Still in print today, death be not proud is considered to be an important work due to its stark honesty in dealing with the pain and tragedy of facing a terminal illness. Also in 1977 came the tv movie the death of richie, costarring actor ben gazzara. Robby benson was born on january 21, 1956 in dallas, texas, usa as robin david segal. In 1975, benson appeared in death be not proud and lucky lady.
Best known for starring in films such as ice castles, ode to billy joe, the chosen, running brave, in his own screenplay for the warner bros. Death be not proud perennial classics death be not proud death be not proud exploring literature teaching unit death be not proud. Death be not proud chronicles johnny gunthers gallant struggle against the malignant brain tumor that killed him at the age of seventeen. He is an actor and director, known for beauty and the beast 1991, friends 1994 and one on one 1977. Robby benson is best known for starring in films such as jeremy, ice castles, death be not proud, ode to billy joe, the chosen, tribute, running brave, the end, harry and son, walk proud, one on one for which he wrote the screenplay, and, to new generations, as the voice of beast in academy award nominated beauty and the beast.
In fact, the actors daughter once accidentally was credited for the other lyric benson s frequentflier miles, the actors spokeswoman said. Gasping for breath after running up a steep san francisco hill, robby benson began to faint. John gunther memoir death be not proud, donald wrye. When he moved on to teen angst, dying in death be not proud 1975, ode to billy joe 1976. Benson, robby 1956bobby benson, robbie benson,robin benson, robby segal, robin david segal source for information on benson, robby 1956. But to top it off, robby soon developed a physique than would shame scott baio and adrian zmed, with a tight muscular chest and sixpack abs. The drives leader and a likable cowhand take the boy under their wing, and find that tragedy has taught him how to take care of himself better than anyone could expect. Robby benson, actor, writer, composer, and awardwinning star of stage, screen, and television has also spent years behind the camera as the director of more than one hundred episodes of such hit sitcoms as friends and ellen, in addition to being a highly esteemed professor of film studies at new york university.
January 21, 1956, is an american actor, singer, musician, educator, director, producer, writer and composer. The book is an account of johnny gunthers experience with a brain tumor, and ends with his death. Robby bensons most popular book is if you give a mouse a cookie if you give. Death be not proud is a 1949 memoir by american author john gunther, taking its name from holy sonnet x by john donne. He rose to prominence as a teen idol in the late 1970s, appearing in the sports films one on one 1977 and ice castles 1978. Born as robin david segal, benson was born in dallas to jewish parents, gerald charles segal and freda ann benson. Robby benson began his career at the age of 12, on the broadway stage, and became a teen heartthrob in the 70s, starring in films such as ode. Jul 20, 2018 was there any 1970s teen idol more dreamy than robby benson. Robby benson saturday, 21st january 1956 dallas, tx usa. Benson endured an awkward period in the 1980s when, except for such career highlights. However, he is now best known for his memoir death be not proud, on the death of his beloved teenage son, johnny gunther, from a brain tumor. They experience firsttime love, then happenstance pulls them apart.
Death be not proud 1h 40min drama tv movie 4 february 1975 based on the book by famed author john gunther about the life and early death of his teenage son johnny, who died from a brain tumor. Death be not proud harper perennial modern classics gunther, john j. Death be not proud is a 1949 memoir by american journalist john gunther. Bensons book is part hollywood diary, part medical journal, and the electronic edition includes pictures and songs related to his surgeries. Sep 25, 2012 benson s book is part hollywood diary, part medical journal, and the electronic edition includes pictures and songs related to his surgeries. John gunther arthur hill discovers that his 17yearold son, johnny robby benson, has a brain tumor. During the heyday of tv movies about terminal illnesses, benson played a brilliant student suffering from a brain tumor in death be not proud 1975, an emmynominated adaptation of journalist john gunthers bestselling 1949 memoir. He lives in both the blue ridge mountains and new york city with his wife, singer. John gunther august 30, 1901 may 29, 1970 was an american journalist and author his success came primarily by a series of popular sociopolitical works, known as the inside books 19361972, including the bestselling inside u. My heart is saddened at the thought of what all johnny gunther might have accomplished. Robby benson narrator of if you give a mouse a cookie. The former teen heartthrob is best known for his roles in such films as ode to billy joe, ice castles, and the chosen. With robby benson, glynnis oconnor, len bari, leonardo cimino. With arthur hill, jane alexander, robby benson, linden chiles.
