Charles Robinson

Charlie Robinson (November 9, 1945 – July 11, 2021) was an American stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role on the NBC sitcom Night Court as Macintosh "Mac" Robinson (Seasons 2–9), the clerk of the court and a Vietnam War veteran.

Although his most frequent on-screen billing was Charlie Robinson, Night Court had credited him as Charles Robinson throughout his 1984–1992 stint as Mac. In two of his earliest film appearances, 1974's Sugar Hill and 1975's The Black Gestapo, he was credited as Charles P. Robinson. Some of his credits have been occasionally commingled with those of older actor Charles Knox Robinson who, between 1958 and 1971, was featured in numerous films and television episodes under the stage name Charles Robinson.

Early life Robinson was born in Houston, to Planey and Ora (Barnes) Robinson. He served in the Army and briefly attended the University of Houston before his departure to pursue an acting career.

Early career In Robinson's early career, he was a singer: as a teenager with the group Archie Bell and the Drells and later with a group called Southern Clouds of Joy.

Later career Robinson's early acting credits include appearances in the films Sugar Hill (1974), Black Gestapo (1975), and the television series The White Shadow, Lou Grant, Flamingo Road, Hill Street Blues, and St. Elsewhere. Robinson was cast in the role of Newdell in the NBC comedy Buffalo Bill. Not the success it was expected to be, Buffalo Bill was canceled after two seasons and replaced by Night Court. Robinson was cast as court clerk Mac Robinson, after the first season in 1984, when Karen Austin, who played the original court clerk, left the cast. Robinson played the role on Night Court from 1984 until the show ended in 1992. He also directed three episodes of the series.

From 1992 to 1995, Robinson co-starred on the sitcom Love & War, replacing John Hancock who died a few episodes into the series run. Robinson played character Bud Harper in Home Improvement, and appeared in many other television shows including The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Touched by an Angel, Soul Food, Antwone Fisher, My Wife and Kids, The Bernie Mac Show, Charmed, House, Cold Case, How I Met Your Mother, My Name Is Earl, The Game, and Hart of Dixie.

He did commercial work for NEXTEL in which he asks a worker if he's "agitating my dots" after he walks in on two other dispatchers staring at the dots, which represented delivery workers, on a computer screen. He also did commercials for Old Spice, where he played the head coach of the NFL's Denver Broncos, appearing with perennial All-Pro Bronco linebacker Von Miller.

In 2010, Robinson worked at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and co-starred in the film Jackson which was directed by J. F. Lawton. Robinson appeared as "Troy" in August Wilson's Fences at Southern California's South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa from January 22, 2010 until February 21, 2010. In September 2013, he returned to the theater to portray Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. In 2015, he played Mr. Munson, the blind tenant on Mom whom Bonnie avoids helping with apartment issues.

Illness and death Robinson died on July 11, 2021, at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, from cardiac arrest with multisystem organ failure due to septic shock and metastatic adenocarcinoma. He was 75.

