Roberts Blossom

Roberts Blossom was a marvelously quirky, talented, and versatile character actor who was especially adept at portraying cantankerous old oddballs.

Movie Actor

March 25, 1924

July 14, 2011

87

Roberts Blossom was a renowned American actor and poet, recognized for his distinctive performances and appearances in various films and television shows. He rose to fame for his portrayal of the disturbed middle-aged recluse, Ezra Cobb, in the horror cult classic “Deranged” (1974). Some of Blossom’s most notable works include his role as Old Man Marley in “Home Alone” (1990), as well as appearances in “Escape from Alcatraz” (1979), “Resurrection” (1980), “The Great Gatsby” (1974), and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977). An accomplished poet, Blossom won three Obie Awards for his performances in off-Broadway plays. During World War II, he served as a navigator on B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in the Army Air Force and was captured as a prisoner of war. His experiences as a POW significantly influenced his later work as a poet. Roberts Blossom passed away on July 8, 2011, at the age of 87.