Robert Francis Harper was born on May 19, 1951, and passed away on January 23, 2020. He was an American actor who worked in plays, movies, and television shows.

Early life

Raised in Middletown Township, New Jersey, he attended Mater Dei High School. He graduated with honors from Rutgers University with a degree in English literature.

Career

After graduating from college, Harper began working at Arena Stage, where he acted in plays written by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Miller, and Wilder. He performed on Broadway in a new production of Once in a Lifetime (directed by Tom Moore), The Inspector General, and the original cast of Arthur Miller's The American Clock.

Harper was best known for his role as Sharkey in Once Upon a Time in America. He also played Charlie Gereson in Creepshow. Other movies he appeared in include Wiseguy, Final Analysis, The Insider, Deconstructing Harry, and Molly.

Harper played lawyers in several roles and expressed an interest in the law. He portrayed Bubba Weisberger on the 1987–1988 sitcom Frank's Place. To get into the character, Harper spent a month at Tulane University Law School, carried a book by Southern writer Walker Percy on the set, and read short stories by Tennessee Williams. A Chicago Tribune review described Harper as "a joyful and slow-moving performance as the lawyer wearing seersucker clothing."

In May 2007, Harper gave a speech at the graduation ceremony of University College, Rutgers.

Personal life and death

On May 30, 1981, he married Lisa Pelikan, an actress. He later married Sascha Noorthoorn van der Kruyff, a Dutch woman, and he died in Rotterdam.