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 playwright

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of Realism (theatre), realism, earlier associated with ...

. Robards received numerous accolades and is one of 24 performers to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting having earned competitive wins for two

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

, a

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 ...

, and an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

. He was inducted into the

American Theatre Hall of Fame American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

in 1979, earned the

National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and Patronage, patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and ar ...

in 1997, and the

Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to Culture of the United States, American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in ...

in 1999. Robards started his career in theatre, making his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

debut playing James Tyrone Jr. in the 1956 revival of the

play ''

Long Day's Journey into Night ''Long Day's Journey into Night'' is a play in four acts written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill in 1939–1941 and first published posthumously in 1956. It is widely regarded as his magnum opus and one of the great American plays of the ...

'' earning a

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...

. He earned the

Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actors for quality leading roles in a Broadway ...

for his role in the

Budd Schulberg Budd Schulberg (born Seymour Wilson Schulberg; March 27, 1914 – August 5, 2009) was an American screenwriter, television producer, novelist and sports writer. He was known for his novels '' What Makes Sammy Run?'' (1941) and ''The Harder They ...

play '' The Disenchanted'' (1959). His other Tony-nominated roles were in ''Long 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 A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes''. It is similar in shape to the Ancient ...

'' (1973), and ''

A Touch of the Poet ''A Touch of the Poet'' is a Play (theatre), play by Eugene O'Neill completed in 1942 but not performed until 1958, after his death. It and its sequel, ''More Stately Mansions'', were intended to be part of a nine-play cycle entitled ''A Tale ...

'' (1978). He made his feature film debut in '' The Journey'' (1959). He went on to win two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for playing

Ben Bradlee Benjamin Crowninshield Bradlee (, 1921 – , 2014) was an American journalist who served as managing editor and later as executive editor of ''The Washington Post'', from 1965 to 1991. He became a public figure when the ''Post'' joined ''The ...

in ''

All the President's Men ''All the President's Men'' is a 1974 non-fiction book by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, two of the journalists who investigated the June 1972 break-in at the Watergate Office Building and the resultant political scandal for ''The Washingto ...

'' (1976), and

Dashiell Hammett Samuel Dashiell Hammett ( ; May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) was an American writer of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. He was also a screenwriter and political activist. Among the characters he created are Sam Spade ('' The Ma ...

in '' Julia'' (1977). He was Oscar-nominated for playing

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American Aerospace engineering, aerospace engineer, business magnate, film producer, and investor. He was The World's Billionaires, one of the richest and most influential peo ...

in ''

Melvin and Howard ''Melvin and Howard'' (stylized as ''Melvin (and Howard)'') is a 1980 American comedy-drama film directed by Jonathan Demme. The screenplay by Bo Goldman was inspired by real-life Utah service station owner Melvin Dummar, who was listed as th ...

'' (1980). His other notable films include ''

'' (1962), '' A Thousand Clowns'' (1965), ''

Once Upon a Time in the West ''Once Upon a Time in the West'' ( is a 1968 epic spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone, who co-wrote it with Sergio Donati, based on a story by Dario Argento, Bernardo Bertolucci and Leone. It stars Henry Fonda, playing against t ...

'' (1968), ''

Tora! Tora! Tora! ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' () is a 1970 epic war film that dramatizes the events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, from both American and Japanese positions. The film was produced by Elmo Williams and directed by Richard F ...

'' (1970), '' Parenthood'' (1989), ''

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

'' (1993), '' Enemy of the State'' (1998), and ''

Magnolia ''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendr ...

'' (1999). On television, Robards won the

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding pe ...

for his performance as Henry Drummond in the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

television adaptation '' Inherit the Wind'' (1988). His other Emmy-nominated roles were in ''Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1964), ''

'' (1975), '' Washington: Behind Closed Doors'' (1977), and ''F.D.R.: The Last Year'' (1980).

Early life

Family

Robards was born July 26, 1922, in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, the son of actor Jason Robards Sr. and Hope Maxine Robards (née Glanville). He was of German, English, Welsh, Irish, and Swedish descent. 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 of

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

s, 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 at

Hollywood High School Hollywood High School is a four-year public secondary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, located at the intersection of North Highland Avenue and West Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. His ...

in Los Angeles. Although his prowess in sports attracted interest from several universities, Robards decided to enlist in the United States Navy upon his graduation in 1940.

