A year later, Robertson was in Mexico making Love Has Many Faces, when a producer asked him to star in the movie Masquerade. Robertson told him, “This script is not for me. It has every spy cliché ever written. But if you turn it into a parody, I might be interested.” This was before spy parodies were made.

The producer said, “That’s a wild idea. Let’s do it.”

Robertson told the producer, “Instead of using an expensive Hollywood writer, why don’t you meet this guy I know named Bill.”

“What the hell are you doing to me,” Bill asked Robertson on the phone a few days later. The producer called me and offered me the re-write on Masquerade. And I’ve never written a script.”

“Look Bill,” Robertson said, “I know you love film and have the talent, so while I’m filming in Mexico, call me every night and we’ll work on it together.”

The movie was greenlit, and Robertson flew to Spain to star in it.

Robertson said;

“I arrived at the Masquerade location and sitting in a chair that said Writer was Bill, who said, “Hello, sweetheart.” It was William Goldman’s first movie job. He went on to write Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 35 screenplays and winning two Oscars.

Using his own money, Robertson paid Goldman to write the screenplay of Charly. After reading it, Robinson told Goldman, “This is not going to work. We'd better stop."

“But you paid me,” Goldman said.

“That’s okay,” Robertson said.

Robertson said:

"I was in Hollywood and got a call from Goldman who was doing Bullet with Steve McQueen. He said, ‘I know I didn’t do a good job on Charly, but I know how to do it now, and will write it for free.’ I told him, ‘I’m sorry, but I just shook hands with Stirling Silliphant to write it, and I never go against a handshake.’ Goldman said, ‘I understand. He’s a good writer.'"

That’s how Stirling Silliphant ended up writing Charly, which won Cliff Robertson the Best Actor Oscar.   

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