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VOA慢速英语2012 PEOPLE IN AMERICA - Cliff Robertson, 1923-2011: Award Winning Actor, Writer, Producer and Director

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PEOPLE IN AMERICA - Cliff Robertson, 1923-2011: Award Winning Actor, Writer, Producer and Director

JUNE SIMMS: This is PEOPLE IN AMERICA, in VOA Special English. Today we tell about award-winning actor Cliff Robertson. He appeared in movies, television shows, and plays for more than half a century. Here is Jim Tedder1.
(MUSIC)
JIM TEDDER: Cliff Robertson died of natural causes in Long Island, New York on September tenth, two thousand eleven. He died a day after his eighty-eighth birthday. Cliff Robertson was born in California, not far from Hollywood. But he did not live there and often was critical of the motion picture industry.
As a young man, Robertson never thought he would be an actor, and he did not take acting2 seriously. Robertson said he always thought he would be a reporter. In fact, he wrote for a small newspaper in Ohio when he attended college. But, he began accepting small acting parts. Over time, those roles got bigger, and soon he was making a living as an actor.
Clifford Parker Robertson the third was born on September ninth, nineteen twenty-three. His mother died when he was only two and a half years old. He was raised by his grandmother. He said his father was married several times.
Most young people know very little about Cliff Robertson. But at one time he was one of the best-known actors in the United States. Years ago, “Look” magazine, an influential3 publication of the time, called Robertson “one of the finest young actors in America today.” He became a big star on television and was often praised by critics. Yet he was never a movie star.
Robertson said he did not make it into what he called “that golden circle of three or five stars in Hollywood who can pick and choose” their parts in movies. In nineteen sixty-seven, he said, “I take what’s left over … They all know me as a utility player. ‘Good old Cliff,’ they say. Someday I’d like to be in there as the starting pitcher4.”
In two thousand five, Robertson spoke5 about his life for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation.
CLIFF ROBERTSON: “I began to feel like they finally recognized who I was - as a kind of a good, not a big, not a huge, not a star, but a good infield shortstop. I could be depended on.”
JIM TEDDER: Cliff Robertson may never have reached the highest levels in Hollywood, but he had what actors call “steady work” for many years. One writer said Robertson did not become truly interesting until he aged6 into character roles.
CLIFF ROBERTSON: “I think as a kind of more of a young character actor than a young leading man. Cause, see all these characters had an edge to them. I wasn’t a pretty boy that’s for sure.”
JIM TEDDER: Robertson won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work as a mentally-disabled cleaning worker in the movie “Charly.” The film was based on the book “Flowers for Algernon”.
CLIFF ROBERTSON: “I had such an empathy for the character when I read it. And I thought, ‘I think I can do this rather well.’”
(MUSIC)
JIM TEDDER: Robertson was in more than sixty movies. His career began in the nineteen fifties and continued into the twenty-first century.
In nineteen sixty-three, he starred as Lieutenant7 John F. Kennedy in the naval8 war film “P.T. 109.” The film told about the military days of a young man who would become president of the United States. Robertson said President Kennedy personally approved of him playing the part.
In nineteen sixty-six, Robertson won an Emmy award for his work in the television movie “The Game.” Before and after winning the Emmy, he had parts in films with actresses like Kim Novak, Jane Powell, Joan Crawford and Sandra Dee. He also worked with actors like Henry Fonda, Marlon Brando, Jimmy Stewart, Lee J. Cobb and Spencer Tracy.
Robertson acted in films through the nineteen nineties. In two thousand two, he became known to younger movie-goers as Uncle Ben in “Spiderman.”
Cliff Robertson from “Spiderman” movie: “These are the years when a man changes into the man he’s going to become the rest of his life. Just be careful who you change into. With great power comes great responsibility.”
(MUSIC)
JIM TEDDER: Many critics praised Robertson for his performances on television and in Broadway plays. But many times those roles were given to others when the movie version was made.
For example, he starred as an alcoholic9 in the nineteen fifty-eight television movie “Days of Wine and Roses.” But Jack10 Lemmon was given the part when the story was made into a theatrical11 movie in nineteen sixty-two. Robertson’s role in the television movie “The Hustler” was given to Paul Newman in the theatrical movie. Robertson also starred in the Tennessee Williams play “Orpheus Descending” on Broadway. But his part was given to Marlon Brando when the film version of the play was made.
Robertson wanted to make sure that kind of thing would not happen to him again. In nineteen sixty-one, he starred in the television movie “The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon.” In the movie, he played a loveable man with the mental ability of a five-year-old. He takes part in a medical experiment that makes him extremely intelligent. But the medicine only works for a short time, and soon he becomes mentally-disabled again.
Robertson was nominated for an Emmy award for the television movie. While preparing for the movie, he bought the rights to make a Hollywood film about the story. He worked for almost eight years to persuade a movie studio to make it into a theatrical film with him in the lead role.
Finally, Robertson found a willing studio. And, in nineteen sixty-nine, he won the Oscar for Best Actor for “Charly.”
CLIFF ROBERTSON from the movie “Charly”: “I beat him …(Charly speaks in a fast and excited voice. Then he promises to return to the medical center the next day.
