A central figure of San Francisco's Actor's Workshop, one of the country's first regional theaters, he later became a leading L.A.-based stage actor.
Appeared in a number of plays with longtime wife Priscilla Pointer, including "The Crucible" (1954), "Peer Gynt" (1967), "Fighting Over Beverley" (1997) and "The Road to Mecca" (2000). The couple first started working together as young adults at the avant garde Actor's Workshop in works by Pinter and Beckett. The workshop was co-founded by Ms. Pointer's first husband, Jules Irving, who died in 1979. The three were close friends.
Attended of The University of Texas at Austin in early '40s
Both he and Priscilla Pointer had three children when they married in 1981.
Served in the Army in Seattle during WWII. He also managed to perform in local theater productions there.
Since 1982 Robert and Priscilla performed plays together in Paris with the Dear Conjunction company.
Stepfather of actress Amy Irving and director David Irving.
The Oklahoma-born actor's parents were Walter Symonds, who was a Christian Science lecturer, and the former Nellie Barry.