Stan Robinson, lead film writer for The Entertainer!, as well as a board of directors member of the Phoenix Film Critics Society, passed away in August, but not before leaving a lasting impression on the motion picture industry.
Born October 25, 1946 in Chicago, Illinois, Robinson’s love affair with film started in 1960 when, at the age of 14, he saw director George Pal’s cinematic adaptation of H.G. Wells’ “The Time Machine.” After serving his country in the U.S. Army as a Combat Engineer at Cam Rahn Bay, Vietnam, he went on to attend the Community Film Workshop of Chicago and secured an internship in the news department of NBC’s WMAQ-TV Chicago that led to a permanent position as a film editor.
Robinson’s career in film production began in 1980 with an internship on the set of “The Blues Brothers.” Robinson relocated in 1986 to Central Florida, where he worked as an assistant director and transportation captain for several projects, including “The Adventures of Huck Finn,” “Passenger 57,” “My Girl” and “To Die For,” as well as “The Adventures of Superboy” television series.
In 1997, Robinson arrived in Phoenix, where he would eventually retire from film production but remain involved in the industry as a film critic and columnist for a number of outlets, including AZ Weekly and The Entertainer! in print, as well as Examiner.com and ScreenScene.org online.
“I am living my dream,” Robinson said in a 2010 video audition that earned him a 30-second spot that played on big screens across the country as part of National CineMedia’s pre-show entertainment. “I always felt that when I retired that I wanted to be able to write about the industry, do interviews with those who are making films and do stories that I have a special interest for.”
Robinson’s presence, insights, humor and guidance will be greatly missed by his family, friends, audience and colleagues, including us at The Entertainer!, all of which admired him for his strength, intelligence, compassion and creativity.
So long, Mr. Robinson, and we’ll see you at the movies.
