# Robert Hays
**Robert Hays** (born 1947 in [Bethesda, Maryland](https://www.edgepedia.org/bethesda-maryland)) is an American actor, director, and producer best known for playing the ex-fighter pilot Ted Striker in the 1980 disaster-film spoof *Airplane!* and its 1982 sequel, and for the title role in the television series *Starman*.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_hays) He has also worked steadily as a voice actor, most notably as Tony Stark in the 1990s animated *Iron Man* series.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1947, Bethesda, Maryland[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) |
| Signature role | Ted Striker in *Airplane!* (1980) and *Airplane II: The Sequel* (1982)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_hays) |
| Stage training | Six-year residence at the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego; Atlas Award for Best Actor for *Say Who You Are*[3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays) |
| Notable TV series | *Angie* (ABC, 1979–80), *Starman* (ABC, 1986–87), *FM* (NBC, 1989–90), *Cutters* (CBS, 1993)[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-hays/) |
| Voice work | Tony Stark/Iron Man in *Iron Man* (1994–96) and *Spider-Man* (1996)[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) |
| Family films | Bob Seaver in *Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey* (1993) and *Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco* (1996)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_hays) |
| Marriage | Married singer Cherie Currie in 1990; divorced 1997; one son[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) |
## Early life and stage career
Hays was born in Bethesda, Maryland, the son of a Marine Corps colonel who was a much-decorated fighter pilot in three wars. The family moved to a different city every two or three years throughout his childhood; he lived in Izmir, Turkey as a young boy, spent his junior high school years in [Newport Beach, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/newport-beach-california), and finished high school in [Omaha, Nebraska](https://www.edgepedia.org/omaha-nebraska).[3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_hays)
**The Old Globe years.** Entering Grossmont College in San Diego, Hays found that late enrollment left only two classes open: track and field, and beginning acting. He took both and found he loved acting.[3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays) He then spent roughly five to six years with the Actor's Guild at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, appearing in productions including *Richard III* (with [Anthony Zerbe](https://www.edgepedia.org/anthony-zerbe)), *The Glass Menagerie*, *The Man in the Glass Booth* (with [Leonard Nimoy](https://www.edgepedia.org/leonard-nimoy)), and *Say Who You Are*, for which he won the theater's Atlas Award for Best Actor.[3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-hays/) During his first years at the Globe he was unpaid, building sets as well as acting, and supported himself by photographing actors for their portfolios while living in his [Volkswagen](https://www.edgepedia.org/volkswagen) bus.[3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays)
## Television and the break to film
While still in San Diego, Hays landed his first television role as a guest on the ABC detective series *Harry O*, then moved to Los Angeles.[3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays) His first series, *The Young Pioneers* (ABC, 1978), ended after three episodes, but he fared better with the sitcom *Angie* (ABC, 1979–80), playing Brad Benson, a wealthy young doctor married to a working-class waitress played by [Donna Pescow](https://www.edgepedia.org/donna-pescow). The show was never a large hit, but it placed fifth and thirteenth in its two season-end ratings and got Hays noticed.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-hays/) • [3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays)
During a hiatus between seasons of *Angie*, Hays made his feature-film debut as Ted Striker in *Airplane!* (Paramount, 1980), directed by [David Zucker](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-zucker), Jerry Zucker, and [Jim Abrahams](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-abrahams). The filmmakers wanted dramatic actors who would deliver the absurd dialogue perfectly seriously, and they signed the television actor Hays opposite newcomer [Julie Hagerty](https://www.edgepedia.org/julie-hagerty).[5](https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/airplane2.pdf) Hays later recalled reading the script on a plane and laughing out loud at something on every page.[6](https://www.avclub.com/robert-hays-1798227786) The film's success was large enough that A&E's biography states it broke all records as the highest-grossing comedy in theatrical history at the time.[3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays) Hays reprised Striker in *Airplane II: The Sequel* (1982), written and directed by Ken Finkleman.[6](https://www.avclub.com/robert-hays-1798227786)
## Film career after Airplane!
After *Airplane!*, Hays starred in a rapid succession of films that mostly did not consolidate his fame: *Take This Job and Shove It* (1981, with [Art Carney](https://www.edgepedia.org/art-carney) and [Barbara Hershey](https://www.edgepedia.org/barbara-hershey)), *Utilities* (1981), *Trenchcoat* (1983), *Scandalous* (1984, opposite Sir John Gielgud), and [Stephen King](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-king)'s *Cat's Eye* (1984).[3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays) • [1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) Later film work included *Honeymoon Academy* (1990), *Fifty/Fifty* (1993), and a supporting role as Bob Seaver, the father in Disney's *Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey* (1993) and its 1996 sequel.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_hays) On Rotten Tomatoes, *Airplane!* remains his highest-rated film at 97 percent.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_hays)
## Television and voice work
Hays's most memorable post-*Airplane!* television role was the title character of *Starman* (ABC, 1986–87), the series adaptation of [John Carpenter](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-carpenter)'s film, in which he played Paul Forrester.[6](https://www.avclub.com/robert-hays-1798227786) • [1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) He followed it with further series leads: *FM* (NBC, 1989–90), *Cutters* (CBS, 1993), and *Kelly Kelly* (The WB, 1998), plus a role opposite [Bette Midler](https://www.edgepedia.org/bette-midler) in the CBS series *Bette*.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) • [3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays)
**Voice of Iron Man.** From 1994 to 1996 Hays voiced Anthony "Tony" Stark/Iron Man in the syndicated animated *Iron Man* series (part of *The Marvel Action Hour*), and he repeated the role on Fox's *Spider-Man* in 1996.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) His voice credits also include Reed Daley in the animated *An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster* (2000).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947)
His television-movie work was extensive, including *The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything* (1980), *Running Against Time* (USA Network, 1990), *Danielle Steel's Vanished* (NBC, 1995), *Unabomber: The True Story* (USA Network, 1996, as David Kaczynski), and *I'll Be Home for Christmas* (CBS, 1997).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) Guest appearances include Hyde's father on *That '70s Show*.[7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robert-hays/bio/3000044531/)
## Later career
Hays has continued to work across film, television, and theater, with credits including Robert Altman's *Dr. T & the Women* (2000) and the 2014 television movie *Sharknado 2: The Second One*.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_hays) He also produced and appeared in the independent film *Alex in Wonder* (2001).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947) • [3](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays) In 2014 he and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reprised their *Airplane!* characters, Ted Striker and Roger Murdock, for a series of Wisconsin tourism commercials built on the film's jokes.[8](https://time.com/12312/kareem-abdul-jabbar-reprises-airplane-role-in-wisconsin-tourism-ad/)
## References
1. [Hays, Robert 1947–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hays-robert-1947)
2. [Robert Hays Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_hays)
3. [Robert Hays – Fasten Your Seatbelt Cast, A&E](https://www.aetv.com/shows/fasten-your-seatbelt/cast/robert-hays)
4. [Robert Hays – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-hays/)
5. [Film essay for "Airplane!" by Michael Schlesinger, Library of Congress National Film Preservation Board](https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/airplane2.pdf)
6. [Robert Hays interview by Nathan Rabin, The A.V. Club, October 4, 2011](https://www.avclub.com/robert-hays-1798227786)
7. [Robert Hays Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robert-hays/bio/3000044531/)
8. [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Reprises 'Airplane' Role in Wisconsin Tourism Ad, Time](https://time.com/12312/kareem-abdul-jabbar-reprises-airplane-role-in-wisconsin-tourism-ad/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames H to Ha*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license