Tony Roberts (actor)
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Tony Roberts | |
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Roberts in 2019
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Born | David Anthony Roberts October 22, 1939 New York City, U.S. |
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. New York City, U.S. |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1962–2017 |
Spouse(s) | Jennifer Lyons (m. 1969; div. 1975) |
Children | 1 |
David Anthony Roberts (October 22, 1939 – February 7, 2025) was an American actor. He was known for his roles in six Woody Allen films, most notably Annie Hall. He also acted in theater, television and radio.
Contents
Life and career
Early life
Roberts was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of radio announcer Ken Roberts and Norma (née Finkelstein), an animator.[1][2] His family was Jewish.[3][4][5] Roberts attended the High School of Music & Art[6] and Northwestern University, and he made his Broadway debut in 1962 with a role in the play Something About a Soldier.[7]
Film
Roberts collaborated with Woody Allen. In Annie Hall, he portrayed Alvy Singer's best friend Rob. Other Allen movies and plays in which he appeared include both the Broadway and movie versions of Play It Again, Sam; he appeared, too, in Stardust Memories (1980), A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Radio Days (1987). In 2001, Roberts also made an appearance in Allen's respective segment for The Concert for New York City.
Roberts portrayed Deputy Mayor Warren LaSalle in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. He also appeared in the Sidney Lumet movies Serpico and Just Tell Me What You Want. In a rare, big-screen leading role, Roberts starred in the 1983 horror movie Amityville 3-D, playing John Baxter, a deeply skeptical, Doubting Thomas-type tabloid journalist who buys the infamous and possessed haunted house. He appeared opposite George Burns (as his son) in 1988's Eighteen Again!, and co-starred in the horror-dark comedy Popcorn, as Professor Davis, and in Blake Edwards' situation comedy Switch, as Arnold Freidkin, both 1991 theatrical releases. Roberts also enjoyed screentime in the Walt Disney screwball comedy The Million Dollar Duck and the stage-to-screen adaptation of Star Spangled Girl, both 1971 (and both co-starring Sandy Duncan), Key Exchange and Le Sauvage, both 1985, 1986's Seize the Day, and 2005's Twelve and Holding, among others.
Roberts' last theatrically-released feature film role was as Jason Bateman's character's therapist in the 2014 independent romantic comedy-drama The Longest Week, while his final made-for-television film portrayal was in the 2017 ABC production Dirty Dancing.
Theater
Roberts's Broadway credits include Barefoot in the Park; How Now, Dow Jones; Murder at the Howard Johnson's; Promises, Promises; Sugar (the musical version of the movie Some Like It Hot); The Sisters Rosensweig; They're Playing Our Song; Victor/Victoria; The Tale of the Allergist's Wife; Arsenic and Old Lace; and Cabaret. In 1998, he played Buddy Plummer in Stephen Sondheim's Follies at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. In 2007, Roberts returned to Broadway in the musical Xanadu.
Television and radio
On television, Roberts was the third actor to play Lee Pollock on The Edge of Night.[citation needed] He appeared in numerous television series such as The Carol Burnett Show, Matlock, Law & Order, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In 1977, he was featured, alongside Squire Fridell, as a lead in the short-lived NBC legal drama Rosetti and Ryan.
In 1978, he guest-starred on The Love Boat. Roberts and Lauren Tewes' character, cruise ship director Julie McCoy, both fall in love with each other, but in the end do not pursue a romantic relationship.
He was featured (with Penny Fuller, who had played his wife on The Edge of Night) on the ABC comedy The Thorns. He was a regular performer on the CBS Radio Mystery Theater. Roberts also provided the narration to many of the audiobook adaptations of Stuart Woods' novels featuring Stone Barrington, the crime-solving detective and lawyer. His other audiobook credits include Andrew Vachss' Batman: The Ultimate Evil, Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, and Spencer Johnson's Who Moved My Cheese?.
