CLIFFORD P. ROBERTSON III
COMMISSIONER II
SDPHA 2000 - 2011
09/09/1923 - 09/10/2011
A native of La Jolla, Commissioner Robertson was an actor with a film and television career that spanned more than half of a century.
In 1968 he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie Charly.
He was perhaps best known to younger audiences for playing Uncle Ben Parker in the Spiderman film series.
In addition to his Oscar and Emmy and several lifetime achievement awards from various film festivals, Commissioner Robertson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles.
One of Commissioner Robertson's main hobbies was flying and, among other aircraft, he owned several de Havilland Tiger Moths, a Messerschmitt Bf 108 and a genuine World War II era Mk.IX Supermarine Spitfire MK923.
Commissioner Robertson also entered balloon races, including one in 1964 from the mainland to Catalina Island that ended with him being rescued from the Pacific Ocean. Commissioner Robertson was a longtime member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, working his way through the ranks in prominence and eventually co-founding the EAA's Young Eagles program, on which he chaired from its 1992 inception to 1994 succeeded by former test pilot Gen. Chuck Yeager.
Commissioner Robertson was airborne and piloting a private Beechcraft Baron directly over New York City on the morning of September 11, 2001. He was directly over the World Trade Center, climbing through 7,500 feet, when the first Boeing 767 struck. Commissioner Robertson was ordered by air traffic control to land immediately at the nearest airport following a nationwide order to ground all civilian and commercial aircraft following the attacks.
Commissioner Robertson passed away on September 10, 2011. He had just turned 88 years old.
To learn more about Commissioner Robertson, visit the Internet Movie data base by clicking the link below.
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