Oscar-winner Cliff Robertson passes away, aged 88

Oscar-winning US actor Cliff Robertson, who rocketed to fame after playing slain US President John F. Kennedy, died on Saturday at the age of 88, The Los Angeles Times reported.

The newspaper said Mr Robertson passed away of natural causes at Stony Brook University Medical Centre on Long Island, New York.

In the course of his career, Mr Robertson appeared in some 60 film, including PT 109, My Six Loves, Sunday in New York, The Best Man, The Devil’s Brigade, Three Days Of The Condor, Ob-session and Star 80.

But it was PT 109, where he starred as a young John F. Ken-nedy who commanded a torpedo boat in the Pacific World War II theatre, that brought him success and universal recognition.

Mr Robertson won an Academy Award in 1968 for his portrayal of a mentally-disabled janitor in the movie Charly.

More recently, he played Uncle Ben Parker in the Spider-Man films.

Mr Robertson was married twice and twice divorced. He had two daughters from these marriages.