Robert Newman earned legions of fans with his winning portrayal of Joshua Lewis on Guiding Light. The ever-popular actor, who first appeared on the CBS daytime drama in 1981, played a character that had seen great joy and tragedy in his life with his soul mate, Reva Shayne, played by Kim Zimmer. In 2002 and 2006, Newman received Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Sadly, Guiding Light left the airwaves in September of 2009 after 15,672 episodes, of which Newman appeared in roughly 3,000.
Newman attended Birmingham High School in California, and then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater from California State University at Northridge. His theatrical training also includes the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco as well as the Lee Strasberg Institute in Los Angeles.
Newman has worked extensively in the theater world, playing leading roles in the musicals The Robber Bridegroom, Guys and Dolls, Bye Bye Birdie, and The Fantasticks, as well as roles in such diverse plays as Veronica's Room, Titus Andronicus, The Owl and the Pussycat, Medea and The Rainmaker. He was seen off-Broadway at the Orpheum Theater in Quiet on the Set and in Betty the Yeti at Stamford Theatreworks in Stamford, CT. In addition, Newman and his wife, actress Britt Newman, (ex-Lily Slater, Loving,) have performed opposite each other in a number of plays, including Picnic, Barefoot in the Park, Romantic Comedy, Sylvia, (which Robert also directed), and The Glass Menagerie.
Recent work on stage includes the off-Broadway play, She's of a Certain Age with Drena De Niro at the Beckett Theater in NYC, Herbie opposite Tovah Feldshuh in Gypsy at BRT, Lt. Frank Cioffi in Curtains with GL costar Kim Zimmer at Paper Mill Playhouse and TUTS, Warbucks in Annie at NCT, and Don Quixote in Man of LaMancha at The Barn Theatre. Other recent theater credits include a six month run as Dr. Peter Peterson in Sessions, the Musical at the Algonquin in NY, Guido Contini in NINE at North Shore Music Theater, Carl Magnus in A Little Night Music and Harold in The Full Monty at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, and Charlie Anderson in Shenandoah at The Barn.
Newman originated the role of Josh on Guiding Light in October 1981, left the series in mid-1983, then returned to the role in October 1986. In the interim, he was seen in short-term roles on General Hospital and Santa Barbara. During that time he also played the recurring role of Dr. Alex Turnan in the cop show, Hunter, and was featured in the pilot Destination America, both for Stephen Cannell Productions. Newman left Guiding Light again in 1991, only to return for a third time in August 1993 after starring in the ABC civil war epic Class of '61 for Steven Spielberg's Amblin Productions.
Newman attended Birmingham High School in California, and then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater from California State University at Northridge. His theatrical training also includes the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco as well as the Lee Strasberg Institute in Los Angeles.
Newman and his wife were married in September 1986. They have a son, Connor, and a daughter, Kendal. The brown-haired, blue-eyed actor enjoys golf, snow skiing, tennis and squash. He was born in Los Angeles, CA, and is one of seven children. His birth date is June 27.
