Robert Lansing (/ˈlænsɪŋ/; born Robert Howell Brown, June 5, 1928
â€" October 23, 1994) was an American stage, film, and television
actor. Lansing's motion picture roles included A Gathering of Eagles
with Rock Hudson and Under the Yum Yum Tree opposite Jack Lemmon. On
television, he appeared in episodes of such hits as Star Trek, Alfred
Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone and Murder, She Wrote. Lansing
is probably best remembered as the authoritarian Brig. Gen. Frank
Savage in 12 O'Clock High (1964), the television drama series about
American bomber pilots during World War II.Born in San Diego,
California, Lansing reportedly took his acting surname from the state
capital of Michigan. As a young actor in New York City, he was hired
to join a stock company in Michigan but was told he would first have
to join the Actors' Equity Association. Equity would not allow him to
join as "Robert Brown" because another actor was using that name.
Because the stock company was based in Lansing, this became the
actor's new surname.Lansing served two years in the United States Army
and was stationed in Osaka, Japan, where he worked at Armed Forces
Radio.During his long career, which spanned five decades, Lansing
appeared in 245 episodes of 73 television series, 11 TV movies, and 19
motion pictures. He gained early acting experience at the Actors
Studio.
â€" October 23, 1994) was an American stage, film, and television
actor. Lansing's motion picture roles included A Gathering of Eagles
with Rock Hudson and Under the Yum Yum Tree opposite Jack Lemmon. On
television, he appeared in episodes of such hits as Star Trek, Alfred
Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone and Murder, She Wrote. Lansing
is probably best remembered as the authoritarian Brig. Gen. Frank
Savage in 12 O'Clock High (1964), the television drama series about
American bomber pilots during World War II.Born in San Diego,
California, Lansing reportedly took his acting surname from the state
capital of Michigan. As a young actor in New York City, he was hired
to join a stock company in Michigan but was told he would first have
to join the Actors' Equity Association. Equity would not allow him to
join as "Robert Brown" because another actor was using that name.
Because the stock company was based in Lansing, this became the
actor's new surname.Lansing served two years in the United States Army
and was stationed in Osaka, Japan, where he worked at Armed Forces
Radio.During his long career, which spanned five decades, Lansing
appeared in 245 episodes of 73 television series, 11 TV movies, and 19
motion pictures. He gained early acting experience at the Actors
Studio.
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