JIM TEDDER: Cliff Robertson’s life was not without difficulty. In the nineteen seventies, he proved that the head of a large Hollywood studio had signed Robertson’s name on a ten thousand dollar check. The case that resulted came to represent corruption12 in Hollywood. Major film studios refused to offer movie roles to Robertson for three and a half years. But he found work as a spokesman for a telephone company, and became well-known because of its advertisements. He said the case taught him that he had more bravery than brains, and he said he was proud of that.
Cliff Robertson was known as a critic of the movie industry. Robertson once said he went to Hollywood only to work and never to live. He told “The New York Times” in nineteen seventy-two that nobody had made more bad films than he had made.
In two thousand five, he was critical of Hollywood’s “tendency to dramatize, inflate13, romanticize and exaggerate.” And he hated its interest in money.
CLIFF ROBERTSON: “And you buy bodies, you buy souls, you buy integrity. You think anything and everything and anyone can be bought – you’re wrong.”
(MUSIC)
JIM TEDDER: Robertson was married two times. He married actress Cynthia Stone in nineteen fifty-seven. She was the former wife of Jack Lemmon. They had a daughter before ending their marriage in nineteen fifty-nine.
In nineteen sixty-six, Robertson married actress Dina Merrill. She was the daughter of the wealthy American businessman E.F. Hutton and his wife Marjorie Merriweather Post. Miz Post was one of the richest women in the world. Cliff Robertson and Dina Merrill had a daughter, named Heather. Their marriage ended after twenty-two years. Heather Robertson died of cancer in two thousand seven.
Cliff Robertson was also a pilot who began learning to fly at the age of fourteen. He said he fell in love with flying when he was only five years old. He said he loved to learn new things at an early age, and travelled the world when he was young. In later years, he bought a glider14 and airplanes from World War Two. He said he loved to fly, to “soar above all the nonsense.”
Robertson said he considered himself lucky in many ways -- not just because he had a long acting career. Two times he was supposed to take a flight, but did not. Both times the flight crashed, killing15 everyone on the plane.
In two thousand five, Robertson was asked if he had any regrets. After thinking a few seconds, he had this answer.
CLIFF ROBERTSON: “Time, wasted time and there are swatches of it here and there – it’s the most valuable thing in the world aside from love.”
JIM TEDDER: Cliff Robertson never considered himself a great actor, although he was sure he could play many roles. He said “give me some … words, let me play with them, maybe come up with a surprise.” But he never watched his performances. ‘I do not enjoy seeing myself,’ he said.
CLIFF ROBERTSON: “I’ve never really been satisfied with anything that I’ve ever done. It’s a degree of dissatisfaction - I always feel like I could have done it better if circumstances were different…I think I’m mature enough to recognize now that maybe I’ve done as well as I could do under the circumstances, but there’s that little voice underneath16 saying: ‘You (could) do better.’”
(MUSIC)
JUNE SIMMS: This Special English program, PEOPLE IN AMERICA, on the life of actor Cliff Robertson was written by Christopher Cruise. Jim Tedder was our announcer and producer. Join us again next week for PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English. I’m June Simms in Washington.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 tedder 2833afc4f8252d8dc9f8cd73b24db55d     
n.(干草)翻晒者,翻晒机
参考例句:
  • Jim Tedder has more. 吉姆?特德将给我们做更多的介绍。 来自互联网
  • Jim Tedder tells us more. 吉姆?泰德给我们带来更详细的报道。 来自互联网
2 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
3 influential l7oxK     
adj.有影响的,有权势的
参考例句:
  • He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
  • He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。
4 pitcher S2Gz7     
n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐;(棒球)投手
参考例句:
  • He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。
  • Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。
5 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
6 aged 6zWzdI     
adj.年老的,陈年的
参考例句:
  • He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了,也老点了。
  • He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老,然而记忆力还好。
7 lieutenant X3GyG     
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员
参考例句:
  • He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
  • He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官,递上了一张简短的便条进去。
8 naval h1lyU     
adj.海军的,军舰的,船的
参考例句:
  • He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
  • The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。
9 alcoholic rx7zC     
adj.(含)酒精的,由酒精引起的;n.酗酒者
参考例句:
  • The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
  • Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。
10 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
11 theatrical pIRzF     
adj.剧场的,演戏的;做戏似的,做作的
参考例句:
  • The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果,叫人失望。
  • She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。
12 corruption TzCxn     
n.腐败,堕落,贪污
参考例句:
  • The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
  • The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。
13 inflate zbGz8     
vt.使膨胀,使骄傲,抬高(物价)
参考例句:
  • The buyers bid against each other and often inflate the prices they pay.买主们竞相投标,往往人为地提高价钱。
  • Stuart jumped into the sea and inflated the liferaft.斯图尔特跳到海里给救生艇充气。
14 glider wgNxU     
n.滑翔机;滑翔导弹
参考例句:
  • The glider was soaring above the valley.那架滑翔机在山谷上空滑翔。
  • The pilot managed to land the glider on a safe place.那个驾驶员设法让滑翔机着陆到一个安全的地方。
15 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
16 underneath VKRz2     
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面
参考例句:
  • Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
  • She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣,里面套着一条连衣裙。

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