Death
Roberts died of lung cancer at his Manhattan home, on February 7, 2025, at the age of 85.[8]
Filmography
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- A Guide for the Married Man (1969 TV movie) as Ed Stander
- The Million Dollar Duck (1971) as Fred Hines
- Star Spangled Girl (1971) as Andy Hobart
- Play It Again, Sam (1972) as Dick
- Serpico (1973) as Bob Blair
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) as New York City Deputy Mayor Warren LaSalle
- Le Sauvage (1975) as Alex Fox
- The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case (1976 TV movie) as Lt. Jim Finn
- Snafu (1976 TV movie) as Conroy
- Annie Hall (1977) as Rob
- The Girls in the Office (1979 TV movie) as Mike Holden
- If Things Were Different (1980 TV movie) as Michael Boden
- Just Tell Me What You Want (1980) as Mike Berger
- Stardust Memories (1980) as Tony
- A Question of Honor (1982 TV movie) as Marlowe
- A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982) as Maxwell
- Packin' It In (1983 TV movie) as Charlie Baumgartner
- Amityville 3-D (1983) as John Baxter
- Key Exchange (1985) as David Slattery
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) as Norman – Mickey's ex-writing partner
- Seize the Day (1986) as Bernie Pell
- Radio Days (1987) as Silver Dollar Emcee
- A Different Affair (1987 TV movie) as Jeffrey Newman
- 18 Again! (1988) as Arnie Watson
- Popcorn (1991) as Professor Davis
- Switch (1991) as Arnold Freidkin
- Our Sons (1991 TV movie) as Harry
- Not in My Family (1993 TV movie) as Psychotherapist
- The American Clock (1993 TV movie) as Jesse Livermore
- A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Jealous Jokester (1995) as Ted Joplin
- Victor/Victoria (1995 TV movie) as Carol "Toddy" Todd (1995)
- Apologies to Buñuel (1996) as Steve
- Dead Broke (1998) as Walter
- The Concert for New York City: "Sounds from a Town I Love" segment (2001 TV movie and live concert) as Man on Bench
- My Best Friend's Wife (2001) as Mr. Epstein
- Twelve and Holding (2005) as Doctor
- Well Fed and Comfortable (2006) as Mr. Barnes
- An Anomaly (2013) -/-
- The Longest Week (2014) as Barry the Therapist
- Dinner with Family with Brett Gelman and Brett Gelman's Family (2015 TV movie) as Tony Roberts / Himself
- Dirty Dancing (2017) as Max Kellerman
Television series
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- The Trials of O'Brien (1965) as Charlie – 1 episode
- The Edge of Night (1965, 1966) as Lee Pollock – 2 episodes
- Men at Law (1970) as Jack Halbert – 1 episode
- Love, American Style (1971) as Chris – 1 episode
- Night Gallery (1971) as Dr. Morris Levine – 1 episode
- Phyllis (1975) as Jerry – 1 episode
- McMillan and Wife (1977) as Philip Bainbridge – 1 episode
- Trapper John, M.D. (1983, 1985) as Lawrence Kolleeny / Dr. Jerry Kulyn – 2 episodes
- The Four Seasons (1984) as Ted Bolen – 12 episodes
- Finder of Lost Loves (1985) as Thad Holcombe – 1 episode
- The Lucie Arnaz Show (1985) as Jim Gordon – 6 episodes
- Hotel (1985) as Brian Fox – 1 episode
- The Thorns (1988) as Sloan Thorn – 12 episodes
- Matlock (1991) as Guy Palmer – 1 episode
- The Carol Burnett Show (1991) as various skit characters – 2 episodes
- Law & Order (1991, 1994, 1998, 2010) as Nicholas Bennett / Lucas Pollard / Paul Redfield / State Senator Bryce Peterson – 4 episodes
- Murder, She Wrote (1992) as Devon "Sonny" Lane – 1 episode
- All My Children (1994) as Dr. Eisenstein – 1 episode
- American Masters (2001) as Narrator – 1 episode
- Married to the Kellys (2004) as Martin Wagner – 1 episode
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2008) as Ziggy Gold – 1 episode
Theatre
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- Take Her She's Mine, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, NY – 1961-1962
- Something About a Soldier, playing Air Cadet / a Soldier, Ambassador Theatre, New York City, NY – 1962
