Robert Forster

Robert Wallace Foster Jr. (July 13, 1941 – October 11, 2019), known professionally as Robert Forster, was an American actor. He made his screen debut as Private L.G. Williams in John Huston's Reflections in a Golden Eye, followed by a starring role as news reporter John Cassellis in the landmark New Hollywood film Medium Cool (1969). For his portrayal of bail bondsman Max Cherry in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown (1997), he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Forster played a variety of both leading and supporting roles in over 100 films, including Captain Dan Holland in The Black Hole (1979), Detective David Madison in Alligator (1980), Abdul Rafai in The Delta Force (1986), Colonel Partington in Me, Myself & Irene (2000), Scott Thorson in The Descendants (2011), General Edward Clegg in Olympus Has Fallen (2013) and its sequel London Has Fallen (2016), Norbert Everhardt in What They Had (2018), and Sheriff Hadley in The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020).

He also had prominent roles in television series such as Banyon (1971–73), Nakia (1974), Karen Sisco (2003–04), Heroes (2007–08), Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) and the Breaking Bad episode "Granite State" as Ed "The Disappearer" Galbraith, for which he won the Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television. He reprised the role in the film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) and Better Call Saul (2020).

Early life Forster was born and raised in Rochester, New York. His mother was Italian American, while his father was of English and Irish descent. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Rochester. He performed in a number of plays in college, and decided to become an actor.

Forster added another "R" to his surname as there was another member of the Screen Actors Guild named Robert Foster.

Career Early stardom Forster made his Broadway debut in 1965 in Mrs. Dally Had a Lover, opposite Arlene Francis and Ralph Meeker. He also starred in productions of Come Blow Your Horn, The Big Knife, and The Glass Menagerie.

Forster's movie career began strongly, when John Huston cast him in the important role of Private Williams in Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967), opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando. The movie featured a famous scene where Forster rode naked on a horse.

Forster played a tormented priest in Pieces of Dreams (1970) and a student filmmaker in Cover Me Babe (1970), which was a box office flop. He was cast in the pilot for a TV series Banyon, playing a private eye in late 1930s in Los Angeles, then starred in Journey Through Rosebud which was not released theatrically. He directed for the Rochester Community Theatre.

A year after the pilot for Banyon was made, it was picked up for a series but had only a short run. After this cancellation Forster said his career "started to slip and then it slipped and then it slipped."

In 1973, he briefly returned to Broadway playing Stanley Kowalski in a revival of A Streetcar Named Desire, opposite Julie Harris. He also played Juror No. 3 in the first New York stage production of Twelve Angry Men at the Queens Playhouse.

Career slump After a support part in The Don Is Dead (1972), Forster starred in the TV movie The Death Squad (1974) then another short-lived TV series, Nakia (1974), playing a Navajo detective.

Forster guest starred on shows such as Medical Story, Gibbsville and Police Story and played the lead in the TV movies Royce (1976), The City (1977) (with Don Johnson), Standing Tall and The Darker Side of Terror (1979). He toured in a stage production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and appeared in The Sea Horse on stage in Louisville.

Forster moved into lower-budgeted movies, starring in Stunts (1977) for Mark L. Lester and Avalanche (1978), the latter opposite Rock Hudson and Mia Farrow for Roger Corman's New World Pictures. Also for New World, Forster had an unbilled cameo in The Lady in Red (1979). This was written by John Sayles and directed by Lewis Teague who later collaborated on Alligator (1980), which starred Forster. He played a key support role in Disney's The Black Hole (1979).

Throughout the 1980s Forster alternated between television and low budget films. He was in the comedy Heartbreak High (1981), and the action films Vigilante (1983), Walking the Edge (1985), The Delta Force (1986), and Counterforce (1988). He wrote, starred in, produced and directed Hollywood Harry (1985), in which he invested all his savings. That year he stated "Not one of my movies made a dime. I've never had anything that approached a hit in my entire career of 15 movies and a lot of TV shows."

Forster appeared in the thrillers Satan's Princess (1989) and The Banker (1989), the mini series Goliath Awaits (1981), and episodes of Magnum, P.I., Tales from the Darkside, Hotel, Crossbow, and Jesse Hawkes. He was in the TV movie Mick and Frankie (1989).

