie.

First of all, the movie goes for like 15 minutes before Robinson’s first scene. Then, in his first scene, he’s in bathtub smoking a cigar, and from there he absolutely dominates the film. One minute he’s sarcastic and hilarious, and the next he’s a raving maniac killer. A brilliant performance. The scenes with he and Trevor are incredible. She plays his has-been, dancehall-singing girlfriend that he dumps in the movie. The chemistry between the two of them is intense and memorable. She won Best Supporting Actress. He should have been nominated for Best Actor and possibly should have won, but he was snubbed again. Laurence Olivier won Best Actor that year for Hamlet.

House of Strangers (1949) co-stared Robinson, Susan Hayward and Richard Conte. Again, like All My Sons, he is a father, this time as an Italian-American banker who is ruthlessly dictates policy to his sons who rebel against him constantly. He cannot see the reality because he is old school and stubborn. Another good performance just like the dozens and dozens prior.

The Violent Men (1954) was a Western co-starring Glen Ford, Barbara Stanwyck, Brian Keith and Richard Jaeckel. He plays a bad guy owner of ranch, and he wants to buy up all of the smaller ranches so he can just dominate. It’s yet another movie with a great cast.

In 1956 Robinson appeared in The Ten Commandments. This was Cecil B. DeMille’s great epic starring Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter and Vincent Price. Robinson plays Dathan, a non-believer. He conspires with the Pharaoh to reveal Moses for his own gains. Again playing a great supporting role, Robinson should have earned another best supporting actor nod but didn’t.

Next in 1959 he played in a movie with Frank Sinatra, a comedy called A Hole in the Head. He plays Sinatra’s brother and is married to Thelma Ritter. He bails Sinatra out of trouble with financial aid. He plays an unassuming character to Sinatra’s flamboyant main lead. Another great performance.

In 1963 he made The Prize with Paul Newman and Elke Sommer. It’s about the Nobel Peace Prize. Robinson plays a physics expert. It is a drama and mystery where Robinson gets kidnapped and is replaced by his wicked brother – which he also plays. So he plays two characters in this film, both equally effective – another great job.

Next he starred in a 1964 Western called Cheyenne Autumn where he plays a compassionate Ulysses S. Grant. The lead was Richard Widmark, costarring Caroll Baker, James Stewart, Gilbert Roland and Ricardo Montalban. It’s actually the story of the Cheyenne Indians refusing to be sent to the reservation and fleeing for their homeland. Robinson understands their plight but realizes they must return. Stewart plays Wyatt Earp and Arthur Kennedy plays Doc Holliday. It is directed by John Ford. He had worked with Robinson decades before.

In 1964 he also made a comedy called Good Neighbor Sam. I point this out because he co-starred with Jack Lemon. The list continues.

In 1965 he again co-stars with a great cast that includes Steve McQueen, Ann-Margret and Karl Malden in The Cincinnati Kid. This is about the best poker player in the country. McQueen plays the Cincinnati Kid and Robinson plays The Man, the reigning poker champion. The acting in this film is absolutely phenomenal. This is directed by Norman Jewison who also directed the Oscar-winning film In the Heat of the Night. The Cincinnati Kid is a classic movie that’s a nail-biter right to the very last hand. I won’t spoil it for you if you haven’t seen it, but I highly recommend seeing this movie.

In 1969, Robinson has a cameo role in Mackenna’s Gold but steals the one scene he’s in. This movie has an all-star cast of Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif, Lee J. Cobb, Burgess Meredith, Telly Savalas, Raymond Massey, Julie Newmar, Keenan Wynn and Anthony Quayle and is directed by J. Lee Thompson. Robinson plays a blind man who is the one that has seen the gold everyone is trying to find.  

Last in Robinson’s illustrious career, but certainly not least, is Soylent Green. How he didn’t get nominated for best supporting actor is absolutely beyond me. I can’t get over it. He’s absolutely tremendous playing old Sol, an investigator who lives with Heston. The earth was becoming overpopulated, food was growing scarce and Robinson and Heston were investigating murders that had taken place. As I mentioned in my tribute to Heston, the chemistry between he and Robinson is truly something to behold. Robinson deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance and did not get it, which, unfortunately, kind of sums up his career – great performance that ended up getting overlooked by the Academy.

I encourage all of you to go back through this entry and pick out a few of these Edward G. Robinson movies to watch. I guarantee you’ll walk away with a great appreciation for this often overlooked Hollywood legend. But lastly and most importantly, remember.... I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I love ya, Cleveland