Education
In the late 1960s, Charlie attended, and was enrolled in, Studio 7, an acting school operated by Chris Wilson at the Houston Music Theatre.
In the late 1960s, Charlie attended, and was enrolled in, Studio 7, an acting school operated by Chris Wilson at the Houston Music Theatre.
He is best known for his role on the National Broadcasting Company sitcom Night Court as Macintosh "Mac" Robinson (Seasons 2–9), a Vietnam War veteran. He stayed with Chris when the school was moved to another location in Southwest Houston where mainly children"s theatre was presented. Charlie was cast in a made for television production and soon moved to the Hollywood area where his career took official
Robinson"s credits include appearances in Black Gestapo, The White Shadow, Flamingo Road, The Fresh Prince of Belorussian Air, "The Game, "Touched by an Angel, and Antwone Fisher.
Robinson was cast in the role on Newdell in the National Broadcasting Company comedy Buffalo Bill. Not the hit it was expected to be, Buffalo Bill was canceled after one season and replaced by Night Court.
Robinson was cast as court clerk Mac Robinson, after the first season in 1984, when Karen Austin, who played the original court clerk, left the cast. Robinson played the role on Night Court from 1984 until its end in 1992.
He also directed three episodes of the series.
From 1992 to 1995, Robinson co-starred on the sitcom Love & War, replacing John Hancock who died a few episodes into the series run. He has done commercial work for NEXTEL. He was asking a worker if he"s "agitating my dots" after he walks in on two other dispatchers staring at the dots, which represented delivery workers, on a computer screen. In 2010, Robinson worked at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and co-starred in the film on Jackson (2008) which was directed by J.F. Lawton.
Robinson appeared as "Troy" in August Wilson"s Fences at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California from January 22, 2010 until February 21, 2010.
Robinson has been performing since the 1960s, is a member of the Actors Studio, and is considered by playwright Lyle Kessler to be "one of the great American Actors." In his early career, he was a singer. As a teenager with the group Archie Bell and the Drells, and later with a group called Southern Clouds of Joy.