Born:
November 22, 1932
in
New York
Best Known For:
The Man from UNCLE.
Early-life:
Robert Francis Vaughn was born on November 22, 1932, in New York. His father, Walter, was a radio actor, and his mother, Marcella, was a theatre star. He was raised by his grandparents in Minneapolis and originally wanted to be a journalist, but dropped out of his course at the University of Minnesota after a year. Vaughn moved to Los Angeles to study drama instead at State College, where he also earned his Masters degree. After becoming famous, he gained a PhD in Communications.
Career:
In 1956, Vaughn was signed by Burt Lancaster's production company, but was drafted into the army shortly afterwards. On his return to Hollywood, he spent the next few years playing small roles in movies and TV series such as The Ten Commandments and Gunsmoke. In 1960 he received an Oscar nomination for The Young Philadelphians and was one of The Magnificent Seven. TV show The Lieutenant followed, and he became a major global star thanks to The Man from UNCLE in 1964. Vaughn has also starred in Bullitt, The Towering Inferno, Battle Beyond the Stars, and SOB, and continues to regularly crop up on the big and small screens. He starred in as con-artist Albert Stroller in the BBC drama Hustle between 2004 and 2012, before shifting his attention to Coronation Street to appear as rich American Milton, the love interest of Sylvia Goodwin.
Quote:
"If I were a superhero, flying would be my power - as well as being able to hear people's conversations."
Trivia:
In 2009, he published his autobiography, A Fortunate Life.