# Ann Robinson

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American actress and stunt horse rider (1929–2025)

For other people named Ann Robinson, see [Ann Robinson (disambiguation)](/source/Ann_Robinson_(disambiguation)).

Ann Robinson Robinson in 1955 Born (1929-05-25)May 25, 1929 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Died September 26, 2025(2025-09-26) (aged 96) Los Angeles, California, U.S. Occupation Actress Years active 1949–2005; 2018–2020 Spouses Jaime Bravo ​ ​ (m. 1957; div. 1967)​ Joseph Valdez ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 2017)​ Children 2

**Ann Robinson** (May 25, 1929 – September 26, 2025) was an American actress and stunt horse rider. She had a leading role in the science-fiction classic *[The War of the Worlds](/source/The_War_of_the_Worlds_(1953_film))*, and starred in the 1954 film *[Dragnet](/source/Dragnet_(1954_American_film))* as a Los Angeles police officer.

## Early life

Robinson was born on May 25, 1929,[1][2] and attended [Hollywood High School](/source/Hollywood_High_School). Her father was employed by the Bank of Hollywood, at the corner of [Hollywood and Vine](/source/Hollywood_and_Vine). He taught her how to ride horses, beginning when she was only three. Robinson became an accomplished rider, which led to her first professional work in Hollywood as a [stunt rider](/source/Stunt_rider) in film *[Frenchie](/source/Frenchie_(film))* with [Shelley Winters](/source/Shelley_Winters).[3]

## Acting career

After doubling for Winters in *Frenchie*, Robinson starred and rode in several [Westerns](/source/Western_(genre)) during her career, including *[The Cimarron Kid](/source/The_Cimarron_Kid)* (1951) with [Audie Murphy](/source/Audie_Murphy), *[Gun Brothers](/source/Gun_Brothers)* (1956), and *[Gun Duel in Durango](/source/Gun_Duel_in_Durango)* (1957).[3]

[Paramount Pictures](/source/Paramount_Pictures) signed Robinson as an actress in the early 1950s. Her first leading role was as Sylvia Van Buren in *[The War of the Worlds](/source/The_War_of_the_Worlds_(1953_film))* (1953) co-starring with [Gene Barry](/source/Gene_Barry),[4] a role she somewhat reprised in two later films, first as Dr. Van Buren in *Midnight Movie Massacre* (1988) and then as Dr. Sylvia Van Buren in *[The Naked Monster](/source/The_Naked_Monster)* (2005). She also reprised the role in three episodes of the television series *[War of the Worlds](/source/War_of_the_Worlds_(1988_TV_series))* (1988).

Robinson worked on several other films, including *[Imitation of Life](/source/Imitation_of_Life_(1959_film))* (1959) and the [Doris Day](/source/Doris_Day) thriller *[Julie](/source/Julie_(1956_film))* (1956). She also had a starring role opposite Jack Webb and Ben Alexander in *[Dragnet](/source/Dragnet_(1954_film))* (1954), a feature-film version of the hit television series. From 1955 to 1959, Robinson was cast in 10 episodes of the [NBC](/source/NBC) children's Western television series *[Fury](/source/Fury_(American_TV_series))* as Helen Watkins, the teacher of series character Joey Clark Newton ([Bobby Diamond](/source/Bobby_Diamond)) and romantic interest of his adopted father, Jim Newton ([Peter Graves](/source/Peter_Graves)).

