I’m deeply saddened to share that Robert Machray, the talented actor who brought Orson Welles to life on stage and graced us with his presence as Fire Marshal Dobbins on “Cheers,” has passed away at the age of 79. His remarkable acting career, which spanned an impressive five decades, will be fondly remembered.
Machray passed away on Sunday at his residence in North Hollywood following two strokes and a short fight against dementia, as confirmed by his husband, Luigi Camperchioli, to The Hollywood Reporter. (informal: Machray succumbed to two strokes and dementia on Sunday at his home in North Hollywood, according to his husband, Luigi Camperchioli, to The Hollywood Reporter.)
Additionally, he made appearances in various episodes of shows like Operation Petticoat, Three’s Company, Life Goes On, Roseanne, Sister, Sister, Suddenly Susan, Profiler, The Drew Carey Show, Girlfriends, Criminal Minds, and Parks and Recreation. His last onscreen credit was in 2011, marking the end of his acting career.
Back in the day, I stepped into the role of Dobbins, the frequent target of bar pranks, across four exciting episodes of NBC’s beloved sitcom, “Cheers,” between seasons eight and eleven, from 1990 to 1993. It was quite a blast being part of such an iconic show!
He performed in the 1999-2000 Broadway revival of “Amadeus,” where Michael Sheen and David Suchet were the stars. In 2002, he was awarded the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle prize for his portrayal of Welles in Austin Pendleton’s “Orson’s Shadow.” According to Backstage, he possesses a powerful voice, impressive physical presence, and exceptional acting skills suitable for playing the renowned filmmaker.
Machray was renowned for his exceptional portrayals, including his award-winning roles as a character with mental disabilities in Tom Griffin’s “The Boys Next Door” and as Pozzo in Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot”.
In the 1990s, he held the position of artistic director at the Classical Theatre Lab based in Los Angeles, while also performing for a variety of notable theaters such as The Old Globe, the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, The Matrix Theater Company, South Coast Repertory, Hartford Stage, and Playwrights Horizons. He worked with numerous other theater companies as well.
Robert Machray Ward, who was born in San Diego on May 4, 1945, spent his childhood in St. Paul, Minnesota. He pursued anthropology at Yale and also attended USC. His acting career began with a screen debut in the 1977 NBC television movie, “Panic in Echo Park,” alongside Dorian Harewood.
Additionally, he made appearances in movies such as “Cutting Class” (1989), “A Time to Remember” (1998) and “The Master of Disguise” (2002). Furthermore, he lent his voice to two characters in the 2001 video game titled “Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II — Rogue Leader“.
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2025-01-14 21:24