Background
He was born in San Francisco, California, where he attended George Washington High School, was active in the school"s drama club, and served as student body president
He was born in San Francisco, California, where he attended George Washington High School, was active in the school"s drama club, and served as student body president
His early stage work includes his membership in San Francisco"s Actor"s Workshop, where he played a variety of roles in the early 1960s, including Mick in Harold Pinter"s The Caretaker. He was in the 1978 hit horror movie Halloween as Doctor Terence Wynn. His character returned in the 1995 sequel Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, but the role was taken over by Mitch Ryan.
Robert also appeared in the other hit John Carpenter movie Starman in 1984.
His most recent film was the 1990 movie Impulse. Phalen has made guest appearances on many television shows.
Some of those appearances range from Mid-Atlantic Animal Specialty Hospital, Baretta, Hill Street Blues, The Facts of Life, and Babylon 5 (as the father of main character Susan Ivanova).