His father Peter Illes (1920–2002) who spent some 40 years in the printing and stationery business in Los Angeles, was a native of Hungary, emigrating to central California in 1931.
Their performer days ended when their radio show was "canceled" around this time, and they remained behind the scenes writers and producers, with occasional forays in front of the camera, or appearances at KPFK fundraisers.
[2] In 1971, they worked with co-writers Bob Einstein ("Super Dave") and Steve Martin on a short lived syndicated series, Tom Smothers' Organic Primetime Space Ride.
Thereafter, Robert and James wrote for a Lily Tomlin Special, which along with the writing staff that included Lorne Michaels and Herb Sergeant, earned them their first of two Emmy awards (and four nominations).
Producer Aaron Ruben called Bob at the behest of William Morris because he was a fan of KUSC – not of their old college radio show, but of the classical music!
After Silver Spoons, Illes and Stein went on to write and produce The Motown Revue starring Smokey Robinson which was a memorable summer series featuring such well-known guests as Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops, Diana Ross, Mary Wells, Martha Reeves, Boy George, Dean Martin, Linda Ronstadt, Rick Nelson and many others.
In the cast of regular performers were Damita Jo Freeman (Soul Train), Arsenio Hall (the one and only) and Khandi Alexander (CSI:Miami and Treme).
Another short lived series upon which they were creative consultants was a CBS project for Monty Python's Eric Idle, Nearly Departed, and executive produced Amen starring Sherman Hemsley.
Illes and Stein returned briefly to radio on Los Angeles' KIEV (now KRLA) for six months in 1992, with frequent guest appearances by Pat McCormick and Bob "Super Dave" Einstein.
Brooke earned a master's degree in speech; Nathan is a songwriter and much sought after drummer in a number of Los Angeles bands and an ex-champion softball centerfielder and leadoff batter and Angela is a pastry chef.
Robert and Mary Ann divorced in 1982, after which he married actress Barbara Pariot, the voice of Valerie on Josie and the Pussycats and for many years a story editor at Warner Bros.
In extracurricular activities, Robert Illes has been a guest judge at The World Championships of Performing Arts since 2007, and has for many years been an online mentor for the Writers Guild of America West.