Robert Gerard Goulet
November 26, 1933 – October 30, 2007
Robert Goulet took Broadway by storm as Sir Lancelot in Camelot (1960) in which he starred opposite titans Richard Burton and Julie Andrews. He achieved instant recognition with his performance and interpretation of the show-stopping song “If Ever I would Leave You”, which became his signature song. The dark, handsome, blue-eyed newcomer with a resonant stirring baritone voice changed the sound on Broadway and redefined the interpretation of a romantic ballad. His Broadway debut won him “The Theater World” award and launched him internationally on an award-winning stage, screen and recording career, which took him on a remarkable journey.
Robert Gerard Goulet was born on November 26, 1933, in Lawrence, Massachusetts to Joseph and Jeannette Goulet who were of French-Canadian descent. His father worked as a textile mill guard and was a fine amateur singer, which influence young Goulet to begin singing when he was five years old at family gatherings. At one such gathering young Robert’s aunts and uncles blackened his face with a burnt cork, put on his mother’s white gloves, and he entertained everyone with an Al Jolson impersonation. The applause terrified him, and for many years left him with a fear of performing.
At age eleven, returning home from school, two nuns stopped him and told him, “You are going to sing Saturday night at the church function.” Young Robert said, “No, I am not,” and started to leave. One nun grabbed him by the hair and leading him away said, “Yes, you are.” That Saturday night he sang in their church hall. After hearing him sing “Lead Kindly Light” his father came down from the balcony with a tear in his eye, hugged him and said, “I’m proud of you, my son,” instilling in him a glowing feeling, thrilled that he had pleased his father.
A scant few weeks later, his father called him to his deathbed and said, “God gave you a voice, you must sing.” He died that night, but his father’s last words carried weight that left lasting imprints upon young Robert, and he knew then that the stage was to be his life.
After his father’s death, Jeanette Goulet moved with 13-year-old Robert and his sister Claire, to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where Robert spent his most formative years. He attended St. Joseph’s High School and began studying at Herbert G. Turner’s famous voice school in Edmonton and at Jean Letourneau’s music school. His first professional appearance was at age 16 in Handel’s Messiah with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Following a two-year stint as a radio announcer for CKUA. He was awarded a singing scholarship to the Royal Conservatory of Music, University of Toronto, Canada and continued voice training with famed oratorio baritone George Lambert and Ernesto Vinci.
In 1952 He was a semi-finalist on CBC-TV’s “Pick The Stars” which led to other network appearances on shows like “Singing Stars Of Tomorrow” and “Opportunity Knocks”. He took on small roles with the Conservatory Opera Company. In 1954 he made his television debut with a walk-on role in the CBC production of ‘The Consul’. More appearances followed with CBC TV and from 1957 thru 1959 Goulet co-starred as host of the weekly network variety show for CBC-TV, “General Electric’s Showtime”. After appearing in scores of theatrical, radio and television productions, the handsome young man with a stunning showmanship and magnificent rich baritone voice became a very popular young star in Canada.
However, Robert was destined to travel grander paths and his 1960 Broadway debut in Camelot presented him with that opportunity. He became a familiar face on television appearing in numerous variety and dramatic shows. The handsome baritone was constantly featured on the covers of magazines, his natural charm, charisma and a great sense of humor endeared him to the young and to old. Ed Sullivan was one of his most enthusiastic fans and invited “The American Baritone from Canada” to appear seventeen times on his weekly variety show. He performed in concerts worldwide, sang at the White House for several Presidents and Royalty which included Queen Elizabeth in a Royal Command Performances.
He received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1975 and in 2006, forty-six years after leaving Canada he was honored with The Canadian Walk of Fame Star. But his most cherished award was the one he received in 1993 from The Royal Conservatory of Music, University of Toronto, Canada, when they awarded him with their highest honor, a ‘Fellowship’.
A Grammy, Tony and an Emmy winner, he was a legendary artist of striking power, whose vocal talents illuminated every medium of the entertainment world and his illustrious career spun for over six decades. He is considered one of the greatest baritones of our time and was undoubtedly one of the most prominent musical stars to grace the stages worldwide.
In 1982, he married Macedonian born Vera Chochorovska Novak whom he met in London in 1966. He dubbed his marriage to Vera as “The happiest chapter of my life”. Vera was his business manager and ran their companies ROGO & ROVE. Their love and devotion to each other was evident to anyone who met them or knew them. They were a team in their marriage as well as in their business, but most importantly, they were each other’s best friends. They were actively involved with the local community in Las Vegas as well as in many charitable causes worldwide. Since the early sixties Mr. Goulet’s dream was to see a Performing Arts Center built in Las Vegas that would present Musical Theater, plays, ballet and opera. He was a relentless champion and a tireless advocate for the performing arts who never missed an opportunity to deliver his message publicly.
Robert had mastered many challenging roles in a career that spanned for over six decades, but the toughest was that of a real-life role as a survivor of prostate cancer. Diagnosed in 1993 with the disease, he was the first celebrity to go public with his battle against prostate cancer. He played a leading role among our nation’s celebrities in breaking the silence that kept prostate health from getting the attention it deserved. Whenever his busy schedule would permit, he made time to visit communities and make public and television appearances by lending his voice to emphasize the importance of early detection and a healthy lifestyle in order to prevent this silent killer. His goal was to encourage men 40 and older to take control of their health by getting a routine prostate screening, both digital and PSA test. As a keynote speaker his lectures, “A Celebration of Life,” were motivating and inspirational, encouraging men 40 and older to take control of their health by getting a routine prostate screening, both digital and PSA test. His motto was “CHECK IT OUT”. He was also a spokesman for the American Cancer Society and in 2005 The Wellness Community honored him with the “Human Spirit Award”.
In July 2007 during a routine physical checkup he was diagnosed with a form of pulmonary fibrosis. He had no symptoms and continued performing. After a concert performance in NY, he returned home and four days later, on September 30, 2007, he was rushed to St. Rose Hospital in Las Vegas. He was in good spirits, telling doctors before they inserted a breathing tube, “Just watch my vocal cords”.
On October 13 he was transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and was awaiting a lung transplant. For thirty days he put up a paramount fight, but on October 30, 2007, at the age of 73, pulmonary fibrosis silenced the big-voiced baritone.
His wife Vera Goulet was by his bedside constantly during his hospitalization and held his hand until his last breath. As the world mourned his death, on October 31, 2007, the Broadway theater marquees and in cities across North America were dimmed for one minute in honor of his memory. On November 9, 2007, the day of his funeral, Las Vegas honored the late singer and actor in an unprecedented tribute by closing the Las Vegas Strip for his funeral procession. As he took his last ride and final bow on the Las Vegas Strip every Las Vegas hotel-casino featured his name on their marquees saying goodbye to the man who became a legend in his own lifetime.
Vera Goulet is the keeper of the flame continues to keep Robert’s legacy alive. Mr. Goulet was a prolific writer and left many unpublished manuscripts, ranging from poetry, thoughts, short plays and autobiography. Mrs. Goulet is diligently working on various projects including releasing never previously released recordings and publishing his poetry and autobiography.