Robert Lansing (actor) reportedly took his acting surname from the state capital of Michigan. As a young actor in New York City, he was hired to join a stock company in Michigan but was told he would first have to join the Actors' Equity Association. Equity would not allow him to join as "Robert Brown" because another actor was using that name. Because the stock company was based in Lansing, this became the actor's new surname. Lansing served two years in the United States Army and was stationed in Osaka, Japan, where he worked at Armed Forces Radio. During his long career, which
Robert Lansing (state senator) John Lansing (1832–1907), the father of U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing (1864–1928). He was a member of the New York State Senate (4th D.) from 1832 to 1835, sitting in the 55th, 56th, 57th and 58th New York State Legislatures. Afterwards he practiced law in partnership with brother-in-law George C. Sherman (1799–1863). On February 2, 1841, Lansing married Cornelia Hubbard, a sister of his first wife. He was again District Attorney of Jefferson County from 1845 to 1846; First Judge of the Jefferson County Court from 1847 to 1851; Supervisor of the Town of Watertown in 1852; and again