Edward G. Robinson was born Emanuel Goldenberg in Romania in
1893 and his family immigrated to New York City, America when
he was young. He took up acting early and was on Broadway at
the age of 22. He continued in the theater before being in only
one silent movie. His commanding voice and mannerisms were made
for the silver screen. By the end of his distinguished career,
he was in some 90 films, including "Little Caesar"
(1931) "Double Indemnity" (1944), "Key Largo"
(1948), "The Cincinnati Kid (1965) and "The Ten Commandments"
(1956) in which he did not play an American gangster.
 "Some
people have youth, some have beauty - I have menace," he
explained with a sly smile. He "starred" with Bugs
Bunny in several "gangster" cartoons, one famous line
of which was, "It's curtains for you, Mugsy…"
His versatile acting career continued with numerous roles in
film and television until his death in 1973. Shortly before
he died, Robinson received an Academy Award for lifetime achievement
in films.
"As one of America's most beloved 'tough guys,' Edward
G. Robinson developed an unforgettable on-screen persona that
belied his gentle, quiet nature. His contributions to the golden
age of film make him a fitting candidate for the Legends of
Hollywood stamp series," said Karl Malden. Robinson was
the sixth honoree in the Legends of Hollywood US Postage stamp
series in 2000. Robinson was also known as a philanthropist,
humanitarian and art collector in addition to being a star of
stage, screen, and radio.
Robinson did a great deal of radio work as well,
although much of it was based on his screen characters and roles
as the gangster. It's a good bet that the three things you think
of when you try to personify Edward G. are:
- His distinct looks
- His intense delivery of dialogue
- His absolutely immediately recognizable voice
For radio, the second and third were featured, and two out of
three isn't bad! In Edward G. Robinson's case, two out of three
makes for wonderful radio drama listening.
For more E.G. Robinson recordings, see also Big
Town Collection and Eternal Light.
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