RIP Chris Robinson

 

Christopher Brown Robinson (November 5, 1938 – June 9, 2025) was an American actor, screenwriter, and film director, sometimes credited as Christopher Robinson.

Career

Robinson began his career as an actor in the 1950s. Robinson was a young adult actor and stuntman and appeared in such films of the 1950s as Diary of a High School Bride and Beast from Haunted Cave. He was in Combat! Season 1, "The Reunion" in 1962. In the 1960s, he was cast as a flight engineer and top turret gunner, Technical Sgt. Alexander "Sandy" Komansky on ABC's 12 O'Clock High in the last two seasons. In 1972, he got the lead as a fanatical snake charmer in the horror movie, Stanley.

Robinson played Dr. Rick Webber on General Hospital from 1978 to 1986. Following this role, he joined Another World in late 1987, where he played the role of Jason Frame and was reunited with Denise Alexander, who had played Lesley on General Hospital. Jason was murdered in early 1989. He then appeared on another soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful, as Jack Hamilton, joining in the early 1990s and leaving after three years. He last appeared in this part in 2005, having made several guest appearances over the years. Robinson returned to General Hospital after a 16-year absence in 2002, only to see his character of Rick, killed off in a controversial storyline that altered the back story. In 2013, he appeared in a 50th-anniversary celebration episode as Rick's spirit, making peace with his old rival Alan Quartermaine when they both appeared to Monica and Alan's sister, Tracy.

In 1984, Robinson was a spokesman for Vicks Formula 44 cough syrup. The commercials aired on national television and began with the quote, "I'm not a doctor, but I do play one on TV". Robinson was replaced in the commercial by Peter Bergman after Robinson's legal difficulties.

In 2013, Robinson's son Chris made a documentary film about Robinson's obsession with Beanie Babies; Robinson invested $100,000 to purchase numerous Beanie Babies as an investment, but lost the money when the value of the items plummeted.

His last on-screen performance came in the 2022 feature film Just for a Week, directed by Michael Jason Allen.

Personal life and death

Robinson was the father of Taylor Joseph Robinson, cast as C.J. Garrison in The Bold and the Beautiful.

He was married to actress Phyllis Yarwood, whom he cast in a few of his movies.

In 1985, Robinson was convicted of income tax evasion. He was allowed to continue his role on General Hospital under a prison work-release provision.

Robinson was married to artist/actress Jacquie (née Shane) Robinson, and he had five sons from three previous marriages.

Robinson died of heart failure in his sleep at his ranch near Sedona, Arizona, on June 9, 2025, at the age of 86.

Credits

Actor

Just for a Week (2022) as Ted Hurst

Yancey McCord: The Killer That Arizona Forgot About (2020) as Yarnell Fritzowski

Barely Dreaming (2021) as Bud Millen

Colt .45 (1960) (ABC/Warner Brothers series) (Season 3 Episode 26: "Appointment at Agoura") as outlaw Tom Sanger

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1960) (Season 5 Episode 5: "So Young the Savage Land") as Paul Martin

Bus Stop (1961) (Season 1 Episode 1: "Afternoon of a Cowboy") as Tony Maddox

The Donna Reed Show (1961) (Season 3 Episode 35: "Military School") as Ken

Hennesey (1961) (Season 2 Episode 12: "The Hat") as Larry Stander

Two Faces West (1961) (Season 1 Episode 23: "The Wayward") as Gordie

Outlaws (1961) (Season 1 Episode 12: "The Daltons Must Die, Part 1") as Sonny Buck

Sea Hunt (1961) (Season 4 Episode 37: "Crime at Sea") as Kelsey

Straightaway (1961) (Season 1 Episode 3: "The Nobles Oblige") as Harkey

The Everglades (1961-1962) (2 episodes)

(Season 1 Episode 11: "Good Boy") (1961) as Ralph Martin

(Season 1 Episode 14: "Young Osceola") (1962) as Coley Jarrett

The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor (1961-1962) (3 episodes)

(Season 2 Episode 15: "The Frightened Ones") (1961) as Brad Snyder

(Season 3 Episode 17: "The Jagged Edge") (1962) as Charles

(Season 3 Episode 29: "Strangers in the House") (1962) as Grant Harper

Empire (1962) (Season 1 Episode 3: "A Place to Put a Life") as Arnold Koenig

Cain's Hundred (1962) (Season 1 Episode 22: "The New Order") as Jack Hayes

The New Breed (1962) (Season 1 Episode 36: "Walk This Street Lightly") as Clifford Forbes

