Edward G. Robinson
Acting
Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg; December 12, 1893 – January 26, 1973) was a Romanian-born American actor and political activist. Although he played a wide range of characters, he is best remembered for his roles as a gangster, most notably in his star-making film Little Caesar (1931). Robinson's career saw a decline during the 1950s Red Scare when he was threatened with blacklisting. Experiencing underemployment, he turned towards minor roles in B movies until he eventually returned to the mainstream by playing one of Moses' adversaries Dathan in Cecil B. DeMille's religious epic The Ten Commandments (1956). He was ranked number 24 in the American Film Institute's list of the 25 greatest male stars of Classic American cinema. Never having been nominated for an Academy Award during his 60-year career, he became a posthumous recipient of an Honorary Oscar in 1973, two months after his death. Robinson was Jewish and a staunch critic of fascist and Nazi ideologies that were on the rise in the 1930s. He donating more than $250,000 to 850 political and charitable organizations between 1939 and 1949, hosted a gathering at his home to sign a declaration calling for a boycott of all German-made products, frequently appeared at Soviet and American war relief rallies, delivered radio addresses in over six languages to Nazi-occupied European countries, and traveled to Normandy to entertain the troops, becoming the first movie star to go there for the USO. Robin was also an outspoken supporter of the civil rights movement, and regularly campaigned to overcome segregation.
Known for
Acting153
movieAway with Words
2026
Edward G. Robinson
movieRat Pack
2022
Self (archive footage)
movieClassic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
2013
Self (archive footage)
movie1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
Self (archive footage)
movieWarner at War
2008
(archive footage)
moviePublic Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
2008
Self (archive footage)
movieYou Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
2008
Self (archive footage)
movieLittle Caesar: End of Rico, Beginning of the Antihero
2005
Self (archive footage)
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
2004
Self (archive footage)
Pulp Cinema
2001
Self (archive footage)
movieFrank Capra's American Dream
1997
Self (archive footage)
movieBarbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
1997
Self (archive footage)
movieBogart: The Untold Story
1997
Self (archive footage)
movieBarbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire
1991
Self (archive footage)
movieMovie Tough Guys
1991
Self (archive footage)
movieHollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
Self (archive footage)
movieSoylent Green
1973
Sol Roth
movieHollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
Self (archive footage)
tvNight Gallery
1970
Abraham Goldman
movieSong of Norway
1970
Krogstad
movieThe Old Man Who Cried Wolf
1970
Emile Pulska
movieOperation Heartbeat
1969
Dr. Lee Forestman
movieMackenna's Gold
1969
Old Adams
movieIt's Your Move
1968
Sir George McDowell
movieNever a Dull Moment
1968
Leo Joseph Smooth
tvRowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
Self / Self (uncredited)
movieThe Biggest Bundle of Them All
1968
Professor Samuels
movieOperation San Pietro
1967
Joe Ventura
movieGrand Slam
1967
Prof. James Anders
movieThe Blonde from Peking
1967
CIA Chief Douglas
tvBatman
1966
Edward G. Robinson (uncredited)
movieThe Cincinnati Kid
1965
Lancey Howard
movieBorn a Man
1965
Narrator
movieCheyenne Autumn
1964
Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz
movieThe Outrage
1964
Con Man
movieGood Neighbor Sam
1964
Simon Nurdlinger
movieRobin and the 7 Hoods
1964
Big Jim Stevens (uncredited)
movieThe Prize
1963
Max Stratman/Walter Stratman
movieSammy Going South
1963
Cocky Wainwright
tvThe Lucy Show
1962
Edward G. Robinson
movieTwo Weeks in Another Town
1962
Maurice Kruger
movieMy Geisha
1962
Sam Lewis
moviePepe
1960
Edward G. Robinson
movieSeven Thieves
1960
Theo Wilkins
movieThe Right Man
1960
Theodore Roosevelt
movieIsrael
1959
Self - Narrator
tvThe Detectives
1959
'Big Jim' Riva
NBC Sunday Showcase
1959
Daniel Webster
movieA Hole in the Head
1959
Mario Manetta
tvDick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
Victor Bers
movieNightmare
1956
Rene Bressard
movieHell on Frisco Bay
1955
Victor Amato
movieIllegal
1955
Victor Scott
movieA Bullet for Joey
1955
Raoul Leduc
movieTight Spot
1955
Lloyd Hallett
movieThe Violent Men
1955
Lee Wilkison
movieBlack Tuesday
1954
Vincent Canelli
tvClimax!
