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Robert Charles Benchley was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. From his beginnings at The Harvard Lampoon while attending Harvard University, through his many years writing essays and articles for Vanity Fair and The New Yorker and his acclaimed short films, Benchley's style of humor brought him respect and success during his life, from his peers at the Algonquin Round Table in New York City to contemporaries in the burgeoning film industry.
Birth Name
Robert Charles Benchley
Born
Sunday, 15 September 1889
Died
Wednesday, 21 November 1945
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones Documentaries | Self | 2007 |
| American Masters | Self | 1986 |
| Showbiz Goes to War | (archive footage) | 1982 |
| That's Entertainment, Part II | Film Clip / (archive footage) | 1976 |
| The Big Parade of Comedy | Joseph Doakes in 'That Inferior Feeling' / (archive footage) | 1964 |
| Hollywood and the Stars | Self | 1963 |
| Hollywood: The Selznick Years | Self | 1961 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar | Himself (archive footage) | 1957 |
| MGM Parade | Man Showing Home Movies / Joe Doakes / Home Movie Maker / Dog Owner | 1955 |
| Janie Gets Married | John Van Brunt | 1946 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones Documentaries | Self | 2007 |
| American Masters | Self | 1986 |
| Showbiz Goes to War | (archive footage) | 1982 |
| That's Entertainment, Part II | Film Clip / (archive footage) | 1976 |
| The Big Parade of Comedy | Joseph Doakes in 'That Inferior Feeling' / (archive footage) | 1964 |
| Hollywood and the Stars | Self | 1963 |
| Hollywood: The Selznick Years | Self | 1961 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar | Himself (archive footage) | 1957 |
| MGM Parade | Man Showing Home Movies / Joe Doakes / Home Movie Maker / Dog Owner | 1955 |
| Janie Gets Married | John Van Brunt | 1946 |
| The Bride Wore Boots | Uncle Todd Warren | 1946 |
| The Stork Club | Tom P. Curtis | 1945 |
| Snafu | Ben Stevens | 1945 |
| Road to Utopia | Narrator | 1945 |
| Week-End at the Waldorf | Randy Morton | 1945 |
| Kiss and Tell | Uncle George Archer / George Archer | 1945 |
| Duffy's Tavern | Robert Benchley | 1945 |
| Boogie Woogie | Frederick Stumplefinger, Father | 1945 |
| It's in the Bag! | Parker | 1945 |
| Pan-Americana | Charlie Corker | 1945 |
| Practically Yours | Judge Robert Simpson | 1944 |
| National Barn Dance | J.B. Mitcham | 1944 |
| Janie | John Van Brunt | 1944 |
| Important Business | Joseph A. Doakes | 1944 |
| Her Primitive Man | Martin Osborne | 1944 |
| See Here, Private Hargrove | Mr. Holliday | 1944 |
| Song of Russia | Hank Higgins | 1944 |
| My Tomato | Joseph A. Doakes | 1943 |
| Flesh and Fantasy | Doakes (Framing Story) / Doakes | 1943 |
| The Sky's the Limit | Phil Harriman / Philip 'Phil' Harriman | 1943 |
| Show-Business at War | Robert Benchley / Self | 1943 |
| Young and Willing | Arthur Kenny | 1943 |
| I Married a Witch | Dr. Dudley White | 1942 |
| The Major and the Minor | Albert Osborne | 1942 |
| The Man's Angle | Joe Doakes | 1942 |
| Keeping in Shape | Lecturer / Joe Doakes | 1942 |
| Syncopation | Doakes / Doakes (scenes deleted) | 1942 |
| Take a Letter, Darling | G.B. Atwater | 1942 |
| The Witness | Joe Doakes | 1942 |
| Nothing But Nerves | Mr. Benchley | 1942 |
| Bedtime Story | Eddie Turner | 1941 |
| Three Girls About Town | Wilburforce Puddle / Wilburforce Puddle, hotel manager | 1941 |
| How to Take a Vacation | The Husband / Husband | 1941 |
| You'll Never Get Rich | Martin Cortland | 1941 |
| The Forgotten Man | Joe Doakes / Father | 1941 |
| Crime Control | Sgt. Benchley / Joe Doakes | 1941 |
| Nice Girl? | Prof. Oliver Wendall Holmes Dana / Prof. Oliver Wendel Holmes Dana | 1941 |
| Waiting for Baby | Joseph Doakes / Joe Doakes | 1941 |
| The Reluctant Dragon | Robert Benchley / Himself | 1941 |
| The Trouble with Husbands | Joe Doakes | 1940 |
| Hired Wife | Roger Van Horn | 1940 |
| Foreign Correspondent | Stebbins | 1940 |
| Home Movies | Joe Doakes | 1940 |
| That Inferior Feeling | Joseph H. 'Joe' Doakes | 1940 |
| How to Eat | Joe Doakes / Lecturer | 1939 |
| Dark Magic | Joseph A. Doakes / Joe Doakes | 1939 |
| An Hour for Lunch | Lecturer / Joe | 1939 |
| Mental Poise | Mr. Ostegraf / Psychoanalyst | 1938 |
| How to Watch Football | Football Fan | 1938 |
| The Courtship of the Newt | Zoology professor / Zoology Lecturer | 1938 |
| A Night at the Movies | Husband | 1937 |
| Live, Love and Learn | Oscar | 1937 |
| Sunday Night at the Trocadero | Robert Benchley | 1937 |
| How to Start the Day | Lecturer | 1937 |
| Broadway Melody of 1938 | Duffy | 1937 |
| The Romance of Digestion | Joe Doakes | 1937 |
| How to Be a Detective | Lecturer / Mr. Benchley | 1936 |
| How to Vote | Mr. Robert Benchley | 1936 |
| Piccadilly Jim | Bill Macon | 1936 |
| Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs | Self | 1936 |
| How to Train a Dog | Lecturer / Dog Owner | 1936 |
| How to Behave | Mr. Benchley | 1936 |
| How to Sleep | Lecturer / Host / Narrator | 1935 |
| China Seas | Charlie McCaleb / McCaleb | 1935 |
| Social Register | Robert Benchley | 1934 |
| Dancing Lady | Ward King | 1933 |
| Rafter Romance | Hubbell / H. Harrington Hubbell | 1933 |
| Headline Shooter | Radio Announcer | 1933 |
| The Sport Parade | Radio Announcer | 1932 |
| The Sex Life of the Polyp | Lecturer | 1928 |
| The Treasurer's Report | Treasurer | 1928 |
