---
name: "Bobby Z"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/bobby-z"
fi1m_id: "bobby-z"
imdb_id: "nm1577424"
tmdb_id: 1425531
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "9 January 1956"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-10-04T18:41:06.187014+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Bobby Z

## Identity

Bobby Z

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/bobby-z
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** bobby-z
- **IMDb ID:** nm1577424
- **TMDB ID:** 1425531
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1577424/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1425531

Actor. Born 9 January 1956 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 9 January 1956, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- **Also known as:** Robert B. Rivkin, Bobby Rivkin
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1577424/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1425531

## Biography

Bobby Z, also credited as Bobby Rivkin or Robert B. Rivkin, is an American drummer and actor. Born Robert B. Rivkin on 9 January 1956 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he joined Prince's band The Revolution in 1978 and remained until 1986.

He is credited as Bobby in the 1984 film *Purple Rain*, in which he also contributed uncredited drums and percussion. Rivkin has appeared in other Prince-related releases including music videos and live performances. He is the brother of producer and engineer David Z and film editor Stephen E. Rivkin, and is married to Vicki.

*Sources: imdb.com, mprnews.org, thecurrent.org.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Purple Rain* (1984), Fi1m 72, as Bobby — [page](https://film.one/film/purple-rain.md)

## Complete filmography (12)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Prince: 1999 Live In Houston 12-29-82* (2019), Actor
- *Prince: The Hits Collection* (1993), Actor
- *Prince and The Revolution - Parade Live in Stockholm* (1986), Actor
- *Prince and the Revolution: Parade LIVE* (1986), Actor
- *Sheila E.: Live Romance 1600* (1986), Actor
- *Prince and the Revolution: Live* (1985), as Drums
- *Prince and the Revolution: Live at the Omni, Atlanta* (1985), Actor
- *Purple Rain* (1984), as Bobby — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/purple-rain.md)
- *Prince and the Revolution: The Makings Of Rain* (1983), Actor
- *Prince and the Revolution: The Homecoming* (1983), Actor
- *Prince: Capitol Theatre* (1982), Actor
- *Prince - Dirty Mind New York '81* (1981), Actor

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/bobby-z