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|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rod Colbin as a judge in the 1982 film Frances. | ||||
| Personal Information | ||||
| Birth name: | J.H. Lichtenstein | |||
| Also known as: | Rodney Colbin | |||
| Born: | 23 November 1923 | |||
| Birthplace: | New Haven, Connecticut | |||
| Died | 4 February 2007 (aged 83) | |||
| Deathplace: | Denver, Colorado (stroke) | |||
| Career/Family Information | ||||
| Occupation/ Career: | Actor, Fencing Instructor/Fight Director | |||
| Years active: | 1952 to 1986 | |||
| Character information | ||||
| Appeared on: | on Three's Company and The Ropers | |||
| Character played: | Charles Hadley in "Jack to the Rescue" (Season 5) Mr. Franklin in "Hearts and Flowers" (Season 6) Hubert Armbrewster in four episodes of The Ropers | |||
Rodney "Rod" Colbin (born J.H. Lichtenstein, 23 December 1923 - 4 February 2007) appeared on two episodes of Three's Company during the 5th and 6th seasons in different parts. He also appeared as Hubert Armbrewster, Helen Roper's brother-in-law, on the spinoff, The Ropers. A well respected character actor whose career spanned four decades, Rod was also a fencing instructor who, at one time, served as Katherine Hepburn's personal masseur.
Careers
Hollywood Fencing Instructor
Colbin, who was adept at the art of fencing, in addition to his work with Katherine Hepburn, also taught Marlon Brando and James Dean the finer points of fencing in the 1950s, at the beginning of his film/TV acting career.
Acting Career
Rod won a Christian Academy Award for the best actor for his lead role in John Hus in 1977. Colbin appeared in numerous hit TV series in the 1970s and 1980s, including ABC-TV's Barney Miller, and Charlie's Angels, CBS's The Jeffersons, NBC-TV's Quincy M.E., and Little House on the Prairie.
Colbin also appeared in many films over the course of his career, which include such films as Yes, Giorgio, The Gumball Rally, Frances and Frankenstein's Aunt Tillie.
He was a fencing master and one of the founding members of the Society of American Fight Directors. He taught thesps including Jimmy Durante, Brando and Dean how to make their screen duels believable. On stage, he utilized his fencing talents in productions such as Cyrano de Bergerac and his own show, Swordplay.
Family
Rod married Annemarie Polonyi 16 September 1965; they divorced in 1978. They had two daughters, Shana Rebecca, and Kaila Johanna.
Death
Colbin died in February 2007 in Denver, Colorado after a series of strokes. He was 83. Colbin was survived by his two daughters, two grandchildren and two sisters. [1][2]
