Attended and graduated from the University of Washington's School of Journalism (1954).
In March 2018, Turner Classic Movies announced the establishment of the Robert Osborne Award, to be presented at the annual TCM Classic Film Festival "to an individual whose work has helped keep the cultural heritage of classic films alive and thriving for generations to come." The inaugural recipient was film director Martin Scorsese.
Following his death, his remains were donated to Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) for medical science. He passed away on March 5, 2017, two months away from what would have been his 85th birthday on May 3.