Robinson's other television roles were on *[Adam-12](/source/Adam-12)*, *[Alfred Hitchcock Presents](/source/Alfred_Hitchcock_Presents)*, *[Bachelor Father](/source/Bachelor_Father_(U.S._TV_series))*, *[Ben Casey](/source/Ben_Casey)*, *[Biff Baker, U.S.A.](/source/Biff_Baker%2C_U.S.A.)*, *[The Bob Cummings Show](/source/The_Bob_Cummings_Show)*, *[The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show](/source/The_George_Burns_and_Gracie_Allen_Show)*, *[Days of Our Lives](/source/Days_of_Our_Lives)*, *[Four Star Playhouse](/source/Four_Star_Playhouse)*, *[General Hospital](/source/General_Hospital)*, *[Gilligan's Island](/source/Gilligan's_Island)*, *[It's a Great Life](/source/It's_a_Great_Life_(TV_series))*, *[The Millionaire](/source/The_Millionaire_(TV_series))*, *[My Little Margie](/source/My_Little_Margie)*, *[Perry Mason](/source/Perry_Mason_(1957_TV_series))*, *[Peter Gunn](/source/Peter_Gunn)*, *[Police Woman](/source/Police_Woman_(TV_series))*, *[Rawhide](/source/Rawhide_(TV_series))*, *[Rocky Jones Space Ranger](/source/Rocky_Jones_Space_Ranger)*, [Rory Calhoun](/source/Rory_Calhoun)'s *[The Texan](/source/The_Texan_(TV_series))*, *Waterfront*, and *[The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp](/source/The_Life_and_Legend_of_Wyatt_Earp)*.[3] In 1955, she appeared as Joan Carter on the TV Western *[Cheyenne](/source/Cheyenne_(TV_series))* in the premiere episode titled "Mountain Fortress".[5]

She was featured in several commercials for [Home Savings of America](/source/Home_Savings_of_America), Toni home [perms](/source/Perm_(hairstyle)), and [Chesterfield Cigarettes](/source/Chesterfield_Cigarettes). She performed a number of film voice-overs, also, in English and Spanish. She did the leading actress' voice in *[To Begin Again](/source/To_Begin_Again)*, which won the 1984 Oscar for best foreign film. She also did loops for the [Bruce Lee](/source/Bruce_Lee) series *[The Dead Are Alive](/source/The_Dead_Are_Alive)*, *[Tough Guys](/source/Tough_Guys)*, and *Survive*.

In 1985, Robinson appeared in a documentary about George Pal titled *[The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal](/source/The_Fantasy_Film_Worlds_of_George_Pal)* (produced and directed by [Arnold Leibovit](/source/Arnold_Leibovit)).[6] In 1988, Ann Robinson reprised her role as Sylvia van Buren from the original *The War of the Worlds* film for the *[War of the Worlds](/source/War_of_the_Worlds_(1988_TV_series))* television series.[7] In the 2005 [Steven Spielberg](/source/Steven_Spielberg) film, *[War of the Worlds](/source/War_of_the_Worlds_(2005_film))*, she played a cameo role as [Tom Cruise](/source/Tom_Cruise)'s character's mother-in-law, the grandmother of [Dakota Fanning](/source/Dakota_Fanning)'s character, alongside her long-ago co-star Gene Barry.[3]

## Personal life and death

In 1957, Robinson eloped to Mexico to marry [matador](/source/Matador) [Jaime Bravo](/source/Jaime_Bravo), with whom she had two sons – Jaime A. Bravo, Jr. (TV director for [ABC Sports](/source/ABC_Sports) and [ESPN](/source/ESPN)) and Estefan A. Bravo (actor, seen in *White Trash Wins Lotto*, a musical by [Andy Prieboy](/source/Andy_Prieboy)). While residing in Mexico, Robinson played minor Hollywood roles, mainly in science-fiction films. The couple divorced in 1967.[3] On February 2, 1970, Bravo was killed in an automobile accident on the way to a bullfight.[3] In 1987, Robinson married [real estate broker](/source/Real_estate_broker) and [business manager](/source/Business_manager) Joseph Valdez in California, where they took up residence in the [Echo Park](/source/Echo_Park%2C_Los_Angeles) area of Los Angeles.[8]

Robinson died at her home in Los Angeles, on September 26, 2025, at the age of 96. Her death was not announced publicly until May 2026.[9]

- [Biography portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography)
- [California portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:California)
- [Radio portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Radio)
- [Film portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Film)
- [Television portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Television)

