▁Additionally , ▁Hook s ▁is ▁the ▁sole ▁founder ▁of ▁two ▁significant ▁black ▁theatre ▁companies : ▁the ▁D . C . ▁Black ▁Re pert ory ▁Company , ▁and ▁New ▁York ' s ▁Group ▁Theatre ▁Work shop . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁The ▁young est ▁of ▁five ▁children , ▁Hook s ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁F og gy ▁B ottom , ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁to ▁Ma e ▁Ber tha ▁( née ▁Ward ), ▁a ▁se am str ess , ▁and ▁Edward ▁Hook s ▁who ▁had ▁moved ▁from ▁Rock y ▁Mount , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁with ▁their ▁four ▁other ▁children , ▁Bern ice , ▁Car ole igh , ▁Charles ▁Edward ▁" Char lie ", ▁and ▁James ▁Walter ▁" J im my ". ▁N amed ▁Bobby ▁Dean ▁Hook s ▁at ▁birth , ▁Robert ▁was ▁their ▁first ▁child ▁born ▁" up - n orth " ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁be ▁born ▁in ▁a ▁hospital . ▁His ▁father , ▁Edward , ▁died ▁in ▁a ▁work ▁accident ▁on ▁the ▁rail road ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁ ▁Hook s ▁attended ▁Stevens ▁Element ary ▁School . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁at ▁the ▁ins istence ▁of ▁his ▁sister ▁Bern ice ▁who ▁was ▁doing ▁community ▁arts ▁out re ach ▁for ▁young sters ▁at ▁Francis ▁Junior ▁High ▁School , ▁he ▁performed ▁the ▁lead ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁play , ▁The ▁Pir ates ▁of ▁P enz ance , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁nine . ▁From ▁the ▁ages ▁of ▁ 6 ▁to ▁ 1 2 , ▁Bobby ▁Dean ▁journey ed