Robert David Hall Fights For Equality For Disabled Actors

Robert David Hall (Dr. Al Robbins) has always been an avid advocate for disabled actors, and his pursuit for equal opportunities recently prompted him to put his work on print.

Hall is the chair of SAG's National Performers With Disabilities Committee, and recently wrote the Employment of Performers With Disabilities in the Entertainment Industry report, which revealed that less than 2 percent of characters on television shows display a disability and only .5 percent have speaking parts. The actor hopes the report will shed light into the issue of the disadvantage disabled Americans face in the work place, be it a television studio or an office.

"The [Americans With Disabilities Act] was a quantum leap in the right direction, and SAG has been a tremendous advocate," Hall said at a press conference held yesterday. "But today we have the first real documentation of what performers with disabilities and their advocates have long suspected: We have far to go to achieve true equality of opportunity. Without it, everyone loses -- the performers, the studios, the viewers. The images we see and the stories we tell say a lot about our society. We are part of the story."

Hall is a double amputee who lost his legs due to a car accident in 1978, but that didn't stop him from pursuing an acting career. His CSI persona, Dr. Al Robbins, is also disabled. Hall is pleased with the way the character is written. "It's a jewel of a role," he admitted. "No one mentions [his disability] on the show, and I love that. Being disabled doesn't mean you lack ability."

But Hall wasn't the only one who attended the conference. William Petersen (Gil Grissom), Marg Helgenberger (Catherine Willows), Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle), Wallace Langham (David Hodges) and David Berman (David Phillips) were also there to support their friend. Petersen hopes Hall's work catches the eyes of the higher ups. "I think it has to start at the top," he said.

Meanwhile, Hall continues to advocate strongly for disabled actors and hopes his work is fruitful. "I'm proud to give a face to these issues, but I'm also fully aware that I'm one of the few exceptions," Hall added. "There are far too few performers with disabilities on television today -- far too few good, solid, truly human parts."

To read the whole article, which includes more information on Hall's report, visit the LA Daily News.

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