Rex Robbins, right, and the Southern Colonel
Rex Robbins (1935-2003) was an American character actor who appeared with the Southern Colonel on The Ed Sullivan Show broadcast of March 30, 1969. In the "A Change of Face" sketch, Robbins, portraying a doctor, re-arranges the Colonel's features, altering his personality.
Robbins' movie credits included the film version of 1776 (as Roger Sherman), Shaft (as Rollie), The Associate (with Whoopi Goldberg), Vampire's Kiss (with Maria Conchita Alonso), and 2001's The Royal Tennebaums (as Mr. Levinson, his final film role). Television work included guest spots on Ed, Murder, She Wrote, and Law & Order. He was most active on stage, however, where he originated the role of Dr. Spivey in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest on Broadway, performed in Shakespeare's histories such as Henry IV (both parts) and King Richard III, played Herbie the agent opposite Angela Lansbury in the 1974 revival of Gypsy, and was a standby during the original run of Noises Off.