Who is Sam Robard?
Born in New York, United States, on December 16, 1961 under the fire sign of Sagittarius, Samuel “Sam” Prideaux Robards is a 57-year-old American film, theater and television actor. Fans know him as the legendary Henry Swinton from Steven Spielberg’s “AI Artificial Intelligence,” one of the seminal sci-fi films of recent years. He also turned heads playing the strict and ruthless Howard Archibald, Nate’s father, in “Gossip Girl”. It’s not just her work that’s inspiring – her story is also one of a kind. Sam’s superstar parents had a pretty dysfunctional marriage and he constantly felt lonely as he was forced to travel to various countries with his mother. This kind of pressure left a mark – he was unable to complete his university studies, was expelled for poor grades and unacceptable behavior. However, through hard work, perseverance and determination, he became a star.
Early life: restlessness in addition to restlessness
Sam was raised in his hometown by famous parents. His mother, Lauren Bacall, was a renowned actress who appeared in such iconic titles as ‘To Have and Have Not’, ‘The Big Sleep’ and other seminal films from the golden age of cinema. She won an honorary Oscar in 2009, making her the only winner to have been married to two other Oscar winners (more on this later). The American Film Institute named her the 20th greatest classic Hollywood actress. Jason Robards Jr., Sam’s father, was perhaps an even bigger star, as he has two Oscars, a Tony and an Emmy Awards to his name, an honor exclusive to just 41 actors (15 have won a Grammy, in addition to the three other prizes). Young Sam was the only child of his parents, but he had seven half-siblings, including Stephen and Leslie Bogart from her mother’s previous marriage to legendary actor Humphrey Bogart.
Despite having grown up in an artists’ house, the atmosphere was far from pleasant. Jason and Lauren argued all the time, with the majority of the arguments apparently having to do with Jason’s alcoholism. In 1969, the two finally divorced, leaving young Samuel isolated and confused by all the changes.
Education and struggles
During this difficult period, Robards also had his first taste of show business. The court gave her mother full custody, so Sam was forced to accompany her wherever she went, which proved difficult at her age. One night, Lauren took him to see the stage after a Broadway production of “Applause.”
He was impressed by the size of the theater and began to dream of receiving praise for his performances; unfortunately, he couldn’t take acting lessons because he traveled a lot. He and Lauren moved to Europe, where he would attend the American School in London from 1972 to 1974. Afterwards, they moved back to the Big Apple, much to Sam’s delight. enrolled at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York. Due to many personal issues he was having at the time, Robards was expelled after only two semesters, mainly due to his behavior and refusal to study. At this point, he realized it was time to grow up and leave behind all the traumas and problems. In 1980, he completed a National Theater Institute course at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center; it was precisely the preparation he needed.
Career Beginnings: Off-Broadway, Tempest, Fandango, TV 101, Get a Life and more
Participating in such an elite program has opened a myriad of doors for Sam, some of which he didn’t even know existed. Immediately after his training, he took the stage for his official acting debut. Sam was nervous, but eventually received accolades for his role in an off-Broadway production of the hit play “Album.” Encouraged by this step forward, he auditioned for the role of Freddy in 1982’s “Tempest,” directed by Paul Mazursky. The film was relatively successful, which helped Sam gain some recognition in Hollywood circles. He would later be featured in “Fandango”, “Not Quite Paradise”, “Spenser: For Hire”, “Bright Lights, Big City” and more. These were by no means important roles, but Robards was rapidly gaining experience, two factors in his eventual stardom.
After “Bird” and “Pancho Barnes”, he landed his first leading role in a series, as Kevin Keegan in “TV 101”. This comedy/drama follows Kevin’s life after a career in current affairs, as he teaches kids how to create news programs at a local high school. Critics were impressed with Sam’s performance, so he was cast in “Get a Life” alongside Chris Eliott, heralding a stellar decade.