- Never Too Late, playing Charlie, Playhouse Theatre, New York City, NY – 1964-1965
- The Last Analysis, playing Max, Bellasco Theatre, New York City, NY – 1964
- Barefoot in the Park, playing Paul Bratter, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, NY – 1965
- Don't Drink the Water, playing Axel Magee, Morosco Theatre, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Bellasco Theatre, New York City, NY (all) – 1966-1968
- How Now, Dow Jones, playing Charlie, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, NY – 1967-1968
- Play It Again, Sam, playing Dick Christie, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, NY – 1969-1970
- Promises, Promises, playing Chuck Baxter, Shubert Theatre, New York City, NY – 1970
- Sugar, playing Joe, Majestic Theatre, New York City, NY – 1972-1973
- Absurd Person Singular, playing Geoffrey, Music Box Theatre, New York City, NY – 1974-1976
- Losing Time, playing Tod, Stage 73, New York City, NY – 1969
- They're Playing Our Song, playing Vernon Hersch, Imperial Theatre, New York City, NY – 1979-1981
- Murder at the Howard Johnson's, playing Mitchell Lavell, John Golden Theatre, New York City, NY – 1979
- The Good Parts, playing Brian "Sonny" Levine, Astor Place Theatre, New York City, NY – 1982
- Doubles, playing George, Ritz Theatre, New York City, NY – 1985-1986
- Arsenic and Old Lace, playing Mortimer Brewster, 46th Street Theatre, New York City, NY – 1986-1987
- Jerome Robbins' Broadway, playing The Setter / Emcee / Pseudolus / Pa / Cigar / Tevye / Floy, Imperial Theatre, New York City, NY – 1989-1990
- The Seagull, playing Dr. Dorn, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, NY – 1992-1993
- Four Dogs and a Bone, playing Bradley, New York City Center-Stage II, New York City, NY – 1993
- The Sisters Rosensweig, playing Mervyn Kant, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, NY – 1994
- Victor/Victoria, playing Carroll "Toddy" Todd, Marquis Theatre, New York City, NY – 1995-1997
- The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, playing Ira, Ethel Barrymore Theatre & New York City Center-Stage I, New York City, NY – 2000-2002
- Cabaret, playing Herr Schultz, Studio 54, New York City, NY – 2003-2004
- Endgame, playing Hamm, Irish Repertory Theatre, New York City, NY – 2005
- Barefoot in the Park, playing Victor Velasco, Cort Theatre, New York City, NY – 2006
- Xanadu, playing Danny Maguire / Zeus, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, NY – 2007-2008
- The Royal Family, playing Oscar Wolfe, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, New York City, NY – 2009
References
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External links
- Tony Roberts at the Internet Movie Database
- Tony Roberts at the TCM Movie Database
- Tony Roberts at the Internet Broadway DatabaseLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- Tony Roberts at Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Tony Roberts (actor) discography at Discogs
- Tony Roberts - Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.org
- Tony Roberts article in The New York Observer
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- ↑ "Notable Alumni," Alumni & Friends of LaGuardia High School website. Accessed Feb. 29, 2016.
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- Pages with reference errors
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles with hCards
- Articles with unsourced statements from June 2024
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- 1939 births
- 2025 deaths
- American male film actors
- American male musical theatre actors
- American male stage actors
- American male television actors
- Jewish American male actors
- Male actors from Manhattan
- The High School of Music & Art alumni
- 21st-century American Jews
- Deaths from lung cancer in New York (state)