Filmography Film

Television Year Series Role Notes 1971 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Cal Morgan Episode: "The Forest and the Trees" 1974 Firehouse Episode: "Burst of Flame"1975 Caribe Kishara Episode: "The Assassin" Cannon Hank Colcutt Episode: "To Still the Voice"1978 King Detective Ed Redditt Miniseries, 3 episodes The White Shadow Jackie Solomon Episode: "Bonus Baby"1979 Lou Grant Don Episode: "Vet" Roots: The Next Generations Luke Bettiger Episode: "Part IV" 1981 Flamingo Road Phil Recurring role, 7 episodes1982 Hill Street Blues Roy Episode: "Pestolozzi's Revenge" St. Elsewhere Bill Austin Episode: "Tweety and Ralph" 1983-1984 Buffalo Bill Newdell Series regular, 18 episodes 1984-1992 Night Court Mac Robinson Series regular, 180 episodes 1986 Hotel Curtis Powell Episode: "Hidden Talents" 1992-1995 Love & War Abe Johnson Series regular, 57 episodes 1993 CBS Schoolbreak Special Sam Raynor Episode: "Other Mothers" 1995 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Ernest Episode: "To Thine Own Self Be Blue... and Gold" 1995-1999 Home Improvement Bud Harper Recurring role, 9 episodes1996 The John Larroquette Show Norm Jones Episode: "John's Lucky Day" In the House Major Episode: "A Major Problem" The Crew Reverend William Edwards Episode: "The Man We Love" 1996-1997 Ink Ernie Trainor Series regular, 22 episodes 1997 Malcolm & Eddie Marcus McGee Episodes: "The Courtship of Eddie's Mother" & "Mixed Nuts" 1998-2000 Buddy Faro El Jefe Series regular, 13 episodes 1999 Touched by an Angel Cyrus Episode: "Black Like Monica"2001 Soul Food Reverend Pryor Episode: "Take Me to the Water" First Years Judge Episode: "The First Thing You Do..." Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Officer Harris Episode: "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" DAG Russell Daggett Episode: "Mr. Daggett Goes to Washington" The Trouble with Normal Mr. Lindquist Episode: "Help Yourself" 2002 My Wife and Kids Joe Kyle Episode: "Failure to Communicate"2003 Yes, Dear Goodwill Guy Episode: "Space Jam" Abby Hank Newton Episode: "The Mama and the Papa" Andy Richter Controls the Universe Warden Episode: "Charity Begins in Cellblock D" Carnivàle Walter Episode: "Tipton" 2004 The Bernie Mac Show Earl Davis Episode: "Hair Jordan"2005 Committed Marvin Episode: "The Mother Episode" Charmed Mike Episode: "Show Ghouls" House M.D. Robert Episode: "Humpty Dumpty" Cold Case Anton Episode: "Committed"2006 Still Standing Scully Episode: "Still Deceitful" How I Met Your Mother Bank President Episode: "Aldrin Justice"2007 The Riches Dr. Dibadeaux Episode: "The Big Floss" My Name Is Earl Doctor Episode: "Two Balls, Two Strikes" 2007-2014 The Game Thomas Pitts Recurring role, 4 episodes 2008 30 Rock Charles Robinson Episode: "The One with the Cast of 'Night Court'"2009 Big Love Baptist Episode: "Come, Ye Saints" Hank Reuben Episode: "Relax, Don't Do It"2010 The Secret Life of the American Teenager Episode: "Ben There, Done That" $h*! My Dad Says Mr. Campbell Episode: "You Can't Handle the Truce" 2011 Harry's Law Judge Marvin Baum Episode: "Bangers in the House" 2012 The Soul Man Ike Episode: "Lost in the Move" 2012-2015 Hart of Dixie Sergeant Jeffries Series regular, 16 episodes 2013 Key & Peele Pawn Shop Owner Episode: "Season 3, Episode 12"2015 Reed Between the Lines Monroe Reed Episodes: "You Have to Let Go" & "I'm Not Superman" K.C. Undercover Pops Episode: "Off the Grid" Key & Peele Dying Father Episode: "The End" 2015-2019 Mom Mr. Munson Recurring role, 7 episodes 2016 Grey's Anatomy Leo Polson Episode: "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side"2017 K.C. Undercover Othello King Episode: "Out of the Water and Into the Fire" Disjointed Scooter Boots Episode: "Donna Weed" 2017-2018 The Guest Book Wilfred Series regular, 11 episodes2018 This Is Us Don Robinson Episodes: "Katie Girls" &"Toby" NCIS Ray Jennings Episode: "Fragments" 2019 Better Things Sylvester Episode: "Holding"2020 Raven's Home Mr. Arthur Episodes: "Close Shave" & "On Edge" Russell Maniac Mike Episode: "Ferraro Family Business" Love in the Time of Corona Charles Miniseries, 4 episodes