Forster's films by this stage were almost entirely low budget ones: Peacemaker (1990), Checkered Flag (1990), Countdown to Esmeralda Bay (1990), Long Way Back (1990), Committed (1991), Diplomatic Immunity (1991), 29th Street (1991), In Between (1992), In the Shadow of a Killer (1992), Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence (1993), South Beach (1993), American Yakuza (1993), Cover Story (1993), Point of Seduction: Body Chemistry III (1993), Scanner Cop II (1995), Guns & Lipstick (1995), The Method (1995), Original Gangstas (1996) (directed by Larry Cohen), Uncle Sam (1996), Hindsight (1996) and American Perfekt (1997).

He appeared in series such as Jake and the Fatman, P.S.I. Luv U, Silk Stalkings, Murder, She Wrote, One West Waikiki and Walker, Texas Ranger.

Jackie Brown and later work Forster appeared in Jackie Brown as bail bondsman Max Cherry, which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1997. Jackie Brown revitalized Forster's career, an effect that occurred for many actors appearing in Quentin Tarantino films. He subsequently had consistent work in the film industry, appearing in Like Mike, Mulholland Drive, Supernova, Me, Myself & Irene (2000), Human Nature (2001), Confidence (2003), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), and Firewall (2006).

Forster continued to appear in lower budgeted productions like Night Vision (1997) along with the remakes of Rear Window (1998) and Psycho (1998).

He appeared in the made-for-television movie The Hunt for the BTK Killer, as the detective intent on capturing serial killer Dennis Rader. Forster also played the father of Van on the short-lived Fox series Fastlane.

Forster recorded a public service announcement for Deejay Ra's Hip-Hop Literacy campaign, encouraging reading of books by Elmore Leonard, whose book Rum Punch was adapted as Jackie Brown.

He appeared in the hit NBC series Heroes as Arthur Petrelli, the father of Nathan and Peter Petrelli, as well as the Emmy Award-winning AMC crime drama Breaking Bad as Walter White's new-identity specialist Ed Galbraith (a role he reprised in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and Better Call Saul). He played Bud Baxter, father to Tim Allen's Mike Baxter, on the ABC (later Fox) hit comedy Last Man Standing. Forster was also a motivational speaker.

He was the first choice to play Sheriff Harry S. Truman in David Lynch's Twin Peaks, but had to turn it down due to a prior commitment to a different television pilot, and was replaced by Michael Ontkean. He appeared in Lynch's Mulholland Drive, a pilot for a TV series that was not picked up but was later turned into a critically acclaimed movie, and finally appeared in Twin Peaks, playing the brother of Sheriff Harry S. Truman, Sheriff Frank Truman, in Twin Peaks: The Return, when Ontkean was not available to reprise his role.

About this, Forster said: "David Lynch, what a good guy he is. He wanted to hire me for the original, 25 years ago, for a part, and I was committed to another guy for a pilot that never went. So I didn't do the original Twin Peaks, which would have been a life-changer. It's a gigantic hit if you remember those years, a phenomenon. But I didn't do that. [...] And this time, I got a call from my agents and they said, David Lynch is going to call you. When he called me five minutes later, he said, "I'd like you to come and work with me again." And I said, 'Whatever it is, David, here I come!'"

Forster appeared in the TV series Alcatraz.

Personal life

Forster was married to June Forster (née Provenzano) from 1966 to 1975. The couple had met at their alma mater, the University of Rochester. The marriage produced three daughters. Robert was married to Zivia Forster from 1978 to 1980. He also had a son from a previous relationship. From 2004 to the time of his death, his longtime partner was Denise Grayson.

