Jason Robards | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Robards in 1956 | |
| Born | Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (1922-07-26)July 26, 1922 |
| Died | December 26, 2000(2000-12-26) (aged 78) Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Resting place | Oak Lawn Cemetery Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Other names | Jason Robards Jr. |
| Education | Hollywood High School |
| Alma mater | American Academy of Dramatic Arts |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1947–2000 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 6, includingSam Robards |
| Parent | Jason Robards Sr. (father) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1940–1946 |
| Rank |  RadiomanFirst Class |
| Unit | USSNorthampton (CA-26) USSNashville (CL-43) |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards |  Navy Good Conduct Medal American Defense Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal |
Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he gained a reputation as an interpreter of the works of playwrightEugene O'Neill. Robards received numerous accolades and is one of 24 performers to have achieved theTriple Crown of Acting having earned competitive wins for twoAcademy Awards, aTony Award, and anEmmy Award. He was inducted into theAmerican Theatre Hall of Fame in 1979, earned theNational Medal of Arts in 1997, and theKennedy Center Honors in 1999.
Robards started his career in theatre, making hisBroadway debut playing James Tyrone Jr. in the 1956 revival of theEugene O'Neill playLong Day's Journey into Night earning aTheatre World Award. He earned theTony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role in theBudd Schulberg playThe Disenchanted (1959). His other Tony-nominated roles were inLong Day's Journey into Night (1956).Toys in the Attic (1960),After the Fall (1964),Hughie (1965),The Country Girl (1972),A Moon for the Misbegotten (1973), andA Touch of the Poet (1978).
He made his feature film debut inThe Journey (1959). He went on to win two consecutiveAcademy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for playingBen Bradlee inAll the President's Men (1976), andDashiell Hammett inJulia (1977). He was Oscar-nominated for playingHoward Hughes inMelvin and Howard (1980). His other notable films includeLong Day's Journey into Night (1962),A Thousand Clowns (1965),Once Upon a Time in the West (1968),Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970),Parenthood (1989),Philadelphia (1993),Enemy of the State (1998), andMagnolia (1999).
On television, Robards won thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his performance as Henry Drummond in theNBC television adaptationInherit the Wind (1988). His other Emmy-nominated roles were inAbe Lincoln in Illinois (1964),A Moon for the Misbegotten (1975),Washington: Behind Closed Doors (1977), andF.D.R.: The Last Year (1980).
Robards was born July 26, 1922, inChicago, Illinois, the son of actorJason Robards Sr. and Hope Maxine Robards (née Glanville).[1] He was of German, English, Welsh, Irish, and Swedish descent.[2][3] The family moved to New York City when Jason Jr. was still a toddler, and then moved to Los Angeles when he was six years old. Later interviews with Robards suggested that the trauma of his parents' divorce, which occurred during his grade-school years, greatly affected his personality and world view. From his parents' first marriage together, he had a younger brother named Glenn. He had little or no contact with his mother after the divorce. She later married a second time to Arthur Milburn, making him his stepfather, although he may or may not have known about it at the time. His father married a second time to Agnes Lynch. He was probably closer to his stepmother than his biological one. From his father's second marriage, he had a half-sister named Laurel.
