Quick Answer

Edward G. Robinson did not play a police officer or a “police book” in Soylent Green. He played Sol Roth , an elderly researcher and “book” of human knowledge who serves as the partner, friend, and father figure to Charlton Heston’s police detective, Thorn.

What Role Did Edward G. Robinson Actually Play?

In the 1973 dystopian film Soylent Green , Edward G. Robinson’s character is:

  • Name: Sol Roth
  • Occupation: Elderly researcher / human “book” of pre-collapse knowledge
  • Relationship to the cop: Partner and close friend to Detective Robert Thorn (Charlton Heston), who is the actual police officer in the story

Sol is not a cop himself. Instead, he functions as Thorn’s living library: a man who remembers what the world was like before overpopulation, pollution, and resource collapse. He provides historical context, emotional depth, and moral weight to the story.

Why People Sometimes Think He’s “the Police Book”

The confusion likely comes from mixing two ideas:

  1. Thorn is the police detective – He’s the one investigating murders and navigating the corrupt 2022 New York City.
  1. Sol is the “book” – In the film’s world, people like Sol are called “books” because they memorize vast amounts of knowledge from before the collapse. They’re consulted by officials and detectives for information.

So the accurate description is:

Edward G. Robinson played Sol Roth, the “book” (human library) who partners with the police detective , not a police officer himself.

Key Points About Sol Roth

  • Final film role: Soylent Green was Edward G. Robinson’s last movie before his death.
  • Emotional core: Sol’s memories of a greener, richer world contrast sharply with the bleak setting, making him the film’s moral and emotional anchor.
  • Plot significance: After learning the horrifying truth about Soylent Green, Sol chooses assisted suicide, delivering a powerful deathbed scene that drives Thorn to expose the conspiracy.

TL;DR

Edward G. Robinson played Sol Roth , an elderly human “book” of knowledge and the partner of the police detective (Charlton Heston). He was not a police officer; he was the living archive who helps the cop solve the case.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.