Combat! (1963) (Season 1 Episode 13: "Reunion") as Private Paul Villette

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1963) (2 episodes)

(Season 1 Episode 17: "Forecast: Low Clouds and Coastal Fog") (January 18, 1963) as Rick 'Ricky' Garrison

(Season 2 Episode 9: "The Dividing Wall") (December 6, 1963) as Terry

The Dakotas (1963) (Season 1 Episode 2: "Red Sky Over Bismarck") as Chino James

The Wide Country (1963) (Season 1 Episode 18: "Speckle Bird") as Gabriel Horn

Stoney Burke (1963) (Season 1 Episode 29: "A Girl Named Amy") as Ross Webster

Channing (1963) (Season 1 Episode 11: "Beyond His Reach") as Jim Wilson

Gunsmoke (1963) (Season 8 Episode 20: "The Bad One") as Willie Jett

The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963) (Season 1 Episode 6: "The Day of the Skinners") as Billy Bird

G.E. True (1963) (Season 1 Episode 24: "Ordeal") as Holt

The Fugitive (1963) (Season 1 Episode 8: "See Hollywood and Die") as Miles

Wagon Train (1963-1964) (3 episodes)

(Season 6 Episode 23: "The Sarah Proctor Story") (1963) as Brad Proctor

(Season 7 Episode 25: "The Duncan McIvor Story") (1964) as Second Lieutenant Brad Carter

(Season 8 Episode 2: "Hide Hunters") (1964) as Gib Ryker

Arrest and Trial (1963-1964) (2 episodes)

(Season 1 Episode 3: "Tears from a Silver Dipper") (1963) as Private First Class Al Rogers

(Season 1 Episode 29: "Those Which Love Has Made") (1964) as Bradford Holcombe

The Virginian (1963-1970) (4 episodes)

(Season 2 Episode 6: "It Takes A Big Man") (1963) as Henry 'Hank' Anders

(Season 3 Episode 2: "Dark Challenge") (1964) as Arnie Hendricks

(Season 7 Episode 1: "Saddle Warmer") (1968) as Coley

(Season 9 Episode 10: "Experiment at New Life" (1970) as Sandy

Perry Mason (1965) (Season 8 Episode 25: "The Case of the Deadly Debt") as Carl Talbert

Twelve O'Clock High (1965–1967) (47 episodes) as Technical Sergeant Sandy Komansky (regular role)

Custer (1967) (Season 1 Episode 2: "Accused") as Lieutenant Tim Rudford

Felony Squad (1967) (Season 1 Episode 23: "The Desperate Silence") as Vincent Ludi

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.(1967) (Season 4 Episode 10: "The Survivor School Affair") as John Saimes

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1968) (Season 4 Episode 29: "And Baby Makes Three") as Private Howie Reilly

The Invaders (1968) (Season 2 Episode 20: "The Organization") as Mike Calvin

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1968) (Season 4 Episode 25: "The Death Clock") as Corpsman Mallory

Hogan's Heroes (1969) (Season 4 Episode 15: "The Missing Klink") as Karl Wagner

Cycle Savages (1969) as Romko

Like a Mighty Army (1970), as Pastor D. James Kennedy

Barnaby Jones (1977) (2 episodes)

(Season 5 Episode 17: "Duet for Dying") as Harley Nelson

(Season 6 Episode 7: "Daughter of Evil") as Harry Blenner

General Hospital (1978-2013) (TV Series) (960 episodes) as Dr. Rick Webber #2 (1978 – November 26, 1986; June 27 – August 9, 2002, April 2, 2013)

Young Doctors in Love (1982) in a cameo appearance

Savannah Smiles (1982) as Richard Driscoll

Amy (1981) as Elliot Medford

Like Father Like Son (1987) (uncredited) as Bobby

Viper (1988) as James Macalla

Another World (1988–1989) (20 episodes) as Jason Frame

Rez Bomb (2008) as Jaws

Yancey McCord: The KILLER That Arizona Forgot About (2020) as Yarnell Fritzowski

Director

Catch the Black Sunshine (1972)

Thunder County (1974)

The Intruder (1975)

Barnaby Jones - "Shadow of Guilt" (1976) episode

Cannon - "A Touch of Venom" (1975) and "Point After Death" (1976) episodes

Baretta - "Shoes" (1976) episode

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Robinson_(American_actor)