Robert Vaughn

Robert Francis Vaughn was born on November 22, 1932, in New York City, the son of show business parents Marcella Frances (Gaudel) and Gerald Walter Vaughn. His early exposure to the arts, encouraged by his mother, led to his radio debut as Billy on “Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy.” He pursued higher education, earning a master’s degree in theater from Los Angeles State College in 1960 and a PhD in communication from the University of Southern California in 1970. His doctoral thesis, “The Influence of the House Committee on Un-American Activities on the American Theater 1938–58,” was later published as the book “Only Victims: A Study of Show Business Blacklisting.”

Vaughn’s acting career gained significant momentum with his Oscar-nominated role in “The Young Philadelphians” (1959). The following year, he starred as Lee in the classic Western “The Magnificent Seven” (1960). His career spanned over five decades, marked by numerous television appearances and film roles. A turning point came in 1964 when he was cast as Napoleon Solo in “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” a role that brought him international fame. Throughout the 1970s, he continued to work in both film and television, earning an Emmy Award in 1978 for “Washington: Behind Closed Doors.”

In later years, Vaughn was known for his role as Albert Stroller in the British TV series “Hustle” from 2004 to 2012 and a recurring role as Milton Fanshaw in “Coronation Street” in 2012. Beyond acting, Vaughn was a committed political activist, advocating for the Democratic Party and publicly opposing the Vietnam War. He passed away on November 11, 2016, in Ridgefield, Connecticut, after a battle with acute leukemia.