As a youth, Robards also experienced the decline of his father's acting career. The elder Robards had enjoyed considerable success during the era ofsilent films, but he fell out of favor after the advent of sound film, leaving the younger Robards soured on the Hollywood film industry. The teenage Robards excelled in athletics, running a 4:18-mile during his junior year atHollywood High School in Los Angeles. (Note: The California state high school mile run record in 1940 was 4:26.)[citation needed] Although his prowess in sports attracted interest from several universities, Robards decided to enlist in the United States Navy upon his graduation in 1940.[citation needed]
Following the completion of recruit training and radio school, Robards was assigned to theheavy cruiserUSS Northampton in 1941 as aradioman 3rd class.[4] OnDecember 7, 1941,Northampton was at sea in the Pacific Ocean about 100 miles (160 km) off Hawaii. Contrary to some stories, he did not see the devastation of the Japanese attack on Hawaii untilNorthampton returned toPearl Harbor two days later.[5]Northampton was later directed into theGuadalcanal campaign inWorld War II's Pacific theater, where she participated in theBattle of the Santa Cruz Islands.[4]
During theBattle of Tassafaronga in the waters north of Guadalcanal on the night of November 30, 1942,Northampton was sunk by hits from two Japanesetorpedoes. Robards found himself treading water until near daybreak, when he was rescued by an Americandestroyer. For its service in the war,Northampton was awarded six battle stars.[citation needed] Two years later, in November 1944, Robards was radioman aboard thelight cruiserUSS Nashville, theflagship for theinvasion of Mindoro in the northernPhilippines. On December 13, she was struck by akamikaze aircraft offNegros Island in the Philippines. The aircraft hit one of the port five-inch gun mounts, while the plane's two bombs set the midsection of the ship ablaze. With this damage and 223 casualties,Nashville was forced to return to Pearl Harbor and then to thePuget Sound Naval Shipyard inBremerton, Washington, for repairs.[citation needed]
Robards served honorably during the war, but was not a recipient of the U.S.Navy Cross,[6][7] contrary to what has been reported in numerous sources. The inaccurate story derives from a 1979 column byHy Gardner.[8] AboardNashville, Robards first found a copy of Eugene O'Neill's playStrange Interlude in the ship's library.[9][10] Also while in the Navy, he first started thinking seriously about becoming an actor. He hademceed for a Navy band in Pearl Harbor, got a few laughs, and decided he liked it. His father suggested he enroll in theAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) in New York City, from which he graduated in 1948.[9][11] Robards left the Navy in 1946 as aPetty officer first class. He was awarded theGood Conduct Medal of the Navy, theAmerican Defense Service Medal, theAmerican Campaign Medal, theAsiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal, and theWorld War II Victory Medal.[citation needed]
Robards moved to New York City and began working on radio and stage. His first role was the 1947 short filmFollow That Music. He made his Broadway debut in the popular hitStalag 17, joining the cast during its run; Robards also worked as an assistant stage manager. In 1953 he appeared inAmerican Gothic directed by Jose Quintero. Robards also began getting roles in some television dramas, such as episodes ofThe Magnavox Theatre,Mama,The Man Behind the Badge,The Big Story,Philco Television Playhouse (including Gore Vidal's "The Death of Billy the Kid"),Armstrong Circle Theatre,Appointment with Adventure,Justice,Star Tonight andGoodyear Playhouse.
Robards' big break was landing the starring role inJosé Quintero's 1956off Broadway theatre revival production - and the later 1960 television film - of O'Neill'sThe Iceman Cometh, portraying the philosophical salesman Hickey; he won anObie Award for his stage performance. He later portrayed Hickey again in another 1985Broadway revival also staged by Quintero.
Robards originated the role of Jamie Tyrone Jr. in the original Broadway production of O'Neill'sPulitzer Prize- andTony Award-winningLong Day's Journey into Night (1956), which was also directed by Quintero and ran for 390 performances. Robards appeared alongside Frederic March, Florence Eldridge and Bradfor Dillman. Robards earned theTheatre World Award for his performance and was also nominated for theTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.[12]
Robards continued to be busy on television, guest starring inThe Alcoa Hour,Seven Lively Arts,Studio One andOmnibus.
After his Broadway success, Robards was invited to make his feature film debut in theAnatole Litvak directed dramaThe Journey (1959) starringYul Brynner andDeborah Kerr.