In 1977, benson starred in one on one 6 which he cowrote with his father and needed no double for the authentic looking college basketball scenes due to his prowess at the game and the tv movie the death of richie. Based on the book by famed author john gunther about the life and early death of his teenage son johnny, who died from a brain tumor. Robby benson celebrity profile check out the latest robby benson photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. The story was portrayed in a 1975 tv movie starring robby benson as johnny gunther and arthur hill as john gunther. I recently thought of the book when someone mentioned the actor robby benson. In 1981, he costarred with rod steiger in the film the chosen. Death be not proud 1975 1h 40min drama tv movie 4 february 1975. Contemporary theatre, film and television dictionary. The book opens with his fathers fond, vivid portrait of his son a young man of extraordinary intellectual promise, who excelled at physics, math, and chess, but was also an active, goodhearted, and funloving kid. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, much pleasure. Jul 18, 2012 a riveting medical memoir actorwriterdirector robby benson takes us on a candid journey from athletic softspoken heartthrob on broadway and film, to husband, father, professor and courageous survivor of 4 openheart surgeries. He subsequently garnered fame for portraying the voice of beast in the disney animated film beauty and the beast 1991.
Robby benson biography, movie highlights and photos. Books by robby benson author of if you give a mouse a cookie. Death be not proud harper perennial modern classics. While you may know robby as an actor and director he is also an accomplished composer and musician. As a nurse and more importantly a mother of three, including a boy. In fact, the actors daughter once accidentally was credited for the other lyric bensons frequentflier miles, the actors spokeswoman said. The book describes the decline and death of gunthers son, johnny, due to brain cancer. Robby benson biography, movie highlights and photos allmovie. All of his earliest movie roles jory 1973, troy 1973, and all the kind strangers 1974 featured ample shirtless shots. The wounded woman has the same unusual name and is about the same age as the daughter of 1980s hollywood heartthrob robby benson, causing initial confusion. Robby benson as wes on a feeling of home hallmark channel. His sister is shelli segal, designer for the clothing line known as laundry by shelli segal. From one on one, ice castles, the chosen, and disneys beauty. Death be not proud was one of the very best tv movies i ever watched.
Actor, director, screenwriter, musician and author. Benson starred in the television film death be not proud and, in 1977, starred in the film one on one which he cowrote with his father. Click here to view some of the beautiful photos taken by the lens of robby benson. Creation in death, strangers in death, salvation in death in death series j. A riveting medical memoir actorwriterdirector robby benson takes us on a candid journey from athletic softspoken heartthrob on broadway and film, to husband, father, professor and courageous survivor of 4 openheart surgeries. The son of a writer and a stage actress, benson went from the strawhat theater circuit to the leading role of oliver in a 1964 japanese touring production. He fought bravely to try to help doctors find a cure for his ailment, but died at age 17. Yet death be not proud remains a lifeaffirming story. Apr 03, 2007 death be not proud harper perennial modern classics gunther, john j. Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so. He has produced and directed feature films and television series.
At 28, benson has made 18 pictures, and he shows no signs of slowing down. He has been married to karla devito since july 11, 1982. Sure, david cassidy, donny osmond, and leif garrett were cute, but robby s blue eyes, coiffed hair, and soulful pout could cause thousands of straight girls and gay boys to swoon with goofy smiles on their faces, even without a beefcake shot. Robby has made his home both in front of, and behind, the camera. The tragic news does not deter johnny, who is in and out of hospitals for treatment, from. Other notable performances include death be not proud and lucky lady, both. Death be not proud hardcover january 1, 1949 by john gunther author.
That year, he also screen tested for the role of luke skywalker in star wars, a role which eventually went to mark hamill. Oct 04, 2012 the former teen idol opens up in a new memoir about his pain, depression and tough lessons. Jory is a fifteenyearold boy who joins a horsedrive after his father is killed by a drunkard. Robby benson doesnt mind telling the joke on himself, safely ensconced as he is between the first and final stages. Mar 17, 2017 death be not proud is a 1949 memoir written by american journalist john gunther, about his son johnny, who was a harvardbound teenager when he was diagnosed with cancer. While his early theatrical films were generally okay, benson was better served in madefortv movies. A lot of it is what not to do, benson says over lunch. This book was brought to me by my now deceased grandfather more than 30 years ago. Benson, robby 1956 bobby benson, robbie benson, robin benson, robby segal, robin david segal personal. Robby benson is a jewish american film and television actor, director and singer. When yearold robby benson appeared with josephine the plumber jane withers in a wellcirculated tv commercial of the late 1960s, he was already a tenyear veteran of show business.
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