When Funnyman Steve Guttenberg Turns Dark: What Does the Stars Say About His Sinister Turn in Kidnapped by a Killer?
Added on May 16, 2025 inEntertainment News Cards, TV News Cards
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Most of us have pegged Steve Guttenberg as the king of comedy—right? The lovable guy who’s been cracking us up for decades with that unmistakable charm (and let’s be honest, those dad jokes). Well, buckle up, because this time, Guttenberg’s stepping into some seriously dark shoes. I mean, picture this: the star of Police Academy and Three Men and a Baby playing a serial killer in Lifetime’s upcoming “Ripped from the Headlines” drama, Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story. It’s like the universe flipped the script, and I’m not sure how I feel about it just yet.
Maybe it’s Mercury’s retrograde messing with my head—when the planet of communication takes a step back, you start seeing folks in a whole new light…sometimes a terrifying one. Could that goofy laugh Guttenberg’s famous for be hiding something sinister beneath? The exclusive trailer we’ve got our hands on is genuinely chilling, flipping Guttenberg from warm sitcom dad to downright menacing. And yes, this is the kind of transformation that has you checking twice if you’re still watching the same actor.
So, what happens when a comedic hero becomes a monster on screen? And how does Lifetime continue to mine those jaw-dropping true stories that grip us by the collar and don’t let go? Stick around, I’ve got all the spine-tingling details.
Most of us have always associated the incredibly accomplished thespian, Steve Guttenberg, with his comedic roles.
But we’ll see him in a much darker role in Lifetime‘s upcoming Ripped from the Headlines drama, Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story.
We scored an exclusive first look at this trailer, and it’s positively chill-inducing.
Lifetime is always at the forefront of telling many incredible true crime stories, often inspired by those “Ripped from the Headlines.”
The network has always been phenomenal at bringing stories about women of all walks of life to the screen, with an incredibly talented cast and crew to carry these tales.
Their Ripped from the Headlines slate is one of their crowning achievements, heavy on rotation all year long, often adding gravitas and a personal but dramatic touch to the very stories we may have read about or seen in the news.
In this case, the film will focus on the story of Heather Robinson.
Heather Robinson was a young woman who grew up in a deceptively loving and sweet family in Illinois.
All seemed well for most of her life until she was a teenager.
While Heather knew that her family had adopted her, there was very little she knew and understood about her origins prior to that time.
Everything changes for Heather in 2000, when her world seems to tip on its axis when she is 15 years old.
Do you know how in families there is that seemingly great uncle, but they always seem to have secrets or prove to be an enigma?
Well, sadly, for Heather, she learns that Uncle John (Guttenberg) isn’t just the sweet guy who tells dad jokes and regales her with endearing tales of her youth.
John Robinson is a serial killer.
Her world blows up when accusations are hurled that John Robinson murdered multiple women in Kansas City, and one of those women was Heather’s biological mother.
After an investigator on the case (Jana Kramer) arrests John, Heather must face the shocking truth that Uncle John brutally murdered her biological mother and gave her to his family to take care of and raise.
Her entire life is a lie, and the worst possible kind.
We’re getting to see Guttenberg like never before in this one.
He’s practically unrecognizable as he transforms into this Midwestern, down-to-earth, bespectacled, mustachioed paternal figure who on the surface appears as endearing and normal as ever.
But as the trailer continues and we learn of his crimes, he almost transforms before our eyes into this terrifying figure who is behind some sadistic, heinous acts.
We see glimpses of him with what appears to be a hammer looming over a sleeping form, ready to strike. And we hear that goofy laugh with something sinister creeping in beneath the surface.
He goes from unassuming to a diabolical man who murdered women, kidnapped a child, and gave her to his brother like some twisted souvenir. And he relishes it.
Guttenberg is the clear draw, but the film also has Lifetime heavyweight Jana Kramer (A Welcome Home Christmas). She’s appeared in multiple films on this network and is a staple.
Shrinking’s Rachel Stubington will star as Heather Robinson, and the trailer suggests she will give a strong performance.
Check out the full trailer for Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story below and share your thoughts.
It premieres June 7 at 8/7c on Lifetime, so you don’t want to miss it.
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