He returned to Broadway acting inBudd Schulberg's playThe Disenchanted, winning theTony Award for Best Actor in a Play.[13] It only had a short run but theLillian Hellman playToys in the Attic (1960), where Robards acted oppositeMaureen Stapleton andIrene Worth, ran 456 performances. For the role he was nominated for theTony Award for Best Actor in a Play.[14]
Robards starred in the TV version ofFor Whom the Bell Tolls forPlayhouse 90,Billy Budd forThe Dupont Show of the Month,A Doll's House, andThe Iceman Cometh.[15]
In 1961 Robards starred inBig Fish, Little Fish by Hugh Wheeler directed by John Gielgud.[16] This was followed by the enormously popular Broadway hitA Thousand Clowns (1962–63) by Herb Gardner. In Hollywood Robarts appeared in two flop films,By Love Possessed (1961) andTender is the Night (1962).[17][18]
He became a familiar face to movie audiences throughout the 1960s. He repeated his role inLong Day's Journey into Night in the1962 film and played playwrightGeorge S. Kaufman in the filmAct One (1963) based on theMoss Hartplay of the same name. In the latter Robards acted alongsideGeorge Hamilton,George Segal,Jack Klugman andEli Wallach.[19]
Robards returned to Broadway to appear in two plays directed by Elia Kazan, Arthur Miller'sAfter the Fall (1964) and S.N. Behrman'sBut For Whom Charlie (1964). Roberts was also in Eugene O'Neil'sHughie (1964) directed by Quintero
In films, Robards playedAbe Lincoln in Illinois (1964) for television and Murray Burns in the comedy-dramaA Thousand Clowns (1965) repeating his stage performance, for which he was nominated for theGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. He was in two episodes ofBob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre including an adaptation ofOne Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.
His films includedBig Hand for the Little Lady (1966), a comedy Western, andAny Wednesday (1966), an adaptation of a popular Broadway hit. Robards didNoon Wine (1966) forSam Peckinpah on television, the film that revived Peckinpah's career.[20] On Broadway he was inThe Devils (1966), which only had a short run.
In 1967 Robards portrayedDoc Holliday in the western filmHour of the Gun and playedAl Capone inThe St. Valentine's Day Massacre. That same year he acted inDivorce American Style acting alongsideDick Van Dyke,Debbie Reynolds,Van Johnson, andJean Simmons.[21]
The following year he played Manuel "Cheyenne" Gutiérrez in theSergio Leone western filmOnce Upon a Time in the West (1968). He acted oppositeHenry Fonda,Charles Bronson, andClaudia Cardinale.[22] That year he also acted in theWilliam Friedkin directed musical comedyThe Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) and the biographical dramaIsadora.
Robards didThe Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde for television and on Broadway Robards was inWe Bombed in New Haven (1968) a play by Joseph Heller.
Robards acted in the 1970 filmTora! Tora! Tora!, a depiction of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, that led the United States into World War II.[23] Robards played Brutus inJulius Caesar (1970) opposite Charlton Heston, didRosolino Paternò, soldato... (1970) in Italy and played the lead inThe Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970) for Peckinpah. Robards starred inFools (1970),[24]Johnny Got His Gun (1971),Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971) for AIP, andThe War Between Men and Women (1972). On television he didThe House Without a Christmas Tree (1972),The Thanksgiving Treasure andOld Faithful (1973).
Robards continued to appear on Broadway in revivals such asThe Country Girl (1972) andA Moon for the Misbegotten (1973). He repeated his performance inMoon for television in 1975.[25]
Robards had a small role in Peckinpah'sPat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973). He was also inA Boy and His Dog (1975),The Easter Promise (1975),Mr. Sycamore (1975), andAddie and the King of Hearts (1976).
Robards appeared in two dramatizations based on theWatergate scandal; in 1976, he portrayedWashington Post executive editorBen Bradlee in the filmAll the President's Men, based onthe book byCarl Bernstein andBob Woodward. He won theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actor, denyingNetwork a chance to sweep all four acting categories (something onlyHumphrey Bogart had done previously). The next year, he played fictional president Richard Monckton (based onRichard Nixon) in the 1977 television miniseriesWashington: Behind Closed Doors, based onJohn Ehrlichman'sroman à clefThe Company.
