Robert Moore (February 1, 1927 – May 10, 1984) was an American stage, film and television director and actor.

Biography

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Moore studied at the Catholic University of America Drama Department under Gilbert V. Hartke. He is best known for his direction of the ground-breaking play '' The Boys in the Band'', his Broadway productions (which garnered him five

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nominations), and his collaborations - three plays and three films - with

Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He received three ...

, including the detective spoofs '' Murder By Death'' and ''

The Cheap Detective ''The Cheap Detective'' is a 1978 American Mystery film, mystery comedy film written by Neil Simon and directed by Robert Moore (director), Robert Moore. It stars Peter Falk as Lou Peckinpaugh, a parody of Humphrey Bogart. The film is a parody ...

''. As an actor, he played a disabled gay man opposite

Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, ...

in the 1970 drama ''

Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon ''Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon'' is a 1970 American comedy-drama film directed and produced by Otto Preminger. The film is based on the 1968 novel of the same name by Marjorie Kellogg. Plot Junie Moon is a girl whose face was scarred in ...

'', appeared in two episodes of

Valerie Harper Valerie Kathryn Harper (August 22, 1939 – August 30, 2019) was an American actress. She began her career as a dancer on Broadway, making her debut as a replacement in the musical ''Li'l Abner''. She played Rhoda Morgenstern on ''The Mar ...

's sitcom ''

Rhoda ''Rhoda'' is an American sitcom television series created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns starring Valerie Harper that originally aired on CBS for five seasons from September 9, 1974 to December 9, 1978. It was the first spin-off of ''The ...

'' (for which he also directed 26 episodes), in one episode of ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 ...

'' (as Phyllis' gay brother) and was a regular on

Diana Rigg Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg (20 July 1938 – 10 September 2020) was an English actress of stage and screen. Her roles include Emma Peel in the TV series ''The Avengers (TV series), The Avengers'' (1965–1968); Countess Tracy Bond, Teresa di ...

's short-lived 1973 sitcom ''Diana''. His other television directing credits include ''

The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American television sitcom produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychol ...

'' and the 1976 production of ''

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a 1955 American three-act play by Tennessee Williams. The play, an adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", was written between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his ...

'' with

Natalie Wood Natalie Wood (née Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress. She began acting at age four and co-starred at age eight in ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947). As a teenager, she was nominated for an Academy Award f ...

Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor. He is known for starring in the television shows ''It Takes a Thief (1968 TV series), It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch (American TV series), Switch'' (1975–1978), ...

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...

, and

Maureen Stapleton Lois Maureen Stapleton (June 21, 1925 – March 13, 2006) was an American actress. She received numerous accolades becoming one of the few actors to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting winning an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award ...

. Moore died of AIDS-related pneumonia in New York City on May 10, 1984.

Work

;Theatre * '' Promises, Promises'' (1968) * ''

The Last of the Red Hot Lovers ''Last of the Red Hot Lovers'' is a comedy by Neil Simon. It premiered on Broadway in 1969. Production The play opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 28, 1969, and closed on September 4, 1971, after 706 performances and s ...

'' (1969) * ''

The Gingerbread Lady ''The Gingerbread Lady'' is a play by Neil Simon. It was widely believed to have been written specifically for actress Maureen Stapleton, who won both the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for her performance. But in a later autobiography, Simon ...

'' (1970) * ''

Lorelei The Lorelei ( ; or , or ; also found as ''Loreleï'', ''Lore Lay'', ''Lore-Ley'', ''Lurley'', ''Lurelei'' and ''Lurlei'' throughout history) is a , steep slate rock on the right bank of the River Rhine in the Rhine Gorge (or Middle Rhine) at ...

'' (1974) * '' My Fat Friend'' (1974) * '' Deathtrap'' (1978) * ''

They're Playing Our Song ''They're Playing Our Song'' is a musical with a book by Neil Simon, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, and music by Marvin Hamlisch. In a story based on the real-life relationship of Hamlisch and Sager, a wisecracking composer finds a new, offbeat l ...

'' (1979) * ''

Woman of the Year ''Woman of the Year'' is a 1942 American romantic comedy drama film directed by George Stevens and starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The film was written by Ring Lardner Jr. and Michael Kanin (with uncredited work on the rewritte ...

'' (1981)

Filmography

;Film * ''

Murder by Death ''Murder by Death'' is a 1976 American comedy mystery film directed by Robert Moore and written by Neil Simon. The film stars Eileen Brennan, Truman Capote, James Coco, Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, Elsa Lanchester, David Niven, Peter Sellers, M ...

'' (1976) * ''

'' (1978) * '' Chapter Two'' (1979) ;Television * ''

Diana Diana most commonly refers to: * Diana (name), given name (including a list of people with the name) * Diana (mythology), ancient Roman goddess of the hunt and wild animals; later associated with the Moon * Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997), ...

'' (1973) – TV series * ''

Thursday's Game ''Thursday's Game'' (also known as ''The Berk'') is a 1974 American television film, made-for-television comedy film starring Gene Wilder and Bob Newhart, written by James L. Brooks and directed by Robert Moore (director), Robert Moore. Though ...

'' (1974) – TV movie * ''

'' (1974) – TV series * ''

'' (1974–1975) – TV series * ''Don't Call Us'' (1976) – TV movie * ''

'' (1976) – TV movie * ''There's Always Room'' (1977) – TV movie * ''

The Sunshine Boys ''The Sunshine Boys'' is an original two-act play written by Neil Simon that premiered December 20, 1972, on Broadway starring Jack Albertson as Willie Clark and Sam Levene as Al Lewis and later adapted for film and television. Plot The play ...

'' (1977) – TV movie * ''The Natural Look'' (1977) – TV movie * ''Annie Flynn'' (1978) – TV movie * '' It's Not Easy'' (1983) – TV series ;Actor * ''

'' (1970) – Warren * ''

'' (1973) – Ben Sutherland (1 episode) * ''

'' (1973) – Marshall Tyler (7 episodes) * ''

'' (1974–1976) – Lowell Snyder; Mr. Graham (2 episodes)

Awards and nominations

;Awards * 1968 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play – ''The Boys in the Band'' ;Nominations * 1969 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – ''Promises, Promises'' * 1970 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – ''Last of the Red Hot Lovers'' * 1978 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – ''Deathtrap'' * 1979 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – ''They're Playing Our Song'' * 1981 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – ''Woman of the Year''

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Robert 1927 births 1984 deaths 20th-century American LGBTQ people AIDS-related deaths in New York (state) American gay actors American LGBTQ film directors American television directors American theatre directors Film directors from Michigan LGBTQ television directors LGBTQ theatre directors