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Robert Downey Sr.

Highest Rated: 100% Radio Unnameable (2012)

Lowest Rated: 0% Up the Academy (1980)

Birthday: Jun 24, 1936

Birthplace: New York, New York, USA

Described by an associate as "a big jovial bear," Robert Downey Sr translated his irreverent, mordant humor to the screen as the writer-director of several experimental cult classics of the late 1960s and early 70s. He first became known for the experimental short "Chafed Elbows" (1966), an hour-long film composed almost entirely of still photographs overdubbed with dialogue that was a success on New York City's underground and art-house cinema scene. Downey had worked in advertising and lampooned that business in the movie everyone associates with him, "Putney Swope" (1969), about the hilarious changes made by a token black member of an ad agency after he is accidentally elected Chairman of the Board. Downey's next film, the absurdist "Pound" (1970), in which human actors play animals awaiting euthanasia at a city animal shelter, included the first screen performance by his son, future Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. A super-offbeat Jesus Christ parody with a Western setting, "Greaser's Palace" (1972) offers some wonderful performances by Allan Arbus as a zoot-suited Jesus, Albert Henderson as head Greaser and Stan Gottlieb as the "wife" of a deformed Mexican with a lecherous yen for the Saviour. With Chuck Barris, Downey co-wrote "The Gong Show Movie" (1980) and also directed "Rented Lips" (1988), scripted and produced by Martin Mull. Though his acting appearances were few, he did play an ad agency head in "You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat" (1971), an NCAA investigator in "Johnny Be Good" (1988) and a recording studio manager in "Boogie Nights" (1997). Downey wrote and directed "Too Much Sun" (1991), a farce about a competition between a brother and sister (both gay) to have a child first, so as to inherit a fortune from their father. He returned with "Hugo Pool" (1997), co-written with his late wife Laura, about a dedicated, beautiful and lonely Beverly Hills pool cleaner (Alyssa Milano) who becomes involved in the lives of her clients, particularly Floyd, an attractive man afflicted with ALS (the same disease that had felled Laura Downey). His son Robert Downey Jr appeared in "Hugo Pool," the seventh of his father's films in which he acted. Robert Downey Sr. died on July 7, 2021 at the age of 85.

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Highest rated movies

100% 65% Radio Unnameable
Watchlist
97% 90% "Sr." Watchlist 88% 79% To Live and Die in L.A. Watchlist
73% 75% Putney Swope
Watchlist
50% 59% Greaser's Palace
Watchlist
50% Rittenhouse Square
Watchlist
38% 20% From Other Worlds
Watchlist
29% 45% Hugo Pool
Watchlist
14% 35% Too Much Sun
Watchlist
0% 43% Up the Academy
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
97% 90% "Sr." Self - 2022
100% 65% Radio Unnameable Unknown (Character) $24.0K 2012
50% No Score Yet Rittenhouse Square Director - 2005
38% 20% From Other Worlds Baker (Character) - 2004
29% 45% Hugo Pool Director - 1997
14% 35% Too Much Sun Director $44.5K 1991
No Score Yet 21% Moving Target Weinberg (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rented Lips Director - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet America Director,
Screenwriter
- 1986
88% 79% To Live and Die in L.A. Thomas Bateman (Character) $16.6M 1985
No Score Yet 37% The Gong Show Movie Screenwriter - 1980
0% 43% Up the Academy Director - 1980
No Score Yet 38% Moment to Moment Director,
Screenwriter
- 1975
50% 59% Greaser's Palace Director - 1972
No Score Yet 67% Pound Director,
Writer
- 1970
73% 75% Putney Swope Director,
Writer,
Producer
- 1969
No Score Yet 47% No More Excuses Pvt. Stewart Thompson (Character),
Director,
Writer
- 1968
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bersaglio mobile Unknown (Character) - 1967
No Score Yet 42% Chafed Elbows Director,
Writer,
Producer
- 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Touch of Greatness Director - 1964
No Score Yet 37% Babo 73 Director,
Writer,
Producer
- 1964

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Unknown (Guest Star) 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock Unknown (Guest Star) 1986