# Robert Prosky
**Robert Prosky** (born Robert Joseph Porzuczek; December 13, 1930 – December 8, 2008) was an American character actor whose career ran from more than two decades as a resident company member at Washington, D.C.'s Arena Stage to prominent film and television roles, most notably Sergeant Stan Jablonski on *Hill Street Blues*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698764/) • [2](https://www.pewcenterarts.org/contributor/robert-prosky)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | December 13, 1930, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as Robert Joseph Porzuczek[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698764/) |
| Died | December 8, 2008, Washington, D.C., of complications from a heart procedure, aged 77[3](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/robert-prosky) |
| Arena Stage | 23 seasons and more than 130 roles beginning in 1958, including Willy Loman in *Death of a Salesman*[2](https://www.pewcenterarts.org/contributor/robert-prosky) |
| Film debut | Leo, a Chicago fence, in Michael Mann's *Thief* (1981), at about age 50[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_prosky) |
| Signature TV role | Sergeant Stanislaus "Stan" Jablonski on *Hill Street Blues*, NBC, 1984–87[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930) |
| Broadway honors | Tony nominations for *Glengarry Glen Ross* (1984) and *A Walk in the Woods* (1988); Outer Critics Circle Award, 1988[2](https://www.pewcenterarts.org/contributor/robert-prosky) • [6](https://playbill.com/person/robert-prosky-vault-0000109484) |
| Family | Married Ida Hove on June 4, 1960; three sons, Stefan, John, and Andrew, the latter two actors[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698764/) • [5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930) |
## Early life and training
Prosky was born in Philadelphia to a Polish-American family; his legal surname was Porzuczek, and he grew up in what he described as a huge Polish family.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698764/) • [7](https://freshairarchive.org/segments/hill-street-blues-actor-robert-prosky-1930-2008) [Reference](https://www.edgepedia.org/reference) sources differ on his father's occupation, listing Joseph Prosky as a grocer in one profile and as a butcher in an interview-based profile.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930) • [8](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/face-face-robert-prosky-simi-horwitz-27500/) Some sources give his birth year as 1931.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930)
He majored in economics at [Temple University](https://www.edgepedia.org/temple-university), choosing the field because it seemed most interesting in his freshman year.[8](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/face-face-robert-prosky-simi-horwitz-27500/) While a student he competed on a locally televised dramatic talent search, winning the series, which led to a part in summer stock at the Bucks County Playhouse in a company that also included the young [Walter Matthau](https://www.edgepedia.org/walter-matthau); there the director Ezra Stone urged him to study acting seriously.[8](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/face-face-robert-prosky-simi-horwitz-27500/) After graduating he won a New York Drama League scholarship to train at the American Theatre Wing's school.[8](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/face-face-robert-prosky-simi-horwitz-27500/) He served in the U.S. Air Force, and when his father died he returned briefly to run the family grocery store before committing to acting full time.[3](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/robert-prosky) • [9](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/03/22/robert-proskys-taking-his-act-to-hollywood/1c82147b-a4d7-4797-888e-4db1515b4b44/)
## Arena Stage
In the fall of 1958 Prosky auditioned for Washington, D.C.'s Arena Stage for the part of the sheriff in *The Front Page*, intending to do one play and return to New York; he stayed for 23 seasons and more than 130 roles.[9](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/03/22/robert-proskys-taking-his-act-to-hollywood/1c82147b-a4d7-4797-888e-4db1515b4b44/) • [2](https://www.pewcenterarts.org/contributor/robert-prosky) He credited the company's producing director, Zelda Fichandler, as profoundly instrumental in launching his career.[8](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/face-face-robert-prosky-simi-horwitz-27500/)
The resident company gave him a range few American actors accumulated. His Arena roles included [Willy Loman](https://www.edgepedia.org/willy-loman) in *Death of a Salesman*, Galileo in *Galileo*, Matthew Harrison Brady in *Inherit the Wind*, the Stage Manager in *Our Town*, and a role in [Arthur Miller](https://www.edgepedia.org/arthur-miller)'s *The Price*; he also performed in Shakespeare, Brecht, Chekhov, Shaw, and a large amount of [David Mamet](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-mamet).[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930) • [7](https://freshairarchive.org/segments/hill-street-blues-actor-robert-prosky-1930-2008) Tours took him to Russian cities, to the Gate Theatre in Dublin, and to a Chinese theater in Hong Kong.[10](https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vifgm_prosky) In a 1981 interview he estimated he had done more stage work than anyone in the country, while noting he was not well known in the movie world.[9](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/03/22/robert-proskys-taking-his-act-to-hollywood/1c82147b-a4d7-4797-888e-4db1515b4b44/)
## Film and television
Prosky's screen career began late. His film debut came as Leo, an initially ingratiating Chicago underworld fence, in [Michael Mann](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-mann)'s *Thief* (1981), co-starring with [James Caan](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-caan) and [Tuesday Weld](https://www.edgepedia.org/tuesday-weld); he was about 50 years old at the time.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_prosky) • [9](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/03/22/robert-proskys-taking-his-act-to-hollywood/1c82147b-a4d7-4797-888e-4db1515b4b44/) He prepared the role by spending time with former thieves hired as consultants and by training at the Chicago police academy.[9](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/03/22/robert-proskys-taking-his-act-to-hollywood/1c82147b-a4d7-4797-888e-4db1515b4b44/)
Television brought his widest recognition. As Sergeant Stan Jablonski on NBC's *Hill Street Blues* from 1984 to 1987, he took over the roll-call sign-off spot after [Michael Conrad](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-conrad)'s Sergeant Esterhaus, and he said most people knew him from that role.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_prosky) • [7](https://freshairarchive.org/segments/hill-street-blues-actor-robert-prosky-1930-2008) He later played Pat Chase on *Veronica's Closet* (1997–98) and Lenny on the CBS series *Danny* (2001), with guest appearances on *Cheers*, *Frasier*, *Coach*, *The Practice*, *ER*, and *Murder, She Wrote*, among many others.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698764/)
In film he became a busy supporting player through the 1980s and 1990s. Notable roles include Ernie Merriman, the veteran newsman who is fired, in [James L. Brooks](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-l-brooks)'s *Broadcast News* (1987); Will Darnell, the garage owner, in [John Carpenter](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-carpenter)'s *Christine* (1983); the judge in *The Natural* (1984); Jonathan Lundy, the television station owner who trades quips with [Robin Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-williams) in *Mrs. Doubtfire* (1993); Father Cavanaugh in *Rudy* (1993); Hilton Barber, the defense lawyer for Sean Penn's character, in *Dead Man Walking* (1995); and Judge Henry Harper in the 1994 remake of *Miracle on 34th Street*.[2](https://www.pewcenterarts.org/contributor/robert-prosky) • [5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930) His later films included *Hoffa* (1992), *Last Action Hero* (1993), *The Chamber* (1996), and *Dudley Do-Right* (1999).[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930)
## Broadway
Prosky appeared in six Broadway productions between 1972 and 2004: *Moonchildren* (1972), *A View from the Bridge* (1983, as Alfieri), *Glengarry Glen Ross* (1984, originating Shelly Levene), *A Walk in the Woods* (1988, as the Soviet diplomat Andrey Botvinnik opposite [Sam Waterston](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-waterston)), *Twelve Angry Men* (2004, as the voice of the judge), and Michael Frayn's *Democracy* (2004, as Herbert Wehner).[6](https://playbill.com/person/robert-prosky-vault-0000109484) In *Glengarry Glen Ross* he shared a Special Drama Desk Award for outstanding ensemble performance.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930)
## Awards and recognition
Prosky received two Tony Award nominations, for featured actor in *Glengarry Glen Ross* (1984) and for leading actor in *A Walk in the Woods* (1988), and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for best actor in a play for the latter in 1988.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930) • [6](https://playbill.com/person/robert-prosky-vault-0000109484) Washington theater honored him repeatedly: a Helen Hayes Award for best lead actor for *The Price* in 1995, the Helen Hayes Award for outstanding lead actor for *Our Town* in 1991, and the American Express Tribute to an American Actor at the Helen Hayes Awards in 1998.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930) • [11](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Prosky/) His papers, spanning his theater, film, and television career across 9 linear feet, are held at the George Mason University Libraries, donated by Prosky in 2007–2008.[10](https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vifgm_prosky)
## Death
Prosky died on December 8, 2008, in a Washington, D.C., hospital of complications from a heart procedure, five days before his 78th birthday.[3](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/robert-prosky) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698764/) His obituary counted more than 200 plays on Broadway and with Arena Stage, 38 films, and numerous television appearances.[3](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/robert-prosky)
## References
1. [Robert Prosky, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698764/)
2. [Robert Prosky, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage](https://www.pewcenterarts.org/contributor/robert-prosky)
3. [Robert Prosky Obituary (AP via Legacy.com)](https://www.legacy.com/legacy/notable-deaths/robert-prosky)
4. [Robert Prosky, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_prosky)
5. [Prosky, Robert 1930(?)–, Encyclopedia.com (Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television)](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/prosky-robert-1930)
6. [Robert Prosky, Playbill Vault](https://playbill.com/person/robert-prosky-vault-0000109484)
7. [Hill Street Blues' Actor Robert Prosky, 1930–2008, Fresh Air Archive](https://freshairarchive.org/segments/hill-street-blues-actor-robert-prosky-1930-2008)
8. [Face to Face: Robert Prosky, Backstage](https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/face-face-robert-prosky-simi-horwitz-27500/)
9. [Robert Prosky's Taking His Act To Hollywood, The Washington Post (March 22, 1981)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/03/22/robert-proskys-taking-his-act-to-hollywood/1c82147b-a4d7-4797-888e-4db1515b4b44/)
10. [Robert Prosky Papers, 1909/2007, George Mason University Libraries (ARVAS)](https://arvasarchive.org/catalog/vifgm_prosky)
11. [Robert Prosky, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Robert-Prosky/)
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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 Pe to P*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: 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