Death In June 2019, Forster was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and he died from the disease at his home in Los Angeles on October 11, 2019, at the age of 78, on the day El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie was released, hours after watching it.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1967 Reflections in a Golden Eye Private L.G. Williams 1968 The Stalking Moon Nick Tana 1969 Justine Narouz Medium Cool John Cassellis 1970 Pieces of Dreams Gregory Lind Cover Me Babe Tony Hall 1972 Journey Through Rosebud Frank 1973 The Don Is Dead Frank Regalbuto 1977 Stunts Glen Wilson 1978 Avalanche Nick Thorne 1979 The Lady in Red 'Turk' Uncredited The Black Hole Captain Dan Holland 1980 Alligator Detective David Madison 1981 Heartbreak High Coach Alan Arnoldi 1983 Vigilante Eddie Marino 1985 Walking the Edge Jason Walk 1986 The Delta Force Abdul Rafai Hollywood Harry Harry Petry Also producer and director 1988 Counterforce The Dictator 1989 Satan's Princess Lou Cherney The Banker Dan Jefferson Esmeralda Bay Madero 1990 Peacemaker Yates 1991 Committed Dr. Desmond Moore Checkered Flag Jack Cotton Diplomatic Immunity Stonebridge 29th Street Sergeant Tartaglia In Between Vinnie 1993 Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence Dr. Powell South Beach Detective Ted Coleman American Yakuza Littman Cover Story Therapist 1994 Point of Seduction: Body Chemistry III Bob Sibley 1995 Scanners: The Showdown Captain Jack Bitters Guns and Lipstick Captain Dimaggio 1996 The Method Christian's Father Original Gangstas Detective Slatten Uncle Sam Congressman Alvin Cummings Hindsight Michael Donahue 1997 American Perfekt Jake Nyman Demolition University Gentry Jackie Brown Max Cherry Night Vision Teak Taylor 1998 Psycho Dr. Fred Simon Outside Ozona Odell Parks 1999 It's the Rage Tyler Family Tree Henry Musser Kiss Toledo Goodbye Sal Fortuna 2000 Supernova A.J. Marley The Magic of Marciano Henry Lakeboat Joe Litko Cowboys and Angels Barbequeman At Wedding Uncredited Me, Myself & Irene Colonel Partington Diamond Men Eddie Miller Also executive producer 2001 Mulholland Drive Detective Harry McKnight Human Nature Nathan's Father Finder's Fee Officer Campbell 2002 Lone Hero Gus Strange Hearts Jack Waters Like Mike Coach Wagner 2003 Confidence Morgan Price Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Roger Wixon Grand Theft Parsons Stanley Parsons 2006 Firewall Harry Romano Lucky Number Slevin Murphy Wild Seven Wilson 2007 Rise: Blood Hunter Lloyd D-War Jack Wilson Cleaner Arlo Grange 2008 Expecting Love George Patten Jack and Jill vs. the World Norman / Narrator Uncredited Touching Home Jim 'Perk' Perkins 2009 Thick as Thieves Lieutenant Sam Weber Ghosts of Girlfriends Past Sergeant Mervis Volkom Middle Men Louie 'La-La' 2010 The Bannen Way Mr. B The Trial Ray Kalamity Tom Klepack 2011 Girl Walks into a Bar Dodge The Descendants Scott Thorson 2012 Hotel Noir Jim Logan 2013 Olympus Has Fallen General Edward Clegg Coffee, Kill Boss Walt Ford Somewhere Slow Chris McConville 2014 Autómata Robert Bold2015 Survivor Bill Talbot Too Late Gordy Lyons The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster James Burke / Lieutenant Frank Murphy 2016 London Has Fallen General Edward Clegg The Confirmation Otto The American Side Sterling Whitmore Bus Driver General Sorbin 2017 Small Town Crime Steve Yendel Small Crimes Joe Denton Sr. The Case for Christ Walter Strobel Acts of Vengeance Chuck 2018 What They Had Norbert Everhardt Damsel Old Preacher The Big Take Detective Aborn Bigger Joe (2008) 2019 Phil Bing Fisk El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie Ed Galbraith QT8: The First Eight Himself Documentary; Posthumous release 2020 The Wolf of Snow Hollow Sheriff Hadley Posthumous release 2021 Grave Intentions Don Whalen Segment: "The Bridge Partner"; Posthumous release; Final film role

