Robert Lesser or Bobby Lesser is an American film, theater and television actor.
Lesser was born in New York City, and lives in Santa Barbara. His earliest work dates to 1967 with "David Holzman's Diary", directed by Jim McBride. He is best known for the opening scene with Bruce Willis in Die Hard, his featured role in Hester Street with Carol Kane, The Big Easy, Oscar with Sylvester Stallone, Shoot to Kill with Sidney Poitier, The Presidio (film) starring Sean Connery, the Japanese film Best Wishes for Tomorrow, among others. Lesser has worked with Bruce Willis, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Matthew Broderick, Dennis Quaid, Penelope Ann Miller, and Richard Mulligan. He is well known in the Santa Barbara theater community.
In 2011, both The Wall Street Journal and The Hollywood Reporter published a front page, tongue-in-cheek open letter from Lesser to the Internet Movie Database after they refused to correct his birthdate, which they had listed as May 28, 1938, aging him considerably. They have since corrected the date.
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Selected theaters
The New York Shakespeare Festival's Richard the Third, on Broadway
The Soft Touch directed by Alan Arkin
Rubbers and Yanks 3 Detroit 0 Top of the Seventh, American Place Theatre by Alan Arkin.
Performances at the Yale Repertory's Winterfest
Geography of a Horse Dreamer by Sam Shepard - The Manhattan Theatre Club.
Steven Berkoff's Kvetch and God's Country - Odyssey Theatre, Los Angeles.
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday by Michael Pressman (West Coast premiere).
Santa Barbara area:
Rubicon Theatre: My Antonia, In All Honesty
Center Stage Theatre: The Goat or Who is Sylvia by Edward Albee and Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett.
Ensemble Theatre Company: The Fourth Wall, Communicating Doors, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, The Weir, An Inspector Calls, and The Cripple of Inishmaan.
Selected television
Charlie's Angels (1981) - Burt Walker
The New Odd Couple (1982–1983) - Harry Price / Stage Manager
St. Elsewhere (1987)
Married... with Children (1991) - Bum - Edwin Johanson
Herman's Head (1992) - Troy Michaels
Empty Nest (1990–1995) - Dr. Perry Smith / Russell
Bosom Buddies (1981)
