Robert Atkins CBE (10 August 1886 – 9 February 1972) was an English actor, producer and director.^[1]

Born in Dulwich, London, England, to Annie Evans and Robert Atkins sr. He had a brother named Lawrence. Atkins was most famous for his association with the theatre.^[2] An early graduate of Beerbohm Tree's Academy of Dramatic Art, he joined the Old Vic company in 1915, and became Director of Productions for Lilian Baylis from 1921 to 1926.^[2][3][4] He also appeared many times on film and in television, though not with the success of his theatre career.

His first film was a 1913 production of Hamlet, as the First Player, with Johnston Forbes-Robertson in the title role.^[5] Atkins went on to appear in several other film and television roles over the next 50 years with the most famous production possibly being A Matter of Life and Death.^[6] He also produced and/or directed several adaptations of William Shakespeare plays during the '40s and '50s for British TV.^[7][8]

He was director of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford, and along with Sydney Carroll, also founded Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.^[4][9][10]

Robert Atkins was married twice: to Mary Sumner whom he divorced, and to Ethel Davey, a film editor. He died in London, England in 1972.^[2]