Robert Joseph Gilliam: The Man Behind a Sad Hollywood Story

Robert Joseph Gilliam became known to the public because he was married to Lisa Robin Kelly, the actress who played Laurie Forman on That ’70s Show. His story is short, sad, and often confused with other people who have the same name.

This article explains what is known about him — his life with Lisa, their troubles, and what happened after her death — using simple facts and clear language.

1. Quick Facts

2. Early Life

There is very little public information about Robert Gilliam before 2012.
He was not a celebrity, and no details about his childhood, education, or job have been shared in the news.

However, it’s important to know that there are many people with the same name, which has caused a lot of confusion online.

Some examples include:

• A Robert J. Gilliam from Florida who died in 2010 (born 1940).

• A Robert J. Gilliam from Kentucky who died in the 1990s.

• A Robert Gilliam listed on IMDb as a writer in the 1980s (probably not the same person).

These men are different individuals, not Lisa Robin Kelly’s husband.

3. Relationship with Lisa Robin Kelly

Lisa Robin Kelly was a talented actress who struggled with addiction and personal problems for many years. She met Robert Joseph Gilliam around 2010, when she was trying to get her life back on track.

Important Details

• Meeting: Around 2010.

• Age gap: About 19 years.

• Marriage: October 2012.

• Location: North Carolina.

• Relationship: Reported as loving at first but became troubled later.

The couple hoped to start fresh, but their marriage soon faced serious problems.

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4. The 2012 Arrest

Just one month after they got married, things went very wrong.

Local news station WCTI-12 first reported the arrest, and soon it was shared by national outlets.

Photos of the arrest spread online, turning a private argument into a public scandal.

For Lisa, this was another painful moment in her fight with addiction. For Robert, it was his first and only time in national news.

5. Divorce and Restraining Order

By the middle of 2013, the marriage had fallen apart.

Lisa filed for divorce and also asked for a restraining order, saying she wanted to end contact with Robert.

According to reports, Robert was put on probation and told to attend a program after the case, though official court documents are not available online.

6. Lisa Robin Kelly’s Death

On August 14, 2013, Lisa Robin Kelly died in her sleep while staying at a rehab center in Altadena, California.

She was 43 years old.
The coroner said her death was accidental, caused by taking multiple drugs.

Although they were separated, Robert was still legally her husband at the time. He later said that her death was preventable and blamed the rehab center for not taking good care of her.

7. The 2014 Lawsuit

In 2014, Robert Gilliam filed a lawsuit against Pax House, the rehab center where Lisa died.

What He Claimed

• The staff did not watch or check on her properly.

• The center failed to provide medical help when needed.

• Their carelessness caused her death.

The case was reported by The Hollywood Reporter and other entertainment news outlets. However, the result of the case is not known — it may have been settled privately or dismissed.

8. Disappearing from Public View

After the lawsuit, Robert Joseph Gilliam disappeared from the public eye. He gave no more interviews and has not been seen in the media since. There are no confirmed social media accounts or public records of what happened to him afterward. It’s possible that he returned to private life or changed his name to avoid attention.

9. Common Confusion About His Identity

Many websites still confuse different people with the same name. Here’s a simple table to clear that up:

Because of these name overlaps, it’s easy for readers to mix up the facts. Many entertainment blogs made this mistake in early reports.

10. What the Media Reported

When Robert Gilliam’s name appeared in the news, it was usually because of his connection to Lisa.
He was often shown as part of her troubles, not as a person with his own story.

Types of News Coverage

1. Local News (WCTI-12): Focused on the arrest and police report.

2. National Entertainment News: Talked about Lisa’s addiction and her troubled marriage.

3. Celebrity Websites (AmoMama, Inquisitr): Shared emotional stories, often mixing facts and opinions.

4. Wikipedia: Briefly mentioned him in Lisa Robin Kelly’s biography.

5. IMDb News: Reposted updates about the lawsuit.

Very few outlets tried to interview or research Robert directly. As a result, his public image was mostly shaped by other people’s words.

11. Timeline of Key Events

12. Lessons from Their Story

Their story shows how personal struggles can grow worse under public attention. It also reminds us how the internet can easily spread wrong information.

Key Points

• Addiction is serious. Both Lisa and Robert were dealing with personal problems that became worse under stress.

• Fame can be painful. Being married to a celebrity brought unwanted media attention to Robert.

• Privacy matters. Even after the events ended, Robert’s name stayed in public search results.

• Verify information. Many sites mix up different people with the same name.

13. Simple Summary

• Robert Joseph Gilliam was the husband of actress Lisa Robin Kelly.

• They married in October 2012 and were arrested one month later after a fight.

• Lisa filed for divorce in 2013.

• She died in August 2013 while in a rehab center.

• Robert filed a lawsuit in 2014, saying the center was responsible.

• After that, he disappeared from public life.

• Many websites confuse him with other people who share his name.

14. Reflection

Robert Joseph Gilliam’s story is not one of fame or success. It is a story about how private problems became public and how tragedy followed two people who were both struggling. He was not a celebrity or a well-known figure. Yet, because of his short marriage to Lisa Robin Kelly, his name remains tied to one of television’s saddest off-screen stories. Even now, more than ten years later, many questions remain — where he is, what happened to him after the lawsuit, and how he remembers those years.

15. FAQS

1. Who was Lisa Robin Kelly’s husband?

Lisa Robin Kelly’s husband was Robert Joseph Gilliam. They married in October 2012 in North Carolina.

2. What happened to Lisa Robin Kelly?

Lisa Robin Kelly died on August 14, 2013, while staying at a rehab center in Altadena, California. The cause of death was accidental multiple drug intoxication, according to the coroner.

3. Who were Robert Joseph Gilliam’s family members?

Public information about Robert Joseph Gilliam’s family is not available. News reports only mention his marriage to Lisa Robin Kelly; no records of parents, children, or other relatives have been shared publicly.

4. Who was Robert Gilliam married to?

Robert Joseph Gilliam was married to actress Lisa Robin Kelly, best known for her role in That ’70s Show. Their marriage lasted less than a year before Kelly filed for divorce in 2013.

16. Final Thoughts

In the end, the story of Robert Joseph Gilliam teaches us simple but important lessons:

• People in the public eye deserve compassion, not judgment.

• The internet should be careful not to mix up facts about different people.

• Behind every headline, there are real people dealing with pain, loss, and regret.

Though his life has faded from view, Robert Joseph Gilliam’s brief time in the spotlight continues to remind us that fame and tragedy often walk side by side.