Make a name for yourself: Beautiful Girls, Maximum Bob, Spin City, American Beauty
With renewed motivation, Sam embarked on one hell of a streak. He first appeared in films such as ‘Ready to Wear’, ‘The Ballad of Little Jo’ and ‘Beautiful Girls’, before moving on to the role of Sheriff Gary Hammond in ‘Maximum Bob’; his character is still a fan favorite on the show. He then appeared as Arthur in four episodes of “Spin City” – even after all these years, Arthur is ranked among the absolute best characters in the entire existence of the show.
In this part of his career, Sam had nothing more to prove. Instead, he focused on becoming as versatile as possible and it was obvious he had something to do. At the dawn of the new millennium, we could see him in “Sex and the City”, “Bounce” and several TV movies, of which only “On Golden Pond” and “The Hamlet” enjoyed international success. In 2001, Robards played perhaps the biggest role of his career in “AI Artificial Intelligence”, as Henry Swinton. It was his first major role in a Hollywood blockbuster, and he delivered a stunning performance, garnering rave reviews. Over the next few years, Sam toned it down with movies and focused on various series.
Showing Off: The West Wing, Law & Order, Gossip Girl
In 2004, everyone was surprised to see Robards in “The West Wing” as Greg Brock, but he once again proved that no role is impossible for him to master. Three years later, he was Howard “The Captain” Archibald, in the massively popular “Gossip Girl” series. This particular role endeared her to younger fans who were unfamiliar with her previous work. Then he was in “CSI: Miami” for a single episode, followed by a series of films such as “The Rebound”, “Perestroika” and “Che: Part One”. While he was already established as a film actor, his goal for the 2010 decade was to expand his portfolio on the small screen. In this capacity, he made appearances in “Law & Order”, “Vamped Out”, “Body of Proof” and others.
On top of all that, he had a string of impressive performances as Tim Feeny on “Treme,” a show about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina throughout Louisiana. In “Twisted”, he played the role of Kyle Masterson, capping off the show’s only season. As for the last years, we could see it in “The Late Bloomer”, “Where is Kyra?” and “Unlimited”.
Personal life: Is Sam Robards married? Does he have children?
While filming Kevin Reynolds’ “Fandango,” Sam fell in love with co-star Suzy Amis Cameron and married her in 1986. Together they have a son named Jasper (born April 1990). However, various issues and differences lead the two to a divorce in 1994.
Just three years later, Sam married Danish beauty Sidsel Jensen, with whom he still lives today. He wanted to honor his role model wife, so the ceremony was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, with all of their family and friends in attendance. They have two boys together, Sebastian and Calvin.
Learn about his siblings
We have already mentioned that Sam has seven amazing step-siblings. Most assume he’s not on good terms with those on his father’s side, but he’s also been known to be quite close with Stephen Humphrey Bogart and Leslie Bogart, his mother’s children with Humphrey Bogart. The two were married in Ohio, on the estate of Louis Bromfield, who was a close friend of Humphrey. Their marriage lasted from 1945 to 1967 – Lauren began a relationship with Frank Sinatra after Bogart’s death.
What a charming #powercouple with #samrobards And @sidselrobards At @NYsunworks #NYSW annual benefit @standardny pic.twitter.com/qN6Sz3KfWG
— Guest of a guest (@guestofanguest) April 24, 2015
Stephen Bogart managed to escape the spotlight, mainly because he had a child when he was 21 years old. “Emotionally, I was much under 21, so the last thing I needed was public pressure.” Leslie, his sister, has also chosen a life far from fanfare. She worked as a nurse early in her career, before becoming a licensed yoga instructor in several traditions.
Net worth: How rich is Sam Robards?
Per MarriedBiography, Sam Robards has a net worth of around $4 million, as of October 2019.
Measurements: how tall is Sam Robards?
Sam Robards is 175cm (5ft 9in) tall, weighs approximately 78kg (171lbs), has blue eyes and dark brown hair.
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