365 Days of Columbo: June 18th

Happy birthday Robert Ellenstein!

Robert Ellenstein was on June 18, 1923, in Newark, New Jersey. He was the son of Meyer C. Ellenstein, who served as the mayor of Newark. Robert served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and earned a Purple Heart for his service.

Ellenstein's acting career spanned both film and television, with over 200 television appearances. He was a veteran of the "Golden Age" of live television and made his film debut in 1954 with MGM's "Rogue Cop". He also appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" and had roles in series such as "Perry Mason," "The Wild Wild West," and "Mission: Impossible" among others.

On Columbo he had a modest role in Any Old Port in a Storm as Stein, one of Adrian Carsini's wine buddies. 

In the theatre, he was not only an actor but also a director and educator. He founded the Los Angeles Academy of Stage and Cinematic Arts and was the artistic director of The Company of Angels and the Los Angeles Repertory Company.

Ellenstein passed away on October 28, 2010, in Los Angeles, California.