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 Richard Lathrop Robbins
June 01, 2004
Richard Lathrop Robbins, 82, of 20 Reservoir Road, a well-known actor and puppeteer, died Tuesday, June 1, at his home.
He had lived in Richmond since 1968, and formerly lived in New York City.
Mr. Robbins founded the Robbins-Zust Family Marionettes in April 1971, and in the past 30 years hand-crafted hundreds of marionettes and hand puppets. This summer, the Marionettes will be in their 33rd season at the Guthrie Center. They have performed in New York and throughout the Berkshires.
In 1964, Robbins attempted to establish a summer Penhryn Drama School in Richmond. That year, he took Joseph Papp's New York Festival on a tour of the five boroughs of New York as director of Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream" for a 58-performance season.
He was the production manager and technical director of the festival from 1958 to 1968. Robbins toured all 48 states with the group, presenting Shakespeare's plays, a Peter Pan production and "The Fantastiks," among others. He also had worked as a production coordinator with the Festival Theater in Central Park.
When he arrived in the Berkshires in 1968, he was production manager of the Berkshire Regional Educational Theater, a federally funded enrichment program for local schools.
He then got a teaching job as recreational drama coach at Berkshire Farm for Boys in Canaan, N.Y., a residential treatment center for adolescents, where he began working with marionettes. His fascination with the marionettes grew, and the marionettes became central to his life and his wife's, Genie Zust.
Born in Iron Mountain, Mich., on April 11, 1922, the son of Richard and P. May Jenkins Robbins, he was a graduate of Eau Claire (Wis.) High School and of the University of Chicago Goodman Theatre Institute.
Mr. Robbins was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Pittsfield He also was a member of the Actors Equity Association.
He married Genie Zust, who retained her maiden name, on May 1, 1960, at All Souls' Church in New York City.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Robbins is survived by a son, Dion C. Robbins-Zust of Richmond; three daughters, Diana Rosselli of New Mexico, Maia M. Robbins-Zust of Richmond and Thea A. Robbins-Zust of New Lebanon, N.Y., and five grandchildren.
FUNERAL NOTICE -- A memorial celebration of the life of Richard Lathrop Robbins, who died June 1, will be held this fall at the family home in Richmond. There are no calling hours.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Mr. Robbins may be made to the theater of one's choice. The DERY FUNERAL HOME is in charge of arrangements. Among his five grandchildren, Mr. Robbins is survived by his grandson, Milo R. Robbins-Zust.
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