A brief but exciting story of Robert Stack

Mary Elizabeth named her son Charles after his grandfather, who was an opera singer. However, Stack changed his name to Robert after no one in particular.

Even though Robert was born in Los Angeles, he could not speak English until he was seven as he was brought up in Europe. Robert spoke fluent Italian and French, but he had to learn English when he returned to Los Angeles with his mother.

Robert’s parents remarried in 1928. However, their happiness was not long, his father died when Stack was 10.

Robert Stack was not interested in team sports. That is why he took up skeet shooting. In 1935 he set two world records and became the National Skeet Champion. He was also good at polo.

Robert Stack’s first film “First Love” (1939) was considered controversial as he was the first actor to give Deanna Durbin, his on-screen partner, an on-screen kiss.

Stack paused his career during World War II. He served as an Aerial Gunnery Officer and gunnery instructor in the United States Navy.

Robert Stack portrayed a lot of pilots in various films, for example:

• “To Be or Not To Be” (1942)
• “Eagle Squadron” (1942)
• “Sabre Jet” (1953)
• “The High and the Mighty” (1954)
• “Written on the Wind” (1956)
• “The Tarnished Angels” (1957)
• “Murder on Flight 502” (1975)

The actor began hosting “Unsolved Mysteries” (mystery documentary TV program) in 1987. First, he appeared in specials, however, he served as the show's host during its entire original series run.

Rosemarie Bowe, American model and actress, was Stack’s wife. They were married from 1956 until Robert’s death in 2003. The couple had two children.