Robin Riker

A third-generation actress on both sides of her family, Robin was born in a trunk. Actually, she was almost born in a taxi on the Brooklyn Bridge, but traffic was good that day, so she made her actual debut at Beth-Israel hospital in New York City. Her parents, both professional actors, owned and ran legit theaters, in Aspen, Atlanta, and Syracuse, and had a very practical philosophy: "If you have children, use them." Consequently, Robin grew up on stage, backstage, in the box office, and selling cookies in the lobby. Classically trained since age two, including several years with the prestigious Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Robin has since divided her time among stage, film, and television. Even after starring in countless TV series and films, the stage remains Robin's favorite version of soul food. Her television work includes starring roles as a regular in six series: "The Gregory Hines Show" (CBS), "Thunder Alley" with Edward Asner (ABC), the groundbreaking SHOWTIME series "Brothers" (two Ace Award nominations for Best Actress in a comedy), and two series for FOX including the cult-classic comedy "Get A Life", in which she played Chris Elliott's nemesis. One particular episode, in which Chris and Robin play rival stars in a community-theatre production, was named by TV Guide as "One of the fifty funniest TV moments of all time." Robin has had recurring roles in several popular series including "Reba", "Hung", and "Boston Legal" as well as guest-starring roles on dozens of shows; playing Hector Elizondo's ex-wife on Tim Allen's "Last Man Standing", "Bones", "Switched at Birth", "Anger Management" with Charlie Sheen, "NCIS", and "Justified", to name but a few. TV movies include "This Magic Moment", "Holly's Holiday", and the mini-series "Gone But Not Forgotten" opposite Brooke Shields. The Indie film "The Wedding Party" will soon be making the festival-circuit rounds, and the John Sayles cult classic "Alligator", in which Robin stars opposite Robert Forster, is having a "behind the scenes" DVD release in the near future. Her stage credits include "All My Sons" with Neil Patrick Harris at The Geffen Playhouse, (Ovation nomination for Best Supporting Actress), George Furth's play, "Sex, Sex, Sex, Sex, and Sex" at the Matrix (LA Weekly nomination for Best Supporting Actress), "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" at The Blank Theatre (Ovation nomination for Best Actress) "Pied-a-Terre" (Off-Broadway), "Welcome to the Woods" (Off-Broadway and part of the New York 400 Festival), Bernard Slade's "I Remember You" with Tony Danza at Garry Marshall's Falcon Theatre, and "The Kiss at City Hall" at the Pasadena Playhouse, "Cannibals" at the Zephyr Theatre, and productions of "Ladies Room" in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Her book, "A Survivors' Guide to Hollywood: How to Play the Game Without Losing Your Soul", was released in 2013 and is available at Samuel French, Skylight Bookstore, and worldwide via Amazon and Barnes & Noble.