Robert Gerard Goulet was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to a family of French-Canadian origin, with his parents being Jeanette (Gauthier) and Joseph Georges André Goulet. He was the son who brought joy to his family with his singing, as his father recalled, "I'm proud of you, son" after hearing him sing "Lead Kindly Light" in their church hall. This praise from his father had a profound impact on Robert, and his father's words would echo in his mind for years to come.
Just a few weeks later, his father, lying on his deathbed, called Robert to his side and imparted a valuable lesson, saying, "The Lord has given you a beautiful voice, and you must go and sing." Tragically, Robert's father passed away when he was just 13 years old, and he moved to Edmonton, Canada, a year later.
Despite the challenges he faced, Robert's passion for music only grew stronger. He won a singing scholarship to the Royal Conservatory of music in Toronto and made his concert debut in Edmonton in 1951, performing George Frideric Handel's "Messiah". He also had a stint as a DJ on Canada's CKUA in Edmonton for two years.
In 1960, Robert landed one of his biggest roles as "Lancelot" in Broadway's "Camelot", opposite Richard Burton and Julie Andrews. This marked the beginning of his successful career on the Great White Way. He went on to receive a Tony Award in 1968 for his role in "Happy Time".
Robert was married twice, first to Louise Longmore, with whom he had a daughter, Nicolette Goulet (aka Nikki),and then to actress and singer Carol Lawrence, with whom he had two sons, Christopher and Michael. His third marriage was to Vera Goulet (aka Vera Novak),a Yugoslavian-born writer, photographer, and artist, in 1982, with Glenn Ford giving the bride away. The couple resides on their yacht, "Rogo", in Los Angeles when not living in their home in Las Vegas.
Throughout his career, Robert performed at the White House for three presidents and even gave a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II. Despite his many accomplishments, Robert's life was not without its challenges. On September 30, 2007, he was hospitalized in Las Vegas, where he was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, a rare and rapidly progressive condition.
As his condition worsened, Robert was transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he awaited an emergency lung transplant. Sadly, Robert passed away on October 30, 2007, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, while awaiting the transplant. He is survived by his wife, Vera Goulet, and three children, sons Christopher and Michael, and daughter Nicolette Goulet, who is the mother of his grandchildren, Jordan Gerard and Solange.
