Biography for
Tim Robbins (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

16 October 1958, West Covina, California, USA

Birth Name

Timothy Francis Robbins

Height

6' 4½" (1.94 m)

Mini Biography

Born in West Covina, California, but raised in New York City, Tim Robbins is the son of former The Highwaymen singer Gil Robbins and actress Mary Robbins. Robbins studied drama at UCLA, where he graduated with honors in 1981. That same year, he formed the Actors' Gang theater group, an experimental ensemble that expressed radical political observations through the European avant-garde form of theater. He started film work in TV movies in 1983, but hit the big time in 1988 with his portrayal of dim-witted fastball pitcher "Nuke" Laloosh in Bull Durham (1988). Tall with baby-faced looks, he has the ability to play naive and obtuse (Cadillac Man (1990) and The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)) or slick and shrewd (The Player (1992) and Bob Roberts (1992)).

IMDb Mini Biography By: Ray Hamel

Trivia

Has played in the Heroes of Hockey game at the National Hockey League's All-Star Game.

Ranked #60 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]

His father, Gil Robbins, was a member of the folk-music group The Highwaymen. His mother is actress Mary Robbins. Has a brother, David Robbins and sister Adele Robbins. Two sons with partner Susan Sarandon: Miles Robbins and Jack Henry Robbins. He and Sarandon have been together since 1988.

Grew up in Greenwich Village and graduated from Stuyvesant H.S. in New York City.

By age 12, he was already a member of the Theater for the New City, an avant-garde acting troupe.

As co-presenters of the Academy Awards in 1993, he and his partner, Susan Sarandon, seized a chance to bring public attention to the plight of a few hundred Haitians with AIDS who had been interned in Guantánamo Bay.

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#94). [1995]

Was kicked off his high school hockey team for fighting.

A long-time Green Party member (along with partner, Susan Sarandon), he was repeatedly criticized by other Hollywood stars for voting for Ralph Nader in the controversial 2000 election. He wrote a small essay about why he made the choice in the August 6, 2001, edition of "The Nation," a monthly progressive magazine. [August 2001]

After the September 11 attacks, he tried to fly out of New York City to be with Susan Sarandon and their children in Hollywood. Upon finding out that all flights were grounded, he and a friend drove from New York City to Los Angeles in a 56-hour trip that began on the morning of September 12, 2001.

LA Weekly cover story detailed his struggle taking creative control of The Actors' Gang, the theater company he founded in 1981. Many long-time members of the group left the company during the controversy. [August 2001]

Considers himself the worlds biggest New York Rangers fan. He claims to own every highlight video released of their 1994 Stanley Cup Championship season. He is also a big New York Mets fan.

Attended anti-war rally in London on 15th February 2003.

Called for Hollywood boycott of Elizabeth Hurley and Proctor & Gamble products in 2000 after she crossed a picket line to make a commercial for a P&G product. At a pro-union rally in New York he said, "We're bringing her [Hurley] to trial after this is over. She won't get away with it!" Apparently she did "get away with it" whatever "it" was, since nothing came to pass in the intervening seven years.

Was considered for the role of Dr. Doom in Fantastic Four (2005) and Eddie Darko in Donnie Darko (2001).

At 6' 5", he is the tallest actor ever to have won an Oscar. The tallest actor ever nominated was James Cromwell at 6' 7".

During an interview with Charlie Rose regarding the 10-year anniversary of The Shawshank Redemption (1994), he said he regarded that film, Bull Durham (1988), Dead Man Walking (1995), and Mystic River (2003) as the highlights of his career so far.

Graduated with honors from UCLA with a degree in drama (1981)

Is good friends with John Cusack, in addition to being his co-star in six films: Bob Roberts (1992), Cradle Will Rock (1999), High Fidelity (2000), The Player (1992), The Sure Thing (1985), and Tapeheads (1988).

Apparently "discovered" Jack Black, having given him his first film role in Bob Roberts (1992). The two remain good friends today and he has appeared in 3 films with him.

Was considered for the role of Charles Van Doren in Quiz Show (1994), when Steven Soderbergh was offered the opportunity to direct it.

Revealed on "The Colbert Report" (2005) that of all the movies he's made, Bull Durham (1988) is his favorite.

Was in attendance at Chris Penn's funeral.

Serves as the artistic director and member of the board of directors of the Actors' Gang theater company.

Partner of Susan Sarandon (1988 - present) 2 children.

Made his directorial debut in Bob Roberts (1992).

Admits that he only did Howard the Duck (1986) for the money.

Personal Quotes

[On his screenwriting] "I always write from an actor's perspective, which is writing dialogue that fits comfortably into one's mouth, as opposed to dialogue that is strained and defective."

A movie script is a malleable entity when you're shooting and should be able to become different things and should be able to be rewritten at the last minute.

I'm fairly competent as a director and actor, but I am Mr. Neurotic as a writer. I just don't have enough confidence in my abilities to take criticism well. I take it personally. Start with 'It's a masterpiece,' and then tell me what you think could be changed.

We have right now a media that is willfully ignoring the high crimes and misdemeanors of the president of the United States. Clinton lied about a blow job, and got impeached by the media and Congress. Bush got us into the Iraq war based on lies that he knew were lies. ... His war has recruited more Al- Qaeda members than Osama bin Laden could ever have dreamed for ... yet no one in the media is calling for impeachment. Unfortunately, the book and the play is more relevant now than it ever has been. It talks about continuous warfare as a means to control the Western economy, and as a way to control rebel elements within society through the use of fear, constant fear. In my country we seem to be sanctioning renditioning of innocent people without trial ... put them in jail without telling anyone ... and torture them out of suspicion of what we think they might do. This is exactly what Orwell was talking about when he spoke of thought crimes.

I'm six foot four and a half and I have a temper.

Hollywood is full of closet Republicans, and also you're sometimes not sure who your friends are. When the whole Bull Durham (1988) controversy happened there were three people who came very vociferously to our support, all either very conservative Democrats or Republicans - Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner and Jack Valenti. And how many liberals? I didn't see any. So I am not one that makes a judgment on someone because they are Republican. I know enough Republicans that are decent people, they love their families, we might have differences of opinion but we can find common ground.

Haven't criminal acts occurred in government? Shouldn't there be accountability for inept policy decisions? Shouldn't someone be fired? And you know something? I didn't hear any of that, because I am still thinking about that starlet getting out of the car without the panties.

Where Are They Now

(March 2006) He is in Mar del Plata (Argentina) in a cinema festival with Susan Sarandon.

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