"I'd Rather Be Up There Than In Some Ford That Doesn't Start"

By ANN Correspondent Aleta Vinas

Cliff Robertson’s love of flying started way before his acting career... yet it is Robertson’s acting for which he is best known.

In Robertson’s talk last week at the EAA Museum he mentioned acting as a way to "dodge doing what I didn’t want to do." It started in third grade and Robertson would volunteer for a play to avoid cleaning erasers and later on in prep school to avoid "walking around the quad with a rifle and 40 pound backpack."

This somewhat laid back attitude about acting may have been the very characteristic which allowed him to be relaxed and natural in front of the camera. Robertson has been in front of the camera and behind it. He has written, produced, directed and acted. With J.W. Coop in 1972, Robertson accomplished three at once "I enjoyed that because I got along so well with the writer, director and the actor," Robertson joked.

Robertson enjoyed writing and worked on a newspaper, in general assignment for a while until World War II interfered. Robertson served in the Maritime Services for three and a half years serving in the South Pacific, North Atlantic and Mediterranean theaters.

Robertson has been in over 70 movies, and received an Oscar in 1969 for Charly. He’s won several other awards and been nominated for numerous others. His recent appearances in the Spider Man movies have gained him a whole new fan base (he plays Peter Parker's revered Uncle Ben.)

Those in aviation know and respect Robertson as a staunch aviation advocate. Last year he was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame and he has numerous other awards and soaring records.

Robertson has been an EAA member for 36 years. He was the first Young Eagles Chairman at its inception 15 years ago. "I’m so proud of the Young Eagles, they’ve done so many good things and they’re on the way to even better things." People scoffed back then and thought it would never work, the Young Eagles have flown over 1.3M young people.

Another program for youngsters is the Cliff Robertson Work Experience started in 1993. Teens of at least 16 can be considered. The internship is several weeks long and contains some dirty work in the hangars in addition to working in the EAA Museum, EAA Air Academy and Pioneer Airport Flying lessons are part of the deal as well. Some solo by the end of the internship. Robertson proudly adds "A lot of kids are now flying airliners, some have already graduated from the Air Force Academy." A flight instructor opportunity is available too.

From the age of five, Robertson has shared a secret with the sky. He saw a plane performing aerobatics above his house, after a while the plane flew on. The two elder men the young Robertson was with shook their heads negatively, before walking back to the car -- which wouldn’t start. Robertson knew there was something wrong with that picture.

"I’d rather be up there than in some Ford that doesn’t start," Robertson says.

About nine years later at age 14, Robertson became the Speer Airport kid six days a week. He’d clean planes and engine parts eight hours a day. Robertson thought "I would get to touch those airplanes with a rag and I get to clean those planes with a rag and I just thought I was in heaven." In payment Robertson received a 15 minute flight with Bud "Speed" Smith in his red Piper cub. Robertson was allowed to take the controls after takeoff.

Robertson soloed in England, while filming a movie he decided "now I got a couple of nickels together maybe it'‘s time to get my official ticket."  He was set on soloing in a tail dragger. They found a Tiger Moth. Robertson would sneak these visits in; he never let the producers know.

He continued to enjoy old planes as well as new. Robertson has owned or owns a Spitfire, Me-108, Stampe SV4 and three Tiger Moths. The Messerschmitt is on display in upstate New York but Robertson is looking to sell it. Robertson flew his Baron 58 in to Oshkosh with a pilot friend. He’s had the Baron for over 20 years.

When asked about his favorite aircraft, Robertson replied "It’s hard to beat the Spitfire but I would say it’s usually the one I’m currently flying."

Robertson started soaring about 15 years ago. "It'’s more than recreation, it’s kind of an emotional experience."

Having been to many an AirVenture way back when the EAA was run out of Paul and Audrey Poberezny’s basement in Hales Corners, WI, Robertson has many "Oshkosh" Memories to share. "Certainly one of the best would be my ride with Paul Poberezny in the EAA P-51." Robertson has had the pleasure of flying with Poberezny and the Mustang a couple of times, starting back about 15 years ago.

Another Mustang memory saw Robertson flying the P-51 "Flying Undertaker" while Steve Hinton attempted a speed record in a highly modified Mustang.

Robertson heard about Paul Poberezny, his wife and then young son Tom and thought he would look into it. "It certainly wasn’t what we have today." Says Robertson, meaning the hundreds of thousands of aviation fans that now descends upon Wittman Field. The day Robertson went to Hales Corners was snowy and Mrs. Poberezny made a huge bowl of chili. "It was just about the best chili I ever had." claims Robertson. "It wasn’t much of a Fly-In because of the snow storm, it was more of a Mush-In."

Another "high" point according to Robertson was "taking the first Young Eagles up, Tom (Poberezny) flew the first one and I flew the second one." Robertson made the flight in his B-55 Baron; AirVenture had switched over to Wittman Field by that time. Robertson flew more Young Eagles flights that day but the first one (for him) hangs in the memory banks.

A special event that will turn into a memory down the road for Robertson took place during this year’s AirVenture. "I was very moved this year by Paul Poberezny making an unannounced, unexpected tribute to me."

Poberezny reminded Robertson of that bowl of chili during the snowstorm. Good memories are for sharing like that warm bowl of chili on a cold day.

FMI: www.cliffrobertson.info