- Was the favourite actor of British comedy legend Peter Sellers, who once said about Robert Donat: "I thought he was a god".
- Was the favourite actor of Judy Garland, who wrote a fan letter to him after seeing his performance in The Count of Monte Cristo (1934).
- He was originally scheduled to play the title role in Captain Blood (1935) but withdrew before shooting began, which created an opportunity for Errol Flynn to become a star. He was also offered the role of Robin Hood in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) which he turned down due to illness.
- He said that his favourite actors were Charles Chaplin, Paul Muni, Spencer Tracy, Greta Garbo and Deanna Durbin.
- His last words on screen are: "We shall not see each other again, I think". "Farewell, Jen-Ai". (Spoken to Ingrid Bergman's character Jen-Ai ("the one who loves people") in The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)). He passed away shortly after filming was completed.
- He did not feel comfortable with Hollywood, so Hollywood came to him, filming mostly in England.
- When he passed away on June 9, 1958, he left none of his $70,000 estate to wife, Renee Asherson. Instead, his estate was divided among his three children, Joanna, John and Brian.
- He played Charles Edward "Mr. Chips" Chipping between the ages of 20 (in 1870) and 83 (in 1933) in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939). Donat was 34 years old when he played this role.
- He was considered for Laurence Olivier's roles in Wuthering Heights (1939), Pride and Prejudice (1940) and Rebecca (1940).
- He lobbied for the role of the Chorus in Laurence Olivier's Henry V (1944), but Leslie Banks was cast instead.
- During theatre performances, the actor's asthma sometimes required the use of a mobile oxygen unit. This was kept somewhere in the wings, as and when Robert Donat required this.
- He was English born of Polish descent, and several of his brothers emigrated to Canada.
- Had appeared in three films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), The Citadel (1938) and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939).
- He was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6420 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
- For the last several years of his career, Robert Donat concentrated on the theatre more than motion pictures.
- He campaigned to be cast against type as Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist (1948), but Robert Newton was cast instead.
- Deliberately avoided becoming a mainstream success in Hollywood and detested being referred to as a "star".
- A memorial service was held for him at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London on 10 July 1958.
- Following his sudden death, he was cremated in Marylebone and his ashes were interred at East Finchley Cemetery in the London Borough of Barnet.
- Is an actor admired by Frank Langella.
- Father of one daughter, Joanna Donat (born 1931) and two sons, John Donat (born 1933) and Brian Donat (born 1936) with his first wife, Ella Hall.
- A blue plaque commemorates his life at 8 Meadway in Hampstead Garden Suburb.
- His first wife Ella was remarried in 1956, becoming Ella Hall. She passed away in West Sussex in the summer of 1994, aged 91.
- Robert Donat turned down the part of French and was replaced by Robert Newton.
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