Robert Hays

Robert Hays
Hays at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2019
Born
Robert Blakely Hays

(1947-07-24) July 24, 1947 (age 77)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • producer
  • director
Years active1975–present
Spouse
(m. 1990; div. 1997)
Children1

Robert Blakely Hays (born July 24, 1947) is an American actor, known for a variety of television and film roles since the 1970s. He came to prominence around 1980, co-starring in the two-season domestic sitcom Angie, and playing the central role of pilot Ted Striker in the hit spoof film Airplane! and its sequel. Other film roles include the lead role in the comedy Take This Job and Shove It (1981), and Bob Seaver, one of the main human characters in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993).[1] On television, he starred in the science fiction series Starman (1986–1987)[2] and the short-lived workplace sitcom FM (1989–1990), played the voice of Tony Stark on Iron Man (1994), and had a guest role as Bud Hyde on That '70s Show (2000).[3]

Career

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In 1977, Hays played a military corporal in an episode of the television series Wonder Woman. He starred in several short-lived television series, including the 1978 production The Young Pioneers on ABC; the 1979–1980 series Angie; Starman, and FM.

He was cast as Ted Striker, the washed up pilot who needs to save the day in Airplane! (1980), a spoof of disaster films such as the Airport series, and returned for Airplane II: The Sequel. In 1981, he hosted the sketch comedy television series Saturday Night Live. He played a man thought to be Hyde's dad in several episodes of That '70s Show.

He has performed in many television films and done voice work, such as the title character in the Marvel Comics adaptation of Iron Man. In 2013, Hays appeared in a slapstick-laden TV spot promoting tourism in Wisconsin, which also reunited him with Airplane! co-director David Zucker.[4]

Personal life

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Hays married musician and singer Cherie Currie on May 12, 1990.[5] The couple have a son, Jake.[5] Hays and Currie divorced in 1997 after seven years of marriage.[5]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1980 Airplane! Ted Striker Alternative title: Flying High!
1981 Take This Job and Shove It Frank Macklin
1982 Airplane II: The Sequel Ted Striker Alternative title: Flying High II: The Sequel
1983 Trenchcoat Terry Leonard
1983 Utilities Bob Hunt
1983 Touched Daniel
1984 Scandalous Frank Swedlin
1985 Cat's Eye Johnny Norris Alternative title: Stephen King's Cat's Eye
1989 Honeymoon Academy Sean Mcdonald Alternative title: For Better or For Worse
1992 Fifty/Fifty Sam French
1993 Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey Bob Seaver
1993 Partners Grave Squad Lawyer Short film
1994 Raw Justice Mitch McCullum Alternative titles: Good Cop, Bad Cop and Strip Girl
1994 No Dessert, Dad, till You Mow the Lawn Ken Cochran
1995 Cyber Bandits Morgan
1996 Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco Bob Seaver
1999 An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster Reed Daley Voice[6]
2000 Dr. T & the Women Harlan
2001 Sex and a Girl Dan Alternative title: Alex in Wonder
2001 The Retrievers Tom Lowry
2004 The Nutcracker and the Mouse King Squeak Voice, English dub[6]
2005 Freezerburn Michael Reed the Talent
2007 Universal Remote Dr. Anderson
2007 Nicky's Birthday Camera Bob
2008 Superhero Movie Blaine Riker
2013 Paranormal Movie Director
2016 Miracle in the Valley Pastor Reign


Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1975 The Rockford Files Darren Weeks Episode: "The Deep Blue Sleep"
1975 Marcus Welby, M.D. Officer Gilpin / Officer Hanson 3 episodes
1976 The Streets of San Francisco Lester Episode: "Judgment Day"
1976 Cannon Michael Narak Episode: "Bloodlines"
1976 Young Pioneers Dan Gray Television film
1976 Laverne & Shirley Tom Episode: "Dating Slump"
1976 The Blue Knight Officer Wells 4 episodes
1976 Spencer's Pilots Jack Episode: "The Hitchhiker"
1976 Most Wanted Bruce Collins Episode: "The Heisman Killer"
1976 Young Pioneers' Christmas Dan Gray Television film
1977 Wonder Woman Corporal Jim Ames Episode: "Wonder Woman in Hollywood"
1977 Delta County, U.S.A. Bo Television film
1978 The Love Boat Sam Bradley Episode: "Family Reunion"
1978 The Initiation of Sarah Scott Rafferty Television film
1978 The Young Pioneers Dan Gray Miniseries
1978 Almost Heaven Dave Leland Television film
1978 Will Rogers: Champion of the People Will Rogers TV special
1979 The Fall of the House of Usher Jonathan Cresswell Television film
1979–80 Angie Brad Benson 36 episodes
1979 Battle of the Network Stars VII Himself TV special
1980 Battle of the Network Stars VIII Himself TV special
1980 The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything Kirby Winter Television film
1981 Saturday Night Live Himself / Host Episode: "Robert Hays/14 Karat Soul/Joe 'King' Carrasco & The Crowns"
1981 California Gold Rush Bret Harte / Narrator Television film
1982 The Day the Bubble Burst Gregory Winslow Television film
1984 Mister Roberts Lieutenant Douglas Roberts Television film
1986–87 Starman Paul Forrester 22 episodes
1987 Murder by the Book D.H. Mercer / Biff Deegan Television film
1989–90 FM Ted Costas 13 episodes
1990 Running Against Time David Rhodes Television film
1992 The Larry Sanders Show Himself Episode: "The Garden Weasel"
1992 Hot Chocolate Eric Ferrier Television film
1993 Cutters Joe Polachek 5 episodes
1993 Sex, Shock and Censorship in the '90s Martin Day TV special
1994–96 Iron Man Tony Stark / Iron Man Voice, 26 episodes[6]
1995 Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare Chad Ingram Television film
1995 Vanished John Taylor Television film
1996 Guys Like Us Mike Hanson Episode: "Pilot"
1996 The Abduction Paul Olavsky Television film
1996 Unabomber: The True Story David Kaczynski Television film
1996 The Incredible Hulk Tony Stark / Iron Man Voice, episode: "Helping Hands, Iron Fist"[6]
1996 Touched by an Angel Scott Walden Episode: "Groundrush"
1996–97 Spider-Man Tony Stark / Iron Man Voice, 6 episodes[6]
1996 Christmas Every Day Henry Jackson Television film
1997 Superman: The Animated Series Edward Lytener / Luminus Voice, 2 episodes[6]
1997 Promised Land Mark Gerhart Episode: "Mr. Muscles"
1997 I'll Be Home for Christmas Michael Greiser Television film
1998 Kelly Kelly Doug Kelly 7 episodes
1998 30 Years to Life Vincent Dawson Television film
1999 The Outer Limits Dr. Peter Halstead Episode: "Donor"
2000 Deadly Appearances Andy Boychuk Television film
2000 That '70s Show Bud Hyde 2 episodes
2001 Bette Roy 2 episodes
2001 The Retrievers Tom Lowry Television film
2002 Spin City Los Angeles Mayor Stone Taylor Episode: "A Tale of Four Cities"
2002 The Santa Trap Bill Emerson Television film
2003 Robbery Homicide Division Eddie Episode: "Hellbound Train"
2012 Shooting Gallery Himself Episode: "Survival Trail"
2014 Sharknado 2: The Second One Captain Bob Wilson Television film
2020 Smartphone Theatre Jonathan 'Johnny' Cooper Episode: "Holy Water"

Production credits

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Year Title Credit Notes
1986 Starman Director Episode: "The Test"
1998 Kelly Kelly Co-producer
2001 Sex and a Girl Producer
2007 Nicky's Birthday Camera Producer

References

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  1. ^ Hal Erickson (2014). "Robert Hays-biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on December 15, 2014.
  2. ^ "Hays ready to assume role of 'Starman' for television". The Daily News. Bowling Green, KY. Associated Press. August 15, 1986. p. TV4. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  3. ^ Rabin, Nathan (October 4, 2011). "Robert Hays". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  4. ^ Davis, Stacy Vogel (March 18, 2013). "Zucker, Hays poke fun at summer in Wisconsin in latest tourism ad". Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Strauss, Bob (March 19, 2010). "Cherie Currie rocks with biopic". Los Angeles Daily News.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Robert Hays (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 12, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
[edit]
Preceded by Voice of Iron Man
1994–1997
Succeeded by
Francis Diakowsky