1954
Josef Vadassy
movieThe Glass Web
1953
Henry Hayes
movieBig Leaguer
1953
John B 'Hans' Lobert
movieVice Squad
1953
Capt. 'Barnie' Barnaby
tvThe Oscars
1953
Self
tvGeneral Electric Theater
1953
Bert Alquist
tvThe Ford Television Theatre
1952
John Derwent / Baron
movieActors and Sin
1952
Maurice Tillayou (segment Actor's Blood)
Lux Video Theatre
1950
Sir Wilfrid Robarts
movieMy Daughter Joy
1950
George Constantin
movieIt's a Great Feeling
1949
Edward G. Robinson (uncredited)
movieHouse of Strangers
1949
Gino Monetti
movieNight Has a Thousand Eyes
1948
John Triton
movieKey Largo
1948
Johnny Rocco
movieAll My Sons
1948
Joe Keller
movieThe Red House
1947
Pete Morgan
movieThe Stranger
1946
Federal Agent Wilson
movieScarlet Street
1945
Christopher Cross
movieJourney Together
1945
Dean McWilliams
movieOur Vines Have Tender Grapes
1945
Martinius Jacobson
movieThe Woman in the Window
1944
Professor Richard Wanley
movieMr. Winkle Goes to War
1944
Wilbert Winkle
movieDouble Indemnity
1944
Barton Keyes
movieTampico
1944
Capt. Bart Manson
tvGolden Globe Awards
1944
Self - Presenter
movieFlesh and Fantasy
1943
Marshall Tyler (segment 2)
movieDestroyer
1943
Steven 'Boley' Boleslavski
movieTales of Manhattan
1942
Larry Browne
movieLarceny, Inc.
1942
'Pressure' Maxwell
movieMoscow Strikes Back
1942
Narrator (English version) (voice)
movieBreakdowns of 1941
1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieUnholy Partners
1941
Bruce Corey
Polo with the Stars
1941
Self - Watching Polo Match
movieManpower
1941
Hank McHenry
movieThe Sea Wolf
1941
'Wolf' Larsen
movieA Dispatch from Reuters
1940
Paul Julius Reuter
movieBrother Orchid
1940
Little John T. 'Johnny' Sarto
movieDr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
1940
Dr. Paul Ehrlich
movieBlackmail
1939
John R. Ingram
movieConfessions of a Nazi Spy
1939
Edward 'Ed' Renard
movieI Am the Law
1938
John Lindsay
movieThe Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
1938
Dr. T.S. Clitterhouse
movieA Slight Case of Murder
1938
Remy Marko
movieThe Last Gangster
1937
Joe Krozac
movieKid Galahad
1937
Nick 'Nicky' Donati
movieA Day at Santa Anita
1937
Edward G. Robinson (uncredited)
movieThunder in the City
1937
Dan Armstrong
movieBullets or Ballots
1936
Johnny Blake
movieBarbary Coast
1935
Luis Chamalis
movieThe Whole Town's Talking
1935
Arthur Ferguson 'Jonesy' Jones / 'Killer' Mannion
movieThe Man with Two Faces
1934
Damon Welles / Jules Chautard
movieDark Hazard
1934
Jim 'Buck' Turner
movieI Loved a Woman
1933
John Mansfield Hayden
movieThe Little Giant
1933
James Francis 'Bugs' / 'Jim' Ahearn
movieSilver Dollar
1932
Yates Martin
movieTiger Shark
1932
Mike Mascarenhas
movieTwo Seconds
1932
John Allen
movieThe Hatchet Man
1932
Wong Low Get
movieFive Star Final
1931
Joseph W. Randall
movieHow I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 10: 'Trouble Shots'
1931
Self - Golfer (uncredited)
movieSmart Money
1931
Nick 'The Barber' Venizelos
movieThe Stolen Jools
1931
Gangster
movieLittle Caesar
1931
Caesar Enrico 'Rico' Bandello aka 'Little Caesar'
movieEast Is West
1930
Charlie Yong
movieOutside the Law
1930
Cobra Collins
movieThe Night Ride
1930
Tony Garotta
movieThe Bright Shawl
1923
Domingo Escobar
movieArms and the Woman
1916
Factory Worker