Robards was reunited with O'Neill and Quintero forA Touch of the Poet on stage in 1977. He was alson inThe Spy Who Never Was (1977),Julia (1977),Comes a Horseman (1978),A Christmas to Remember (1978),Hurricane (1979),Cabo Blanco (1980),Haywire (1980) (asLeland Hayward,F.D.R.: The Last Year (1980),Raise the Titanic (1980),Melvin and Howard (1980) (asHoward Hughes), andThe Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981).[26][27] On stage, Robards was inHughie (1981). Robard's performance inMelvin and Howard earned him another Oscar nomination.[28]
Robards had lead roles inMax Dugan Returns (1983) byNeil Simon andSomething Wicked This Way Comes (1983) from the novel byRay Bradbury. He played Dr. Russell Oakes in the 1983 television filmThe Day After.[29]
In 1983 Robards appeared in a popular Broadway revival ofYou Can't Take It With You, a 1985 revival ofThe Iceman Cometh with Quintero andA Month of Sundays (1987) directed byGene Saks. Robards appeared in the lead role of James Tyrone Sr., in a 1988 production ofLong Day's Journey into Night directed by Quintero.
For television Robards didSakharov (1984),The Atlanta Child Murders (1984),The Long Hot Summer (1985),Johnny Bull (1986),The Last Frontier (1986),Laguna Heat (1987),Breaking Home Ties (1987),Inherit the Wind (1988) andThe Christmas Wife (1988). For films he madeSquare Dance (1987),Bright Lights, Big City (1988), andThe Good Mother (1988). Robards also appeared onstage in a revival of O'Neill'sAh, Wilderness! (1988) directed byArvin Brown,Love Letters (1990) withColleen Dewhurst,Park Your Car in Harvard Yard (1991) byIsrael Horovitz, as well asHarold Pinter'sNo Man's Land (1994).[citation needed]
In 1989 he acted in theRon Howard directed comedy-dramaParenthood starringSteve Martin andDianne Wiest and the British dramaReunion with a screenplay byHarold Pinter.[30][31] That year he also acted in the comedyDream a Little Dream and the psychological thrillerBlack Rainbow.
The following year he acted in the crime comedyQuick Change starringBill Murray,Geena Davis, andRandy Quaid.[32] On TV he didThe Perfect Tribute (1991),Chernobyl: The Final Warning (1991),An Inconvenient Woman (1991),Mark Twain and Me (1991), andHeidi (1993). For films Robards was inStoryville (1992),The Adventures of Huck Finn (1992) and in 1993 he acted inHarold Pinter's British legal filmThe Trial oppositeKyle MacLachlan andAnthony Hopkins and theAIDS legal dramaPhiladelphia starringTom Hanks andDenzel Washington.[33][34]
Robards portrayed three presidents in films. He playedAbraham Lincoln in the television filmsAbe Lincoln in Illinois (1964) andThe Perfect Tribute (1991), and supplied the voice for the 1992 television documentary miniseriesLincoln. He also played the role ofUlysses S. Grant inThe Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) and supplied the Union General's voice in thePBS miniseriesThe Civil War (1990). He also playedFranklin D. Roosevelt in F.D.R.: The Last Year (1980). Robards appeared in the documentaryEmpire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (1992).
Robards appeared inThe Roots of Roe (1993),The Paper (1994),Little Big League (1994),The Enemy Within (1994),My Antonia (1995),Crimson Tide (1995),Journey (1995),A Thousand Acres (1997),Heartwood (1998),The Real Macaw (1998), andBeloved (1998) In 1995 Robards appeared on stage inMolly Sweeney. He played acongressman inTony Scott's political thrillerEnemy of the State starringWill Smith (1998).[35] In his final film role, he played a cancer patient in thePaul Thomas Anderson directed dramaMagnolia (1999).[36] His last TV appearance was inGoing Home (2000).
