Actor Robert Logan is dead
In the film "Swiss Family Robinson" and two further sequels, Robert Logan lived the back-to-nature dream in the 1970s. This resonated with audiences, including in Germany. It's only now being reported that the actor has passed away.
American actor Robert Logan has died at the age of 82. His son Anthony confirmed to "People" magazine that he died of natural causes on May 6 in Estero, Florida.
German audiences may remember him best as family man Skip Robinson. In three Hollywood films in the 1970s, he moved his film family from the city to the wilderness. This allowed Logan to embody the dream of simple happiness for generations of dropouts.
Logan was born on May 29, 1941, in Brooklyn. He grew up in Los Angeles with his father Frank, a banker, and his mother Catherine. As a student, he received a baseball scholarship to the University of Arizona and was spotted by a scout from the famous Warner Brothers production company. He was then cast in his first major role in the legendary ABC crime series "77 Sunset Strip," playing the slang-speaking parking attendant J.R. Hale for two seasons from 1961 to 1963.
From the city, to the country
Logan achieved worldwide fame with his role as the dropout who turns his back on civilization. Leaving the city, escaping the crowds, and heading into the wild and unknown - this dream was shared by many, especially in the 1970s. Logan fully embodied this dream - at least on screen. With "Swiss Family Robinson" in 1975, he reached a global audience of millions.
In the film, Logan plays Skip Robinson, a family man who sells everything and moves from Los Angeles to the unknown wilderness. On the shores of a lake, the family builds a log cabin and lives out their back-to-nature dream: returning to simplicity, returning to the true values of life. The film struck a chord with audiences. Two sequels followed in 1978 and 1979.
Not only on screen, but also in his private life, Logan upheld the values he portrayed in his most famous films until the end. His family describes him as the embodiment of "agape," or "love for the family." They feel "blessed to have known him," as stated in a family statement.
Apart from the adventure films about the "Robinson family," Logan also ventured into more serious genres in 1969 with the war film "The Bridge at Remagen" - not to be confused with the German production of the same name from 1967. In this film, Logan played an American soldier. The actor leaves behind four siblings, his wife Alina, two children, and three granddaughters.
The success of Robert Logan's role in "Swiss Family Robinson" extended beyond the United States, resonating strongly with German audiences who appreciated his portrayal of family man Skip Robinson. In the films, the Robinson family leaves the city life behind to embrace a simpler existence in the wilderness.
