Robert Stack

Biography

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

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

King of the Hill

Murder, She Wrote

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

Diagnosis: Murder

Falcon Crest

The Love Boat

All Movies (85)

• Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy2023 · as Self (archive footage)
• Jacques Tati, tombé de la lune2021
• Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood2019 · as (archive footage)
• These Dead Souls2018 · as (archive footage)
• Acting for Douglas Sirk2008 · as Self (archive footage)
• Unsolved Mysteries Volume 1: UFOs2004 · as Host
• Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir2001 · as Self
• Killer Bud2001 · as The Gooch
• Recess: School's Out2001 · as Superintendent (voice)
• Mumford1999 · as Himself
• Sealed with a Kiss1999 · as Sumner Ethridge
• Hercules: Zero to Hero1999 · as Narrator (voice) (archive sound)
• The Y2K Crisis1999 · as Host
• BASEketball1998 · as Robert Stack
• Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line1997 · as Self
• Beavis and Butt-Head Do America1996 · as Agent Flemming (voice)
• Clark Gable: Tall, Dark, and Handsome1996 · as Self
• The Return of Eliot Ness1991 · as Eliot Ness
• The Real Story of Baa Baa Black Sheep1991 · as Lt. Littleboy (voice)
• Joe Versus the Volcano1990 · as Dr. Ellison
• Dangerous Curves1988 · as Louis Faciano
• Caddyshack II1988 · as Chandler Young
• Plain Clothes1988 · as Mr. Gardner
• Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit1987 · as Jordan White
• Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood1987 · as Self
• The Transformers: The Movie1986 · as Ultra Magnus (voice)
• Big Trouble1986 · as Winslow
• Midas Valley1985 · as Drew Hammond
• My Kingdom For...1985
• Uncommon Valor1983 · as MacGregor
• Barry Norman in Celebrity City1982 · as Self
• Airplane!1980 · as Captain Rex Kramer
• Douglas Sirk: Über Stars1980 · as Self
• 19411979 · as Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell
• Undercover with the KKK1979 · as Host - Narrator
• The Muppets Go Hollywood1979 · as Self
• Second Wind1978 · as François Davis
• Murder on Flight 5021975 · as Captain Larkin
• Adventures of the Queen1975 · as Capt. James Morgan
• The Strange and Deadly Occurrence1974 · as Michael Rhodes
• The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World1971 · as Self
• The Selling of the Pentagon1971 · as Self (archive footage)
• Story of a Woman1970 · as David Frasier
• Laura1968 · as Mark McPherson
• Action Man1967 · as Jim Beckley
• The Corrupt Ones1967 · as Cliff Wilder
• Is Paris Burning?1966 · as General Sibert
• Asylum for a Spy1965 · as James Andrew Congers
• The Caretakers1963 · as Dr. Donovan MacLeod
• Alcatraz Express1961 · as Eliot Ness
• The Gun of Zangara1960 · as Eliot Ness
• The Last Voyage1960 · as Cliff Henderson
• John Paul Jones1959 · as John Paul Jones
• The Scarface Mob1959 · as Eliot Ness
• The Gift of Love1958 · as William 'Bill' Beck
• The Tarnished Angels1957 · as Roger Shumann
• Written on the Wind1956 · as Kyle Hadley
• Great Day in the Morning1956 · as Owen Pentecost
• Good Morning, Miss Dove1955 · as Dr. Tommy Baker
• Laura1955 · as Mark Macpherson
• House of Bamboo1955 · as Eddie Kenner
• The High and the Mighty1954 · as John Sullivan
• The Iron Glove1954 · as Captain Charles Wogan
• Sabre Jet1953 · as Col. Gil Manton
• Conquest of Cochise1953 · as Maj. Tom Burke
• War Paint1953 · as Lt. Billings
• Bwana Devil1952 · as Bob Hayward
• My Outlaw Brother1951 · as Patrick O´Moore
• Bullfighter and the Lady1951 · as John Regan
• Mr. Music1950 · as Jeff Blake
• Riviera Dream1950
• Fighter Squadron1948 · as Capt. Stuart L. Hamilton
• Miss Tatlock's Millions1948 · as Nickey Van Alen
• A Date with Judy1948 · as Stephen Andrews
• Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform1943 · as Himself
• Keeping Fit1942 · as Bob - Factory worker
• Men of Texas1942 · as Barry Conovan
• Eagle Squadron1942 · as Chuck S. Brewer
• To Be or Not to Be1942 · as Lieut. Stanislav Sobinski
• Badlands of Dakota1941 · as Jim Holliday
• Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 11941 · as Self
• Nice Girl?1941 · as Don Webb
• A Little Bit of Heaven1940 · as Bob Terry
• The Mortal Storm1940 · as Otto Von Rohn
• First Love1939 · as Ted Drake

All TV Shows (53)

• Butt-Ugly Martians2002 · as Stoat Muldoon (voice)
• Lords of the Mafia with Robert Stack1999 · as Self - Narrator
• Hercules1998 · as Bob (voice)
• The Angry Beavers1997 · as Narrator (voice)
• King of the Hill1997 · as Reynolds Penland (voice) (uncredited)
• Suddenly Susan1996 · as Robert Stack
• Diagnosis: Murder1993 · as Peter McReynolds
• Vicki!1992 · as Self
• Unsolved Mysteries: UFOS1991
• Unsolved Mysteries: Ghosts1990
• The Fanelli Boys1990 · as Robert Stack (uncredited)
• The Fanelli Boys1990 · as Kyle Hadley
• Blossom1990 · as Robert Stack
• Unsolved Mysteries1988 · as Host
• Hollywood Wives1985 · as George Lancaster
• Murder, She Wrote1984 · as Chester Harrison
• Brothers1984
• George Washington1984 · as General Stark
• Hotel1982 · as Lewis Blackwood
• Hotel1982 · as Charles Vandoor
• Falcon Crest1981 · as Roland Saunders
• Strike Force1981 · as Captain Frank Murphy
• Entertainment Tonight1981 · as Self
• The Love Boat1977 · as Bret Garrett
• Most Wanted1976 · as Captain Linc Evers
• Les Rendez-vous du dimanche1975 · as Self
• Dinah!1974 · as Self
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts1973 · as Self
• Police Story1973
• The Name of the Game1968 · as Dan Farrell
• The Danny Thomas Hour1967 · as Angelo (Businessman)
• Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre1963 · as Major Morgan
• Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre1963 · as James Andrew Congers
• The Lucy Show1962 · as Agent Briggs
• The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self - Co-Host
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
• The Untouchables1959 · as Eliot Ness
• Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse1958 · as Eliot Ness
• The 20th Century Fox Hour1955 · as Mark MacPherson
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• The Ford Television Theatre1952 · as Ralph Saunders
• The Ford Television Theatre1952 · as Ben Barton
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars1951 · as Vic Flint
• The Red Skelton Show1951 · as Bo Bo McGoon
• Lux Video Theatre1950 · as First Man
• Lux Video Theatre1950 · as Self - Intermission Guest
• The Bob Hope Show1950 · as Self - Cameo
• Lights Out1949
• The Ed Sullivan Show1948 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Presenter