Robert Ginty : Biography, Pictures, Photos, Trivia, Address, Filmography (Baa Baa Black Sheep, Hawaiian Heat)

Born in New York, rugged, good-looking action star Robert Ginty first focused on music, becoming involved in several rock bands from age 16 on. During this stage, he actually got to play and hang out with several rock legends including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana and John Lee Hooker. In the 70s, however, he switched gears and gave acting a try. Trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse and the Actor's Studio for a time, he eventually found himself thriving in the regional theater circuit. Harold Prince brought him to Broadway as his assistant after seeing him perform Shakespeare in New Hampshire. Eventually Hollywood beckoned and Ginty transplanted himself to the western shore where he found frequent work as a strong-armed player on TV action. Finding a steady role on "Baa Baa Black Sheep" (1976) and bit parts in the films Bound for Glory (1976) and Two-Minute Warning (1976), he made his biggest impression as Bruce Dern's pal in Coming Home (1978). Around the time he was appearing in the series "The Paper Chase" (1978), he won his first film action lead in The Exterminator (1980), which became a surprising box-office hit. Soon Ginty was on a roll emulating Clint Eastwood and Sylvester Stallone as a high-action anti-hero. He formed his own production company which distributed his vehicles both here and abroad. Most tend to show their crude, limited budget, but he has nevertheless done quite well for himself as a writer/producer/director, especially overseas, with such assembly-line fare as Gold Raiders (1983) which was filmed in Thailand, Cop Target (1990), which was shot in France, and the sequel to his first big hit, Exterminator 2 (1984). He has not slowed down in the late 90s with TV producing and directing chores on such shows as "China Beach" (1988), "Xena: Warrior Princess" (1995), "Nash Bridges" (1996), "Charmed" (1998), and "Tracker" (2001). Ginty has also been a viable presence as a director on the experimental theater scene, particularly in Europe. More recently (2004), he directed a rap/hip-hop musical version of Anthony Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange" to fine reviews.

Founded and is the artistic director of the Irish Theatre Arts Center in Los Angeles.

Flies F-18 hornet jets with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. He took up flying via his association with his TV show "Baa Baa Black Sheep" (1976).

He was made an officer of the order of arts and letters of France for his work in the theater.

As a painter, he has exhibited his art work in group shows in France, Italy, England and Ireland. He works mainly in oil and collage.

Spouse : Lorna Patterson (1983 - ?) (divorced), Francine Tacker (1980 - ?) (divorced).

• Creation date: 01/07/2003 by misou
• Last update: 25/09/2009 by Fairplay1967