Ginty, Robert

Robert Ginty was an actor, director and producer. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 14, 1948. He attended Yale (1970-1972) and City College of New York (1966-1968), but did not receive a degree. He studied acting at Neighborhood Playhouse (1968-1969) and other prestigious places. During the early 1970s, he was on the stage of several northeastern regional theaters.

His first notable role was in the television series Baa Baa Black Sheep (1976-1978) with Robert Conrad. The show was about the exploits of a Second World War flying ace and his squadron of misfits. He is perhaps better known for his role in the television version of The Paper Chase with John Houseman.

His first big film break was in the Jane Fonda movie Coming Home (1978). During the 1980s and 1990s he was known for his violent action films. His most famous role was as John Eastland in The Exterminator, a low-budget hit. He also starred in several other action roles, in violent thrillers that mostly went straight to video: Gold Raiders, Maniac Killer, Code Name: Vengeance, Exterminator 2, The Bounty Hunter, and Vietnam, Texas. Ginty was the director (and star) of the action thriller Vietnam, Texas, which won the best director award at the Houston International Film Festival and the Taormina Film Festival in Italy.

In 1994, he founded the Irish Theatre Arts Center in Los Angeles, becoming its artistic director. The Center sponsored stage, film and music projects dealing with the Irish experience.

Ginty focused his career on writing and directing, as well as acting, on television during the 1990s. Some of those shows include: China Beach, Father Dowling Mysteries, Murder She Wrote, Nash Bridges, and Charmed. The 2000s brought more changes in Ginty's career; a painting and photography exhibition in Paris, France and as an architectural preservation ambassador to the Prince's Trust (Prince Charles).

Ginty was married three times: Francine Tracker (1980-1983) who he met on the set of The Paper Chase; Lorna Patterson (1983-1988), and Michelle Ginty (?-2009). He has two children, James Francis Ginty and Marissa Patterson Ginty. He also was engaged to Victoria Hearst, the daughter of Randolph Hearst and Danuta Suski. In addition he also dated actresses Annette O'Toole and Joanna Kerns.

He died of cancer in Los Angeles, on September 21, 2009.

Source: Vallance, Tom, The Independent, Robert Ginty: Actor best known for his action role…, 2009, Nov 9 http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0320180/ accessed on 2012, Nov. 14 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ginty, accessed on 2012, Nov. 26

From the guide to the Robert Ginty Papers, 1969-1997, (The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.)