Background
Gessner, Robert was born on October 23, 1907 in Escanaba, Michigan, United States. Son of Herman and Anna (Silverman) Gessner.
Gessner, Robert was born on October 23, 1907 in Escanaba, Michigan, United States. Son of Herman and Anna (Silverman) Gessner.
Bachelor of Arts, University of Michigan, 1929. Master of Arts, Columbia, 1930.
Instructor English, New York University, 1930. Screen playwright Warner Brothers, 1933. Assistant professor motion pictures New York University, 1941-1943.
Associate professor department chairman motion pictures New York University 1943-1945, professor since 1945.
Visiting professor, University of Southern California, 1947, Hebrew University, 1949, London University, 1957. Vanderbilt lecturer Smith College, 1961.
Film adviser Lincoln Center, 1962. Cinema Critic Theatre Arts Magazine, 1962.
State Department representative Mexican Film Festival, 1963-1965.
Board directors Motion Picture Foundation for Colleges Universities, Incorporated. Chairman Rosenthal Foundation awards in Cinema, 1962-1964. Chairman jury Cork International Film Festival, Ireland, 1964.
Award New Republic poetry prize, 1934.
Peabody Radio Writing Award, 1944. Ford Foundation traveling fellow Polish, Yugoslavia cinema academics, 1962.
Visiting scholar (Ford Foundation grant) Harvard, 1962-1963. Lecturer IDHEC, Paris, 1963.
Member Society of Cinematologists (founding president 1959-1961, senior councilman 1961-1962. Club: Harvard University Faculty.
Married Doris Lindeman, May 27, 1938. Children: Peter, Stephen.