Forrest Robinson

Forrest Robinson (1858 – January 6, 1924) was an American actor whose career spanned stage and silent film. Born in New York, New York, he built an early reputation as a leading man at the Boston Museum Theater before establishing himself in theatrical productions across New York and beyond.

Robinson's Broadway career extended from 1896 to 1921 and encompassed a wide range of productions. His stage credits included Love Finds the Way (1896), A Fair Exchange, the musical Glittering Gloria, Romeo and Juliet, Audrey, and the play Sky Farm. He appeared in Sag Harbor, a play by James A. Herne, at the Republic Theatre in 1900 alongside Lionel Barrymore. In 1909, he took the stage at the Gaiety Theatre in Fortune-Hunter, written by Winchell Smith and featuring John Barrymore. Later credits included The Master of the House at the 39th Street Theatre in 1912, John Cort's The Iron Door in 1913, East Meets West in 1918, and Philip Moeller's production of Molière at the Liberty Theatre in 1919. In 1914, Robinson traveled to London's West End, where he toured in Smith's Fortune-Hunter. Writing in the Pall Mall Magazine, critic Boyle Lawrence noted that Robinson, playing an inventor, acted charmingly and projected a real, lovable personality over the footlights without any trace of effort.

Robinson also pursued a parallel career in silent film, accumulating a substantial list of screen credits. His film appearances included The House of a Thousand Candles (1915) as Bates, The Dawn of a Tomorrow (1915) as Sir Oliver Holt, and several 1918 releases: The Mating as Mr. Fane, Little Miss Hoover as Colonel William Craddock, Just a Woman as Judge Van Brink, and From Two to Six, in which he starred alongside Winifred Allen. He continued working in film through the early 1920s, with roles in The Hidden Truth (1919), His House in Order (1920), Tol'able David (1921) as Grandpa Hatburn, and Tess of the Storm Country (1922) as Orn "Daddy" Skinner, a performance the New York Times noted for giving the character of simplicity to Tess's father. Additional screen appearances included Adam's Rib (1923) as Kramer, Ashes of Vengeance (1923) as Father Paul, Souls for Sale (1923) as Reverend John Steddon, and When a Man's a Man as The Dean.

Robinson was married to actress Mabel Bert.