# Robert Joy
**Robert Joy** (also credited as Bob Joy) is a Canadian character actor, writer, and composer known for work in film, television, and theater across Canada and the United States, including roles in *Atlantic City*, *Land of the Dead*, *The Hills Have Eyes*, *CSI: NY*, and MGM+'s series *From*. He was born in 1951 in Montréal, Québec, Canada, and grew up in St. John's, Newfoundland[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/) • [2](https://collections.mun.ca/digital/api/collection/ead/id/249/download).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1951, Montréal, Québec, Canada; grew up in St. John's, Newfoundland[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/) • [2](https://collections.mun.ca/digital/api/collection/ead/id/249/download) |
| Education | BA (Honours) in English, Memorial University, 1972; Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, 1973[2](https://collections.mun.ca/digital/api/collection/ead/id/249/download) |
| Early company | Three years with the Newfoundland comedy troupe CODCO as actor, writer, and composer[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/) |
| Signature TV role | Dr. Sid Hammerback, chief medical examiner on *CSI: NY*, recurring from 2005, main cast from season five[4](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Joy/) |
| Broadway | *Hay Fever* (1985–86), *The Nerd* (1987–88), *Shimada* (1992), *Abe Lincoln in Illinois* (1993–94), *Side Show* (2014–15), *Girl From The North Country* (2020–22)[5](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-joy-47271) |
| Notable films | *Atlantic City* (1980), *Ragtime* (1981), *Desperately Seeking Susan* (1985), *Land of the Dead* (2005), *The Hills Have Eyes* (2006)[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/) • [4](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Joy/) |
| Awards | Genie nominations for *Atlantic City* (1981) and *Whole New Thing* (2007); Gemini nominations for "The Prodigious Hickey" (1987) and *Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace* (2001)[6](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/joy-robert-1951) |
## Early life and CODCO
Joy grew up in St. John's, where he sang Irish songs in school plays at St. Bon's and studied piano; at Brother Rice High School he performed the tenor lead in *Pirates of Penzance* and took part in Kinsmen productions of *H.M.S. Pinafore* in 1970 and *The Mikado* in 1971[2](https://collections.mun.ca/digital/api/collection/ead/id/249/download). His father, Dr. Clifton Joseph Joy, was a Newfoundland physician and politician who represented Harbour Main in the Newfoundland House of Assembly from 1962 to 1966[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/bio/).
His first professional acting job came with the Newfoundland Travelling Theatre Company on an early-1970s island tour, at a starting pay of $35 a week, an experience he later described as seminal[8](https://dai.mun.ca/pdfs/luminus/LuminusVol15No3Fall1989.pdf). After graduating from Memorial University in 1972 with an [Honours degree](https://www.edgepedia.org/honours-degree) in English, he briefly entered the master's program at the [University of Toronto](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-toronto)'s Graduate Centre for the Study of Drama but left after one semester[2](https://collections.mun.ca/digital/api/collection/ead/id/249/download).
**Rhodes Scholarship and CODCO.** Joy won a [Rhodes Scholarship](https://www.edgepedia.org/rhodes-scholarship) to study [English literature](https://www.edgepedia.org/english-literature) at Oxford in 1973, but left in the summer of 1974 to join the CODCO troupe on their Newfoundland tour of *Cod on a Stick*. He stayed with CODCO through the show *The Tale Ends* (1976), acting and supplying music and many of the songs[2](https://collections.mun.ca/digital/api/collection/ead/id/249/download). CODCO, the Newfoundland comedy collective active as a theater company from 1973 to 1976, became closely identified with its core members, including Joy, Tommy Sexton, Greg Malone, Mary Walsh, Cathy Jones, and Andy Jones[9](https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/arts/codco-theatre-company.php). Memorial University awarded him an honorary [Doctor of Letters](https://www.edgepedia.org/doctor-of-letters) in 2015[10](https://gazette.mun.ca/public-engagement/the-rhodes-experience/).
## Stage career
Joy's first New York work was [Off-Broadway](https://www.edgepedia.org/off-broadway) as Peter Van Daan in *The Diary of Anne Frank* (1978–79) at Theatre Four[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/) • [6](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/joy-robert-1951). On Broadway he originated the role of Huck Finn at the American Repertory Theatre in [Cambridge, Massachusetts](https://www.edgepedia.org/cambridge-massachusetts), in the 1983 world premiere of [Roger Miller](https://www.edgepedia.org/roger-miller)'s musical *Big River*, and appeared as Simon Bliss in Noël Coward's *Hay Fever* (1985–86) opposite Rosemary Harris and Campbell Scott[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/). In *The Nerd* (1987–88) he originated the role of Rick Steadman and later switched to Willum Cubbert[5](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-joy-47271). Later Broadway credits include the two roles of Clive and Mark Beaumont in *Shimada* (1992), Joshua Speed in the revival of *Abe Lincoln in Illinois* (1993–94), Sir in the revival of *Side Show* (2014–15), and Dr. Walker in *Girl From The North Country* (2020–22, with a return engagement in 2022)[5](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-joy-47271).
He originated the role of Julian Hyde, an actor with a secret during Hollywood's Golden Age, in *Hyde in Hollywood* (1989), and recreated it for PBS's *American Playhouse* in 1991[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/). At [The Public Theater](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-public-theater) he has appeared in *Socrates* (April through June 2019, as Crito and the poet Mellitus), *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, *Head of Passes*, and *As You Like It*[4](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Joy/) • [11](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/robert-joy/profile/). In 2017 he played Charles in *King Charles III* at the [Shakespeare Theatre Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/shakespeare-theatre-company) in Washington, D.C.[4](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Joy/).
## Film and television
Joy made his feature debut in [Louis Malle](https://www.edgepedia.org/louis-malle)'s *Atlantic City* (1980), playing Dave, Susan Sarandon's small-time hood husband, whose theft of a cache of drugs sets the story in motion; he received a Genie Award nomination for the role in 1981[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/) • [6](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/joy-robert-1951). In [Miloš Forman](https://www.edgepedia.org/milos-forman)'s *Ragtime* (1981) he played Harry K. Thaw[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/). Other film roles include Jim, the punk musician boyfriend of Madonna's character, in *Desperately Seeking Susan* (1985); roles in [Woody Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/woody-allen)'s *Radio Days* (1987) and *Shadows and Fog* (1991); an agitated AIDS patient in *Longtime Companion* (1989); and the robot Sherman in *Millennium* (1989)[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/).
He is described by some accounts as a horror veteran, with appearances in Gregory Hoblit's *Fallen* (1998), [George A. Romero](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-a-romero)'s *Land of the Dead* (2005) as Charlie Houx, a simple-minded sharpshooter, Lizard in [Alexandre Aja](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexandre-aja)'s 2006 remake of *The Hills Have Eyes*, and Colonel Stevens in *Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem* (2007)[4](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Joy/). In 2008 he portrayed physicist Stephen Hawking in the comedy *Superhero Movie*[4](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Joy/).
**CSI: NY.** On television, Joy became particularly well known as Dr. Sid Hammerback, the chief medical examiner on CBS's police procedural *CSI: NY*. He joined as a recurring character in the second season in 2005 and was promoted to the main cast in season five, and the character became one of his most recognizable roles[4](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Joy/).
In recent years he has played Henry in MGM+'s *From* from 2024 onward, Hunter Fox in *Julia* (2022–2023), and Dr. Daniel Hendricks in the Stephen King adaptation *The Institute* (2025)[12](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/fullcredits). He also played Poppy Bell in the Canadian comedy *Son of a Critch* (2024–2025)[12](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/fullcredits). Earlier episodic work includes *Moonlighting*, *Wings*, *Law & Order*, *The Equalizer*, and *The Ray Bradbury Theater*[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/) • [6](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/joy-robert-1951).
## Writing, composing, and *Faustus Bidgood*
After studying at the Sundance Film Institute in 1985, Joy served as film composer, music director, associate producer, and star of *The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood* (1986), an independent Newfoundland film featuring the entire CODCO cast[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/) • [4](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Joy/). A contemporary account of the production credited him with writing substantial portions of the script, handling props and locations, acting as production manager, and directing and composing the music and songs[13](https://cinemacanada.athabascau.ca/index.php/cinema/article/download/3359/3398.pdf). He received a Genie nomination with Andy Jones for best original song from the film in 1987[6](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/joy-robert-1951). He has also composed music for stage, radio, and film[14](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-International-Television-Almanac/1996/Television-and-Video-Almanac-1996-Whos-Who.pdf).
## Personal life and recognition
Joy was married to actress Mary Joy from October 27, 1979, with one child, Ruby Joy[6](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/joy-robert-1951) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/bio/). He was the partner of actor William Duff-Griffin until Duff-Griffin's death in 1994, and has been the partner of composer Henry Krieger since 1995[5](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-joy-47271) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/bio/).
His award record, as cataloged by Encyclopedia.com, includes the Genie and Gemini nominations listed above, a Los Angeles DramaLogue Award around 1983 for *Romeo and Juliet* at the La Jolla Playhouse, and a DramaLogue Critics Award[6](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/joy-robert-1951). IMDb lists 8 nominations total across his career[12](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/fullcredits).
## References
1. [Robert Joy, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/)
2. [Bob Joy biography, Memorial University of Newfoundland digital collections](https://collections.mun.ca/digital/api/collection/ead/id/249/download)
3. [Robert Joy - Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/robert-joy/)
4. [Robert Joy bio and credits, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Joy/)
5. [Robert Joy, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robert-joy-47271)
6. [Joy, Robert 1951-, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/joy-robert-1951)
7. [Robert Joy Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/bio/)
8. [Bob Joy: Profile of a MUN Alumnus, Luminus Vol. 15 No. 3 (1989), Memorial University](https://dai.mun.ca/pdfs/luminus/LuminusVol15No3Fall1989.pdf)
9. [Collectives: Codco, Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador](https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/arts/codco-theatre-company.php)
10. [The Rhodes Experience, Memorial University Gazette](https://gazette.mun.ca/public-engagement/the-rhodes-experience/)
11. [Robert Joy profile, Broadway.com](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/robert-joy/profile/)
12. [Robert Joy full credits, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0431451/fullcredits)
13. [Joan Sullivan on The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood, Cinema Canada (1986), via cinemacanada.athabascau.ca](https://cinemacanada.athabascau.ca/index.php/cinema/article/download/3359/3398.pdf)
14. [Television and Video Almanac 1996 Who's Who entry, worldradiohistory.com](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-International-Television-Almanac/1996/Television-and-Video-Almanac-1996-Whos-Who.pdf)
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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 › Canadian actors › Surnames J to L*
*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