Robards was married 4 times and had 6 children. With his first wife, Eleanor Pittman, Robards had three children, including Jason III. His second marriage to actress Rachel Taylor lasted from April 1959-May 1961. He and actressLauren Bacall, his third wife, to whom he was married from 1961 to 1969, had a son, actorSam Robards. Robards and Bacall divorced in part due to hisalcoholism.[37] Robards had two more children with his fourth wife, Lois O'Connor, and they remained married until his death.
In 1972, Robards was seriously injured in an automobile crash when he drove his car into the side of a mountain on a winding California road, requiring extensive surgery and facial reconstruction. The crash may have been related to his longtime struggle with alcoholism.[9][10] Robards overcame his addiction and went on to publicly campaign for alcoholism awareness.[38][39] Robards was anAmerican Civil War buff and scholar, an interest which informed his portrayal of the voice ofUlysses S. Grant inThe Civil War series by filmmakerKen Burns.
Robards was a resident of theSouthport section ofFairfield, Connecticut.[40] He died oflung cancer inBridgeport, Connecticut, on December 26, 2000.[41] His remains were buried atOak Lawn Cemetery in Fairfield.[42]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951–1954 | The Big Story | Mr. Simms Aaron Dudley | Episode: "Arthur Mielke of the Washington Times Herald" Episode: "Aaron Dudley, Reporter" |
| 1955 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Mason Joe Grant | Episode: "The Outsiders" Episode: "The Death of Billy the Kid" |
| Star Tonight | Abraham Lincoln | Episode: "Flame and Ice"[43][44] | |
| 1955–1956 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | Paul Foster Ralph Sawyer Reinhardt Schmidt | Episode: "Man in Shadow" Episode: "The Town That Refused to Die" Episode: "Lost $2 Billion: The Story of Hurricane Diane" |
| Justice | Karder | Episode: "Pattern of Lies" Episode: "Decision by Panic" | |
| 1956–1957 | The Alcoa Hour | Jayson Bert Palmer Bridger | Episode: "Night" Episode: "The Big Build-Up" Episode: "Even the Weariest River" |
| 1955–1957 | Studio One in Hollywood | Prisoner Leonard O'Brien Cameron | Episode: "Twenty-Four Hours" Episode: "The Incredible World of Horace Ford" Episode: "A Picture in the Paper" |
| 1958 | Omnibus | Prime Minister | Episode: "Moment of Truth" |
| 1959 | Playhouse 90 | Robert Jordan | Episode: "For Whom the Bell Tolls: Part 2" |
| NBC Sunday Showcase | Alex Reed | Episode: "People Kill People Sometimes" | |
| A Doll's House | Dr. Rank | TV Movie | |
| 1960 | Dow Hour of Great Mysteries | Detective Anderson | Episode: "The Bat" byMary Roberts Rinehart |
| The Play of the Week | Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman | Episode: "The Iceman Cometh" | |
| 1962 | That's Where the Town is Going | Hobart Cramm | TV Movie |
| 1964 | Abe Lincoln in Illinois | Abraham Lincoln | TV Movie |
| 1963–1966 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Irish LaFontain Ivan Denisovich | Episode: "Shipwrecked" Episode: "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" |
| 1966 | ABC Stage 67 | Royal Earle Thompson | Episode: "Noon Wine" |
| 1969 | Spoon River | Reader | TV Movie |
| 1972 | Circle of Fear | Elliot Brent | Episode: "The Dead We Leave Behind" |
| The House Without a Christmas Tree | Jamie Mills | TV Movie | |
| 1973 | The Thanksgiving Treasure | James Mills | TV Movie |
| 1974 | The Country Girl | Frank Elgin | TV Movie |
| 1975 | The Easter Promise | Jamie | TV Movie |
| A Moon for the Misbegotten | James Tyrone Jr. | TV Special | |
| 1976 | Addie and the King of Hearts | Jamie Mills | TV Movie |
| 1977 | Washington: Behind Closed Doors | President Richard Monckton | Miniseries; 6 episodes |
| 1978 | A Christmas to Remember | Daniel Larson | TV movie |
| 1980 | F.D.R.: The Last Year | President Franklin D. Roosevelt | TV movie |
