Andrew Robinson

Andrew Jordt Robinson (born February 14, 1942) is an American actor and the former director of the Master of Fine Arts acting program at the University of Southern California. Originally a stage actor, he works predominantly in supporting roles on television and in low-budget films. He is known for his portrayals of the psychopathic serial killer Scorpio in Dirty Harry (1971), Larry Cotton in the horror film Hellraiser (1987), and Elim Garak in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999).

Early life Robinson was born in New York City. His father was a soldier in World War II and was killed when Robinson was three years old. After his death, he and his mother moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where he was raised with her family. In his later childhood, Robinson became a juvenile delinquent and was eventually sent to St. Andrew's School, a boarding school in Rhode Island.

After graduating from high school, Robinson attended the University of New Hampshire. After he picketed the school's Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program his degree was withheld by the university, so he transferred to The New School for Social Research in New York City and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English. He originally intended to become a journalist but went into acting after earning a Fulbright Scholarship. After graduating, he went to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art on the scholarship.

Career Robinson's first professional roles were as a stage actor and playwright in New York. His first role in New York was in the play MacBird! He went on to appear in productions in North America and Europe, including Woyzeck, Futz, Werner Liepolt's "The Young Master Dante" and The Cannibals. Robinson was cast as the Scorpio Killer, the film's antagonist. The Scorpio Killer was largely based on the contemporary real life Zodiac Killer, and Robinson integrated many known aspects of that serial killer's personality into his acting, such as a disturbed sense of humour and a sadistic inclination to taunt his pursuers. In the film, his character murders a young woman, a 10-year-old boy, a teenage girl and a police officer and takes a school bus full of young children hostage. His portrayal was so convincing that he received death threats after the film's release. Director Don Siegel noted that he cast Robinson because he had the face of "a choir boy." His role as Scorpio gave him widespread exposure, but Robinson also found himself typecast as "psycho" characters. He claimed the role severely limited his casting options, as film producers were reluctant to cast him in any "good guy" roles. Some of his notable "psycho" roles include a demented and ill-fated military barber in Child's Play 3 (1991) and the character Frank Cotton (in the skin of Larry Cotton, Robinson's actual character) in the horror film Hellraiser (1987), in which Robinson had his first lead role in a feature film.

Film and television, 1971–1992 Robinson starred in Charley Varrick, a 1973 film that starred Walter Matthau and was directed by Don Siegel. Robinson played Frank Ryan on the soap opera Ryan's Hope from 1976 to 1978, for which he received a Daytime Emmy nomination.

Robinson has had many one-time and recurring roles on a wide variety of television shows, in including the miniseries Once an Eagle. His filmography includes guest roles on Bonanza, Marcus Welby, M.D., Kung Fu, Ironside, The Rookies, S.W.A.T., The Streets of San Francisco, Kojak, The Incredible Hulk, CHiPs, Mrs. Columbo, Harry O, Barnaby Jones, Vega$, Falcon Crest, The Greatest American Hero, The Dukes of Hazzard, Hart to Hart, The A-Team, Matt Houston, Moonlighting, L.A. Law, Matlock, Law & Order, Walker, Texas Ranger, Murder, She Wrote, The X-Files, The Practice, and Without a Trace.

In 1975 he co-starred as the sleazy, ill-fated chauffeur in the detective drama The Drowning Pool, starring Paul Newman.

In 1986, he played President John F. Kennedy in an episode of the 1980s revival of The Twilight Zone, "Profile in Silver". In 1988 he portrayed Liberace in a television biopic. Robinson had described it as one of his favorite roles and that "The most fun was wearing his furs and jewelry and singing 'I'll Be Seeing You.'" The New York Times reviewer noted that "Robinson does rather well in the leading role." He returned to the stage in 1993 with a Broadway production of Frank Gilroy's Any Given Day, but the play closed after only six weeks.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine In 1993, Robinson was cast in his first regular television role since Ryan's Hope in 1978. He played Elim Garak on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a Cardassian tailor, and a former operative of the Obsidian Order. The character was intended to be an enigmatic darkly comedic foil for the character of Julian Bashir (played by Alexander Siddig), and the two were often paired together onscreen. Prior to being cast in the role, Robinson knew little of the Star Trek franchise and had never seen an episode of any of the television series.

Robinson was offered the role of Garak after he originally auditioned for the role of Odo, which eventually went to René Auberjonois. He almost did not accept the role but was pressured into accepting for financial reasons.

Other works

After working on Deep Space Nine for several years, Robinson began a career in television directing, starting with the 1996 DS9 episode "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places". He went on to direct two episodes of Star Trek: Voyager and seven episodes of the courtroom drama Judging Amy, in which his real-life daughter, Rachel Robinson, was appearing.

In 2000, he wrote the novel A Stitch in Time, based on his character on Deep Space Nine. Robinson has stated that one of the reasons he wrote the novel was to get "total closure" of the character.

In 2024, Robinson reprised his role as Elim Garak in Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Personal life He met his wife Irene after wrapping a production of Springvoices and the two married in 1970. He has two stepsons from his wife's previous marriage, and a daughter. Irene died in 2026.

