Robert Preston was an American actor.
Biography[]
Born Robert Preston Meservey in Newton, Massachusetts, he was an intelligence officer in the Second World War and soon began acting in various films, frequently westerns, before gaining Tony Award success for his role in The Music Man. In 1962 he appeared in the epic Western How the West Was Won.
Preston went on to play a recurring role in the television series The Chisholms as well as playing Dr. Irving Finegarten in S.O.B.
Preston passed away in 1987.
Singing[]
Best known for his work in musical theatre, Preston originated the role of Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man and reprised the role for the film. He also originated the lead roles in Ben Franklin in Paris as Benjamin Franklin, I Do! I Do!, and Mack & Mabel.
He also sang several times onscreen including as Beauregard in the 1972 film Mame and as "Toddy" in the comedy Victor/Victoria.
Film[]
Union Pacific (1939)[]
- Oh My Darling Clementine (solo)
The Music Man (1962)[]
- Main Title (contains solo lines)
- Ya Got Trouble (contains solo lines)
- 76 Trombones (contains solo lines)
- Sadder But Wiser Girl For Me (solo)
- Marian The Librarian (solo)
- Gary, Indiana (solo)
- Goodnight, Ladies (contains solo lines)
- Till There Was You (duet)
- Goodnight My Someone (duet)
- 76 Trombones (reprise)(contains solo lines)
Mame (1974)[]
- Mame (contains solo lines)
- Loving You (solo)
Victor/Victoria (1982)[]
- Gay Paree (solo)
- You And Me (duet)
- Finale/Shady Dame From Seville (Reprise)(solo)
Stage[]
The Music Man (1957)(originated the role)[]
- (Ya Got) Trouble (contains solo lines)
- Seventy-Six Trombones (contains solo lines)
- The Sadder-But-Wiser Girl (duet)
- Marian the Librarian (contains solo lines)
- Shipoopi (contains solo lines)
- 'Til There Was You (duet)
- Seventy-Six Trombones/Goodnight My Someone (reprise)(duet)
- 'Til There Was You (reprise)(solo)
Ben Franklin in Paris (1964)(originated the role)[]
- I Invented Myself (contains solo lines)
- Too Charming (duet)
- Half the Battle (contains solo lines)
- To Be Alone With You (contains solo lines)
- God Bless the Human Elbow (contains solo lines)
- Diane Is (solo)
- Look for Small Pleasures (duet)
- I Love the Ladies (contains solo lines)
- To Be Alone With You (Reprise)(solo)
I Do! I Do! (1966)(originated the role)[]
- All the Dearly Beloved/Together Forever/I Do! I Do! (duet)
- Good Night (duet)
- I Love My Wife (solo)
- My Cup Runneth Over (duet)
- Love Isn't Everything (duet)
- Nobody's Perfect (duet)
- A Well Known Fact (solo)
- The Honeymoon Is Over (duet)
- Where Are the Snows? (duet)
- When the Kids Get Married (duet)
- The Father of the Bride (solo)
- Roll Up the Ribbons (duet)
- This House (duet)
Mack & Mabel (1974)(originated the role)[]
- Movies Were Movies (solo)
- I Won't Send Roses (solo)
- I Wanna Make the World Laugh (contains solo lines)
- Hundreds of Girls (contains solo lines)
- My Heart Leaps Up/Hit 'Em on the Head (solo)
- I Promise You a Happy Ending (solo)
The Prince of Grand Street (1978)(originated the role)[]
- I Know What It Is to Be Alone (duet)
- I'm a Star (solo)
- Do I Make You Happy? (duet)
- The Youngest Person I Know (contains solo lines)
Gallery[]