Short films

Television Year Title RoleNotes 1967 N.Y.P.D. Tony Episode: "To Catch a Hero" 1968 Judd, for the Defense Ray Elliott Episode: "In a Puff of Smoke" Premiere Doug Payson Episode: "Higher and Higher, Attorneys at Law" 1971–1973 Banyon Miles Banyon 16 episodes1974 Nakia Deputy Nakia Parker 14 episodes The Death Squad Eric Benoit Television film 1975 Medical Story David Corbin Episode: "The Moonlight Heater" 1975–1977 Police Story Various roles 5 episodes 1977 The City Lieutenant Matt Lewis Pilot 1978 Standing Tall Luke Shasta Television film 1979 The Darker Side of Terror Paul Corwin 1981 Goliath Awaits Commander Jeff Selkirk 1985 Magnum, P.I. Tyler Peabody McKinney 2 episodes 1986 Tales from the Darkside Gary Gooley Episode: "The Milkman Cometh" Murder, She Wrote Gilbert Gaston Episode: "The Perfect Foil" 1987 Hotel Steve Cameron Episode: "Unfinished Business" Once a Hero Gumshoe 7 episodes 1987–1988 William Tell Aymong 3 episodes 1989 Mick and Franki Feinstein Failed pilot 1991 Jake and the Fatman Ed Delaney 2 episodes P.S. I Luv U Dan Episode: "There Goes the Neighbourhood" 1992 In the Shadow of a Killer Charles Galbis Television film 1993 Silk Stalkings Vince Riker Episode: "Tough Love" Sex, Love and Cold Hard Cash Sid Television film 1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Ricky Rickettes Episode: "The Big Bingo Bamboozle" Murder, She Wrote Frank Roussel Episode: "Big Easy Murder" One West Waikiki Gerard Foster Episode: "Flowers of Evil" 1997 Walker, Texas Ranger Lane Tillman Episode: "Texas vs. Cahill" 1998 Rear Window Detective Charlie Moore Television film 1999 Todd McFarlane's Spawn Major Forsberg Voice, 3 episodes 2000 Godzilla: The Series Jack Chapman, Police Officer Voice, episode: "Wedding Bells Blew" 2001 Like Mother Like Son Ken 'Pappa' Kimes Television film 2002 Murder in Greenwich Steve Carroll Due East Jesse Rapple 2002–2003 Fastlane Raymond Ray 2 episodes 2003 Undefeated Scott Green Television film Street Time Tony DeAngelo Episode: "Cop Killer" 2003–2004 Karen Sisco Marshall Sisco 10 episodes 2004 The Grid Jay Aldrich 6 episodes Clubhouse Burt Austin Episode: "Spectator Interference" 2004–2005 Huff Ben Huffstodt 3 episodes 2005 Tilt Jimmy "Gentleman Jim" Towne 2 episodes Justice League Unlimited The President Voice, 2 episodes Bounty Hunters Jerry Pilot The Hunt for the BTK Killer Detective Jason Magida Television film 2006 Numb3rs Agent Thomas Lawson Episode: "Protest" 13 Graves Tom Ferris Pilot 2007 Army Wives General Grayson Episode: "Truth and Consequences" Desperate Housewives Nick Delfino Episode: "Now I Know, Don't Be Scared" 2007–2008 Heroes Arthur Petrelli 10 episodes (season 3) 2008 The Simpsons Lucky Jim Voice, episode: "Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes" 2011 CSI: NY Joe Vincent Episode: "Indelible" 2012 Alcatraz Ray Archer 4 episodes Transformers: Prime General Bryce Voice, episode: "Grill"The Eric Andre ShowHimselfEpisode: "J-Moe" 2012–2018 Last Man Standing Bud Baxter 10 episodes 2013 NTSF:SD:SUV:: Booth Whitman Episode: "Unfrozen Agent Man" Breaking Bad Ed Galbraith Episode: "Granite State" Ironside Virgil's Father Episode: "Hidden Agenda" 2014 Intruders Frank Shepherd 2 episodes 2014–2015 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Jack J. Kurtzman Voice, 4 episodes 2015 Childrens Hospital Donald Episode: "The 27 Club" Backstrom Sheriff Blue Backstrom 2 episodes 2016 Divorce Donald 2 episodes 2017 Twin Peaks: The Return Sheriff Frank Truman 10 episodes I'm Dying Up Here Guy Apuzzo Episode: "Pilot" 2020 Better Call Saul Ed Galbraith Posthumous release; episode: "Magic Man" Amazing Stories Grandpa Joe Harris Posthumous release; episode: "Dynoman and The Volt" Theatre in the Tracks, Off-Off-Broadway Saturn Awards 1998 Best Supporting Actor Jackie Brown 2008 Guest Actor – Television Heroes 2014 Guest Actor – Television Breaking Bad Screen Actors Guild Award 2011 Outstanding Cast in a Motion PictureThe Descendants Southeastern Film Critics Association 2011 Best Ensemble Winter Film Awards 2016 Best Actor The Bridge Partner