In 1978 Robinson left full-time acting for five years and concentrated on raising his family in the small mountain community of Idyllwild, California, about from Los Angeles. During that time he taught community theatre for middle and high school students and worked as a carpenter. He returned to acting full-time in the mid-1980s.

Filmography Film Year Film Role Notes 1971 Dirty Harry The Scorpio Killer (as Andy Robinson) 1973 Charley Varrick Harman Sullivan 1975 The Drowning Pool Pat Reavis A Woman for All Men Steve McCoy Mackintosh and T.J. Coley 1985 Mask Dr. Vinton 1986 Cobra Detective Monte 1987 Hellraiser Larry Cotton / Frank Cotton The Verne Miller Story Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd 1988 Shoot to Kill Harvey 1990 Fatal Charm Sheriff Harry Childs 1991 Child's Play 3 Sergeant Botnick Prime Target Commissioner 1992 Trancers III Colonel Daddy Muthuh 1994 Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings Sheriff Sean Braddock There Goes My Baby Frank The Puppet Masters Hawthorne 1998 Running Woman Captain Don Gibbs Archibald the Rainbow Painter The Super Super 2003 The Making of Daniel Boone Timothy Flint 2004 Homeland Security Senator 2005 A Question of Loyalty Dr. Albert Krentz Short

Television Year Show Role Notes 1972 Bonanza John Harper Episode: "Forever" (as Andy Robinson) The Rookies Lee Borden Episode: "To Taste of Terror" (as Andy Robinson) The Catcher Andy Hendricks TV film: NBC World Premiere Movie 1974 Marcus Welby, M.D. Chris Bakewell Episode: "Each Day a Miracle" Ironside David Cutter Episode: "Come Eleven, Come Twelve" Kung Fu Johnny Walker Episode: "Crossties" The Family Kovack Butch Kovack TV film The Rookies Billy Kempson Season 3 Episode 8 - "Prelude to Vengeance" 1975 Kojak Leon Episode: "I Want To Report a Dream"1975, 1977 The Streets of San Francisco Archie Kimbro Episode: "Spooks for Sale" & "The Cannibals"Ron MaguireEpisode: "The Cannibals" 1976 S.W.A.T. Edward Stillman Episode: "Any Second Now" Once an Eagle Reb Rayburne TV miniseries 1976–1978 Ryan's Hope Frank Ryan #2 Daytime Emmy Award nomination 1976–1980 Barnaby Jones Various characters Recurring 1978 Kojak Roger Layton Episode: "Photo Must Credit Joe Paxton" 1978 The Incredible Hulk Dr. Stan Rhodes Episode: "Life and Death" The Eddie Capra Mysteries Greg Chandler Episode: "Murder on the Flip Side" 1979 From Here to Eternity Sergeant Maylon Stark TV miniseries Chips Bill Clayton Episode: "Hot Wheels" 1980 Vega$ Derek Razzio Recurring The Dukes of Hazzard Billy Joe Billings 1980–1983 Hart to Hart Mike Season 2 Episode 3 & Season 4 Episode 12 1983 The A-Team Jackson Episode: "The Beast from the Belly of a Boeing" Deputy Rance Episode: "The White Ballot" 1985 Not My Kid Dr. Royce TV film The Atlanta Child Murders Jack Mallard Television miniseries Cagney & Lacey Frank Kelly Episode: "Filial Duty" 1986–1987 The Twilight Zone John F. Kennedy Episode: "Profile in Silver" Mr. Williams Episode: "Private Channel" 1988 Liberace Liberace TV film 1989 Moonlighting Leslie Hunziger Episode: "Plastic Fantastic Lovers" 1990–1991 Matlock Stanley Hayden Episode: "The Broker"Frank HayesEpisode: "The Defense" 1991 Rock Hudson Henry Willson TV film 1992 Law & Order Phillip Mariietta Episode: "Consultation"1993 Walker, Texas Ranger Congressman Leo Cabe Episode: "A Shadow in the Night"1993–1994Murder, She WroteAmbrosseEpisode:"A Killing in Cork"James HarrisEpisode: "An Egg to Die For" 1993–1999 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Garak 37 episodes 1994 M.A.N.T.I.S. Solomon Box 3 episodes Wings Michael Foster Episode: "The Person Formerly Known as Lowell Mather" 1996 Days of Our Lives Yuri 1997–1998 Star Trek: Voyager – Directed two episodes 1999 The X-Files Dr. Ian Detweiler Episode: "Alpha" 1999–2004 JAG Admiral Thomas Kly Recurring 1999–2005 Judging Amy Daniel McGill Directed seven episodes 2002 Presidio Med Jesse Recurring 2004 Without a Trace Carl Monroe Episode: "Upstairs Downstairs" The Practice Edmond Solomon Episode: "The Firm" 2016 The Metropolitan Opera HD Live Three Masks Episode: "Puccini: Turandot" 2021 Dota: Dragon's Blood Indrak Episode: "The Fire Sermon" 2024 Star Trek: Lower Decks Alternate Garak (voice) Episode: "Fissure Quest" 2026 Spider-Noir Ogden Faber 2 episodes

Writing

A Stitch in Time (2000, Pocket Books, ); novel set in the world of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine