Robert Firth was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the youngest son of British immigrants. He began performing in grade school productions, showcasing his talents as both an actor and musician. At home, he would create elaborate puppet shows for his neighbors, developing his creativity and imagination. As high school president, Firth honed his comedic skills by transforming dull announcements into quirky comedy routines, which led to his involvement in the school's variety shows. After a brief stint as a walk-on player at Penn State University under legendary coach Joe Paterno, he pursued his acting career.
Firth attended Temple University in Philadelphia, where he studied acting, theater, and film production. He later trained with Jose Quintero, co-founder of the Circle in the Square Theater in Greenwich Village. To supplement his acting income, he worked as a waiter at several popular restaurants in Beverly Hills, including Cicada, and later worked behind the scenes on various film and television projects. Notable production companies he collaborated with include Crossroads Films, assisting iconic filmmakers such as Michael Apted, Allen Daviau, and Mark Story.
Firth briefly attempted stand-up comedy, performing at various open mic nights at the Comedy Store, The Ice House, The Improv, The Second City, D.B. Coopers, Orville & Wilbur's, the Improv Olympics, and the Upright Citizens Brigade. Theatrically, he has appeared in numerous productions in both Los Angeles and London. His theatrical debut, Unique Species, was directed by Academy Award-winning actress Beatrice Straight.
Firth's television career began in 1978 with an appearance on the long-running program Horizons, hosted by Edie Huggins. He has since appeared on numerous network television shows and has had starring roles in various television pilots. In addition to his writing and directing, Robert is also a pop art and voice-over artist, and resides in both London and Los Angeles. Notable roles include Machiavellian CEO Michael Gorse in director Tom Shankland's mystery The City & The City, lead detective Lt. Charles Scherer in Tom Keeling's award-winning debut feature The Head Hunter, and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Stillwell in Oliver Stone's controversial biopic Snowden.
Other projects include James Gunn's sci-fi blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy, Sefton Hill's noir action-adventure Batman: Arkham Knight, and director Billy Lumby's award-winning Samuel-613. Firth has also provided narration for various projects, including Last Shuttle: Our Journey, Judge Dredd, and the American Monster series. In the realm of animation, he has voiced characters such as Master Chen in the LEGO: Dimensions series and Del Rev in the Prisoner Zero series.
Throughout his career, Firth has worked with top-tier advertising agencies, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Omnicom, Abbot Mead Vickers, BBDO, Publicis, and Adam & Eve, lending his signature voice to numerous advertising campaigns worldwide. Devoted to his craft, Firth continues to collaborate with up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world, sharing his expertise and knowledge with the next generation of industry professionals.