## Selected filmography

- *[The War of the Worlds](/source/The_War_of_the_Worlds_(1953_film))* (1953)

- *[Cheyenne](/source/Cheyenne_(TV_series))* (1955) (season 1, episode 1: "Mountain Fortress") as Joan Carter

- *[Gun Duel in Durango](/source/Gun_Duel_in_Durango)* (1957)

- *[Imitation of Life](/source/Imitation_of_Life_(1959_film))* (1959)

- *[Rawhide](/source/Rawhide_(TV_series))* (1960) (season 3, episode 2: "Incident of the Challenge") as Julia Garcia

- *[Alfred Hitchcock Presents](/source/Alfred_Hitchcock_Presents)* (1961) (season 6, episode 38: "Ambition") as Helen Cox

- *[War of the Worlds](/source/War_of_the_Worlds_(2005_film))* (2005)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Gene Scott Freese (2014). [*Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s–1970s: A Biographical Dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=10dXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA239) (Second ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 239. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0786476435](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0786476435). Retrieved September 1, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** John L. Flynn (2005). [*War of the Worlds: From Wells to Spielberg*](https://books.google.com/books?id=T0aCSs1-23sC&pg=PA64). Galactic Books. p. 64. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780976940005](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780976940005).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ARBio_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ARBio_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ARBio_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ARBio_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-ARBio_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-ARBio_3-5) ["About Ann Robinson"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110707145012/http://www.annrobinson.com/aboutann.html). Archived from [the original](https://www.annrobinson.com/aboutann.html) on July 7, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-lat_4-0)** King, Susan (June 27, 2005). ["A 'War' veteran's reenlistment"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jun-27-et-weekahead27-story.html). *The Los Angeles Times*. California, Los Angeles. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180620014750/http://articles.latimes.com/2005/jun/27/entertainment/et-weekahead27) from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Cheyenne – "Mountain Fortress" – Season One – 9/20/55"](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/mountain-fortress-season-one-9-20-55-cheyenne-smitty-and-news-photo/93405749). *[Getty Images](/source/Getty_Images)*. Retrieved July 28, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Melvin E. Matthews (2007). [*1950s Science Fiction Films and 9/11: Hostile Aliens, Hollywood, and Today's News*](https://books.google.com/books?id=2du2fVYT8ewC&dq=%22the+fantasy+film+worlds+of+george+pal%22+%22ann+robinson%22&pg=PA26). Algora. p. 26. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-87586-499-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-87586-499-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Bensoua, Joe (February 16, 1989). ["Aliens still chasing her after 35 years"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-pilot/197776929/). *News-Pilot*. Retrieved May 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Echo Park residents scope out proposed Barlow Hospital development"](https://theeastsiderlacitizen.blogspot.com/2009/echo-park-residents-scope-out-proposed.html). September 8, 2009. Retrieved June 24, 2011.[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Barnes, Mike (May 17, 2026). ["Ann Robinson, Star of 'The War of the Worlds', Dies at 96"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ann-robinson-dead-war-of-the-worlds-1236598147/). *[The Hollywood Reporter](/source/The_Hollywood_Reporter)*. Retrieved May 17, 2026.

## External links

- [Ann Robinson](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0732378/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [Ann Robinson](https://web.archive.org/web/1/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/163138%7C13419/wp) at the [TCM Movie Database](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies#TCMdb) (archived)

- [Ann Robinson](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/13419-Ann-Robinson) at the *[American Film Institute Catalog](/source/AFI_Catalog_of_Feature_Films)*

- [Ann Robinson interview](https://www.thespectrum.com/story/entertainment/2016/08/10/ann-robinson-after-battling-martians-pacemaker-fire/88421072/), thespectrum.com; accessed August 10, 2016.

- [Facebook site (official)](https://www.facebook.com/ann.robinson.773981)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF 2 National United States France BnF data People Deutsche Synchronkartei Other IdRef Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ann Robinson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Robinson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Robinson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.