Robert "Napoleon Solo" Vaughn has died

[Benzadmiral]

Apparently it was yesterday, of acute leukemia. He was 83 and is survived by his wife of some 40 years.

RV, both as Solo and in other roles, was a role model for me. To this day when I read or reread a favorite adventure or mystery story, his image (clean-cut, dashing, authoritative) is what pops into my mind. Beyond that, he was highly intelligent, and a Ph.D., no less.

Here's to you, Dr. Vaughn. When I get to heaven, I'll look you up. You and Robert Culp both have great stories to tell.

 

[NormanBuntz]

He played some good roles. I liked the one where he played the drunken amputee accused of murdering his uncle. But I disliked the ambulance chaser commercials he did on TV.

 

[Drosselmier]

They both could have played JR Ewing very well. RIP.

 

[aquariuscsm]

He was awesome!! The actors from that era were the best!!

RIP Robert

 

[DBMaster]

Believe it or not, my first exposure to him was in the 1980 film Battle Beyond the Stars.

 

[MCompact]

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is one of my fondest memories of childhood; I saved my allowance to buy all the MFU toys that I could. Godspeed. Mr. Vaughn.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is one of my fondest memories of childhood; I saved my allowance to buy all the MFU toys that I could. Godspeed. Mr. Vaughn.


I have a mint condition original press copy of that album. I think I bought it at Goodwill for 25 cents.

 

[rshaw125]

I think he was also the last surviving of the Magnificent 7.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Was actually watching him as a marine captain in the short lived series "The Lieutenant" the other day. RIP

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: rshaw125
I think he was also the last surviving of the Magnificent 7.

He was indeed -- he even survived Eli Wallach, who played the bandit chieftain. Someone above mentioned Battle Beyond the Stars. I've never seen that flick. Isn't his character modeled on the losing-his-nerve gunfighter he played in Magnificent Seven?

He said in his memoir that he'd parlayed his 15 minutes of fame into a 50-year career: first weak younger sons and the like in Westerns and TV dramas, and in Young Philadelphians; then a continuing role in the Marine Corps in Gene Roddenberry's The Lieutenant; and then U.N.C.L.E. After that he went on to do mature character roles, like his ineffectual politician in Bullitt, a caring surgeon in The Mind of Mr. Soames (a good SF film, by the way), and a raft of villainous fat cats in suits. He even appeared once or twice as the same character on Law and Order, in the days when his spy-TV contemporary, Steven Hill, was a regular -- and they had scenes together.

He played at least 3 U.S. presidents, either on stage or TV, either in the White House or before. Can anybody name them?