Robert Stack
Born
January 13, 1919
Died
May 14, 2003 (84 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
Robert Langford Modini Stack (January 13, 1919 – May 14, 2003) was a multilingual American actor and television host. In addition to acting in more than 40 films, he also appeared on the television series The Untouchables and later served as the host of Unsolved Mysteries.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Stack spent his early childhood growing up in Europe. Becoming fluent in French and Italian at an early age, and he did not learn English until returning to Los Angeles. Stack achieved minor fame in sporting, winning multiple championships including setting two world records and winning multiple honors in skeet shooting
Stack studied drama at Bridgewater State College, earning his first hollywood role at the age of 20 and continuing to star in numerous roles throughout the early 1940s.
After serving in the military, Stack returned to Hollywood to star in numerous films including stand out roles in The High and the Mighty (opposite John Wayne) and Written on the Wind (1957), for which he was awarded an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Stack later moved on to televised dramatic series, depicting the crime-fighting Eliot Ness in The Untouchables (1959–1963), which earned him a best actor Emmy Award in 1960. Stack also starred in multiple drama series, before returning to film, this time in comedies to satirize his famed stoic and humorless demeanor.
He began hosting Unsolved Mysteries in 1987, and served as the show's host throughout it's entire original run from 1987 to 2002.
Known For
Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy
Self (archive footage)
2023
Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
(archive footage)
2019
These Dead Souls
(archive footage)
2018
Acting for Douglas Sirk
Self (archive footage)
2008
Unsolved Mysteries Volume 1: UFOs
Host
2004
Butt-Ugly Martians
Stoat Muldoon (voice) · (26 episodes)
2002
Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir
Self
2001
Killer Bud
The Gooch
2001
Recess: School's Out
Superintendent (voice)
2001
Mumford
Himself
1999
Sealed with a Kiss
Sumner Ethridge
1999
Hercules: Zero to Hero
Narrator (voice) (archive sound)
1999
The Y2K Crisis
Host
1999
Hercules
Bob (voice) · (65 episodes)
1998
BASEketball
Robert Stack
1998
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line
Self
1997
The Angry Beavers
Narrator (voice) · (1 episode)
1997
King of the Hill
Reynolds Penland (voice) (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1997
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America
Agent Flemming (voice)
1996
Suddenly Susan
Robert Stack · (1 episode)
1996
The Making of '1941'
Self (archive footage)
1996
Clark Gable: Tall, Dark, and Handsome
Self
1996
Diagnosis: Murder
Peter McReynolds · (1 episode)
1993
Vicki!
Self · (1 episode)
1992
The Return of Eliot Ness
Eliot Ness
1991
Unsolved Mysteries: UFOS
(26 episodes)
1991
The Real Story of Baa Baa Black Sheep
Lt. Littleboy (voice)
1991
Unsolved Mysteries: Ghosts
(34 episodes)
1990
The Fanelli Boys
Robert Stack (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1990
The Fanelli Boys
Kyle Hadley · (1 episode)
1990
Blossom
(1 episode)
1990
Joe Versus the Volcano
Dr. Ellison
1990
Unsolved Mysteries
Host · (561 episodes)
1988
Dangerous Curves
Louis Faciano
1988
Caddyshack II
Chandler Young
1988
Plain Clothes
Mr. Gardner
1988
Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit
Jordan White
1987
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self
1987
The Transformers: The Movie
Ultra Magnus (voice)
1986
Big Trouble
Winslow
1986
Midas Valley
Drew Hammond
1985
Hollywood Wives
George Lancaster · (3 episodes)
1985
My Kingdom For...
1985
Murder, She Wrote
Chester Harrison · (1 episode)
1984
Brothers
(1 episode)
1984
George Washington
General Stark · (3 episodes)
1984
Uncommon Valor
MacGregor
1983
Barry Norman in Celebrity City
Self
1982
Hotel
Lewis Blackwood · (1 episode)
1982
Hotel
Charles Vandoor · (1 episode)
1982
Falcon Crest
Roland Saunders · (5 episodes)
1981
Strike Force
Captain Frank Murphy · (20 episodes)
1981
Entertainment Tonight
Self · (1 episode)
1981
Airplane!
