Robert Dahdah

Stage director, writer, and film bit player Robert Dahdah was born to Lebanese parents on March 8, 1926 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Dahdah moved as a child with his family to New York City and lived in Washington Heights. Robert served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Dahdah was the head of the Empathy Group in 1953 and directed plays at Washington Square Theater before becoming one of the key pioneering figures of the Off-Off Broadway theater movement at Caffe Cino in the 1960's. Among the notable plays that Robert directed are the smash hit "Dames at Sea," "The Bed," "Curley McDimple," "Clara Bow Loves Gary Cooper," and "Alias Jimmy Valentine." Moreover, Dahdah also appeared in a handful of movies in uncredited bit roles. He died at age 89 on February 6, 2016 at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx.