Robert Osborne, the longtime studio host for Turner Classic Movies, has died at the age of 84.
While the popular figure found fame as a presence on the small screen, he also had his own very modest Hollywood career — and landed in two classic movies!
After a series of forgettable small-screen parts, Osborne had a huge year in 1960 — when he played a bystander in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” and a guard in the Kirk Douglas classic “Spartacus.”
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At the suggestion of Lucille Ball, Osborne then concentrated on journalism, and became one of Hollywood’s most enduring entertainment journalists.
He joined Turner Classic Movies when the channel launched in 1994, and soon built his own dedicated following. Sadly, medical reasons first had him taking a break from the network in 2011.
At the time, Osborne laughed at the rumors about his brief absence: “I got an email from one friend who wrote, ‘Oh God, I’m so sorry you’ve had a stroke!’”
Osborne still cut back on his hosting duties, and finally retired in early 2016 over undisclosed health issues.
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The ailing actor still managed one last turn on screen — appearing in a 2015 episode of the sitcom “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
As in “Psycho” and “Spartacus,” his role went uncredited. This time, however, he was certainly recognized.
A cause of death has yet to be announced.
