Where Is He Now: Robby Benson (Actor/Director) as Billy - Ode to Billy Joe.
Updated: 07/03/2005
Name: Robby Benson
Birth Name: Robin David Segal
Born: January 21, 1956 in Dallas, Texas
Claim To Fame: Robby enjoyed success in the mid 1970s as a teen actor in coming-of-age movies like 'Ode to Billy Joe' and 'One on One' (which he also cowrote).
Family Life: Karla DeVito (1982 - present) 2 children. Has a daughter named Lyric and hi son is named Zephyr.
Info: Robby does it all. From acting, directing, singing teaching and writing he has been in the entertainment industry since he was 12.
I for one had a MASSIVE crush on him when I was growing up and I think I've seen just about every early movie he ever did.
What also is endearing is his marriage. In this day and age of short marriages, especially in Hollywood, he and Karla have remained committed to each other.
Trivia: Benson is his mother's maiden name.
He had heart valve surgery in October 1984.
Son of writer Jerry Segal
Brother of Shelli Segal, designer for the Laundry clothing line (Laundry by
Shelli Segal).
His wife Karla was the lone female in Meat Loaf’s first 'Bat Out Of Hell World Tour' and the infamous 'Paradise By The Dashboard Light' video.
Probably one of his biggest roles is where he was unrecognizable. He was voice of the Beast in the animated 'Beauty and the Beast.'
He is very active in giving back to the community and has thrown in his services to help. One such cause is for Batten Disease.
http://www.bdsra.org/benson.htm
Where Is He Now: Throughout the years Robby has taught Film Acting at various Colleges and Universities... most recently at Appalachian State University.
Still boyish-looking, Benson spends much of his time these days behind the camera. And seems to be, like so many other actors, getting work doing voiceovers for both cartoons and Video games.
