Mr Robinson (89) returned to his home town this week for only the second time since he left Dunedin for World War 2.
During the war, he served as batman to Sir John Marshall, who later became prime minister of New Zealand.
"He called me 'Robbie' and I called him 'Marshie'," Mr Robinson recalled.
After the war, he became the first New Zealander to be accepted by the Sadlers Wells Ballet (now Royal Ballet), in London.
"Male dancers were very scarce in London at the time. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time," he said modestly.
"I had a great theatrical ability, but I wouldn't say I was ever a great dancer."
Robinson became even better known when he married exotic dancer Freda Stark on September 13, 1947.
"We got married in London. We'd been friends for a very long time," he said.
The pair appeared in an erotic dance film by Robert Steele, Curves and Contrasts.
Stark was the subject of a book published in 2000 by her niece, Diane Miller, and Dianne Howarth called Freda Stark - Her extraordinary life.
She gained fame during World War 2 for dancing nude in gold paint at the Auckland Civic Theatre.
In 1936, she was the star witness at the murder trial of composer Eric Mareo, who was convicted of poisoning his wife, Thelma Stott, who was Stark's lover.
Mr Robinson is now retired in Auckland and is visiting Dunedin to attend his milliner friend Lindsay Kennett's Hat Couture exhibition at 2pm in the Savoy tomorrow.
"Dunedin will always be my home. I think it's the most beautiful city in the world," Mr Robinson said.
• A feature on Harold Robinson will appear in Weekend Magazine next Saturday.