| Haywire | Leland Hayward | TV movie | |
| 1983 | The Day After | Russell Oakes | TV Movie |
| 1984 | American Playhouse | Erie Smith | Episode: "Hughie" |
| Sakharov | Andrei Sakharov | TV Movie | |
| Great Performances | Grandpa Martin Vanderhof | Episode: "You Can't Take It with You" | |
| 1985 | The Atlanta Child Murders | Alvin Binder | 2 episodes |
| The Long Hot Summer | Will Varner | 2 episodes | |
| 1986 | Johnny Bull | Stephen Kovacs | TV Movie |
| The Last Frontier | Ed Stenning | TV Movie | |
| 1987 | Laguna Heat | Wade Shepard | TV Movie |
| Breaking Home Ties | Lloyd | TV Movie | |
| 1988 | Inherit the Wind | Henry Drummond | TV Movie |
| The Christmas Wife | John Tanner | TV movie | |
| Thomas Hart Benton | Narrator | TV movie | |
| 1990 | The Civil War | Ulysses S. Grant (voice) | Nine episodes |
| 1991 | The Perfect Tribute | Abraham Lincoln | TV Movie |
| Chernobyl: The Final Warning | Armand Hammer | TV Movie | |
| An Inconvenient Woman | Jules Mendelson | 2 episodes | |
| On the Waterways | Narrator | 13 episodes | |
| Mark Twain and Me | Mark Twain | TV movie | |
| 1991–1997 | American Experience | Narrator | 7 episodes |
| 1992 | Lincoln | Abraham Lincoln | Voice; TV movie |
| 1993 | Heidi | Grandfather | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 1994 | The Enemy Within | General R. Pendleton Lloyd | TV Movie |
| 1995 | My Antonia | Josea Burden | TV Movie |
| Journey | Marcus | TV Movie | |
| 2000 | Going Home | Charles Barton | Final appearance |
Source:"Jason Robards, Jr".Playbill Vault. RetrievedSeptember 20, 2013.
Robards received eight Tony Award nominations, more than any other male actor as of 2020[ref].[68] He won the Tony forBest Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for his work inThe Disenchanted (1959); this was also his only stage appearance with his father. He received theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actor in consecutive years: forAll the President's Men (1976), portrayingWashington Post editor Ben Bradlee, and forJulia (1977), portraying writerDashiell Hammett.[69] He was also nominated for another Academy Award for his role asHoward Hughes inMelvin and Howard (1980).
Robards received thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his role in the television filmInherit the Wind (1988).[70] In 1997, Robards received the U.S.National Medal of Arts, the highest honor conferred to an individual artist on behalf of the people. Recipients are selected by the U.S.National Endowment for the Arts and the medal is awarded by the President of the United States.In 1999, he was among the recipients at theKennedy Center Honors, an annual honor given to those in theperforming arts for their lifetime of contributions toAmerican culture.[71] In 2000, Robards received the first Monte Cristo Award, presented by theEugene O'Neill Theater Center, and named after O'Neill's home. Subsequent recipients have includedEdward Albee,Kevin Spacey,Wendy Wasserstein, andChristopher Plummer.
Robards narrated the public radio documentary,Schizophrenia: Voices of an Illness, produced byLichtenstein Creative Media, which was awarded a 1994 George Foster Peabody Award for Excellence in Broadcasting. According toTime, Robards offered to narrate the schizophrenia program, saying that his first wife had been institutionalized for that illness.[72] Robards is in theAmerican Theater Hall of Fame, inducted in 1979.[73][74] The Jason Robards Award was created by theRoundabout Theatre Company in New York City in his honor and his relationship with the theater.[citation needed]
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| 1st Row | Navy Good Conduct Medal | American Defense Service Medal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Row | American Campaign Medal | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal | World War II Victory Medal | |||
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