Captain Rex Kramer
1980
Douglas Sirk: Über Stars
Self
1980
1941
Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell
1979
Undercover with the KKK
Host - Narrator
1979
The Muppets Go Hollywood
Self
1979
Second Wind
François Davis
1978
The Love Boat
Bret Garrett · (1 episode)
1977
Most Wanted
Captain Linc Evers · (23 episodes)
1976
Murder on Flight 502
Captain Larkin
1975
Adventures of the Queen
Capt. James Morgan
1975
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Self · (1 episode)
1975
Dinah!
Self · (1 episode)
1974
The Strange and Deadly Occurrence
Michael Rhodes
1974
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self · (1 episode)
1973
Police Story
(2 episodes)
1973
The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World
Self
1971
The Selling of the Pentagon
Self (archive footage)
1971
Story of a Woman
David Frasier
1970
The Name of the Game
Dan Farrell · (26 episodes)
1968
Laura
Mark McPherson
1968
The Danny Thomas Hour
Angelo (Businessman) · (1 episode)
1967
Action Man
Jim Beckley
1967
The Corrupt Ones
Cliff Wilder
1967
Is Paris Burning?
General Sibert
1966
Asylum for a Spy
James Andrew Congers
1965
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Major Morgan · (1 episode)
1963
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
James Andrew Congers · (2 episodes)
1963
The Caretakers
Dr. Donovan MacLeod
1963
The Lucy Show
Agent Briggs · (1 episode)
1962
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · (1 episode)
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (7 episodes)
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host · (5 episodes)
1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (5 episodes)
1961
The Last Voyage
Cliff Henderson
1960
The Untouchables
Eliot Ness · (118 episodes)
1959
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
1959
The Scarface Mob
Eliot Ness
1959
The Gift of Love
William 'Bill' Beck
1958
The Tarnished Angels
Roger Shumann
1957
Written on the Wind
Kyle Hadley
1956
Great Day in the Morning
Owen Pentecost
1956
Good Morning, Miss Dove
Dr. Tommy Baker
1955
Laura
Mark Macpherson
1955
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Mark MacPherson · (1 episode)
1955
House of Bamboo
Eddie Kenner
1955
The High and the Mighty
John Sullivan
1954
The Iron Glove
Captain Charles Wogan
1954
Sabre Jet
Col. Gil Manton
1953
Conquest of Cochise
Maj. Tom Burke
1953
War Paint
Lt. Billings
1953
The Oscars
Self · (2 episodes)
1953
The Ford Television Theatre
Ralph Saunders · (1 episode)
1952
The Ford Television Theatre
Ben Barton · (1 episode)
1952
Bwana Devil
Bob Hayward
1952
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Vic Flint · (1 episode)
1951
The Red Skelton Show
Self / Bo Bo McGoon · (1 episode)
1951
My Outlaw Brother
Patrick O´Moore
1951
Bullfighter and the Lady
John Regan
1951
Mr. Music
Jeff Blake
1950
Lux Video Theatre
First Man · (1 episode)
1950
Lux Video Theatre
Self - Intermission Guest · (1 episode)
1950
The Bob Hope Show
Self - Cameo · (1 episode)
1950
Riviera Dream
1950
Lights Out
(2 episodes)
1949
Fighter Squadron
Capt. Stuart L. Hamilton
1948
Miss Tatlock's Millions
Nickey Van Alen
1948
A Date with Judy
Stephen Andrews
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (1 episode)
1948
Golden Globe Awards
Self · (1 episode)
1944
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1944
Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform
Himself
1943
Keeping Fit
Bob - Factory worker
1942
Men of Texas
Barry Conovan
1942
Eagle Squadron
Chuck S. Brewer
1942
To Be or Not to Be
Lieut. Stanislav Sobinski
1942
Badlands of Dakota
Jim Holliday
1941
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Self
1941
Nice Girl?
Don Webb
1941
A Little Bit of Heaven
Bob Terry
1940
The Mortal Storm
Otto Von Rohn
1940
First Love
Ted Drake
1939