Naval service

Following the completion of recruit training and radio school, Robards was assigned to the

heavy cruiser A heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range and high speed, armed generally with naval guns of roughly 203 mm (8 inches) in calibre, whose design parameters were dictated by the Washington Naval Treat ...

in 1941 as a radioman 3rd class. On

December 7, 1941 The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. At the time ...

, ''Northampton'' was at sea in the Pacific Ocean about off Hawaii. Contrary to some stories, he did not see the devastation of the Japanese attack on Hawaii until ''Northampton'' returned to

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Reci ...

two days later. ''Northampton'' was later directed into the

Guadalcanal campaign The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by the United States, was an Allies of World War II, Allied offensive against forces of the Empire of Japan in the Solomon Islands during th ...

in World War II's Pacific theater, where she participated in the

Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, fought during 25–27 October 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or Third Battle of Solomon Sea, in Japan as the Battle of the South Pacific ( ''Minamitaiheiyō kaisen''), was the fourt ...

. During the

Battle of Tassafaronga The Battle of Tassafaronga, sometimes referred to as the Fourth Battle of Savo Island or in Japanese sources as the , was a nighttime naval battle that took place on 30 November 1942 between United States Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy warships ...

in the waters north of Guadalcanal on the night of November 30, 1942, ''Northampton'' was sunk by hits from two Japanese

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...

es. Robards found himself treading water until near daybreak, when he was rescued by an American

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...

. For its service in the war, ''Northampton'' was awarded six battle stars. Two years later, in November 1944, Robards was radioman aboard the

light cruiser A light cruiser is a type of small or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck. Prior to thi ...

, the

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

for the invasion of Mindoro in the northern

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. On December 13, she was struck by a

kamikaze , officially , were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, intending to d ...

aircraft off

Negros Island Negros (, , ) is the fourth largest and third most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of . The coastal zone of the southern part of Negros is identified as a site of highest marine biodiversity importance in the Coral T ...

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 the

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, officially Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF), is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres (0.7 km2) on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington in uninterrupted ...

Bremerton, Washington Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, Kitsap County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. The population was 43,505 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and an estimated 44,122 in 2021, making it the largest city ...

, for repairs. Robards served honorably during the war, but was not a recipient of the U.S.

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

, contrary to what has been reported in numerous sources. The inaccurate story derives from a 1979 column by Hy Gardner. Aboard ''Nashville'', Robards first found a copy of Eugene O'Neill's play ''

Strange Interlude ''Strange Interlude'' is an experimental play in nine acts by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. It won the 1928 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. ''Strange Interlude'' is one of the few modern plays to make extensive use of a soliloquy technique, in ...

'' in the ship's library.''

The New York Times Magazine ''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors. The magazi ...

'', January 20, 1974Black, Steven A., ''et al.'' (editors) (2002). ''Jason Robards Remembered – Essays and Recollections''. McFarland & Co., Jefferson, North Carolina. . Also while in the Navy, he first started thinking seriously about becoming an actor. He had emceed for a Navy band in Pearl Harbor, got a few laughs, and decided he liked it. His father suggested he enroll in the

American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a Private college, private drama school with two locations, one in New York City and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related ...

(AADA) in New York City, from which he graduated in 1948. Robards left the Navy in 1946 as a

Petty officer first class Petty officer first class (PO1) is a rank found in some navies and maritime organizations. Canada Petty officer, 1st class, PO1, is a Naval non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Forces. It is senior to the rank of petty officer 2nd-cla ...

. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal of the Navy, the

American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal was a United States service medals of the World Wars, military award of the United States Armed Forces, established by , by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on June 28, 1941. The medal was intended to recogniz ...

, the

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had per ...

, the

Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal was a United States military award of the Second World War, which was awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945. The medal was create ...

, and the

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal was a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. Histo ...

Career

1947–1961: Theatre debut and breakthrough

Maureen Stapleton Jason Robards Seven Lively Arts 1958

Robards moved to New York City and began working on radio and stage. His first role was the 1947 short film ''Follow That Music''. He made his Broadway debut in the popular hit ''

Stalag 17 ''Stalag 17'' is a 1953 American war film directed by Billy Wilder. It tells the story of a group of American airmen confined with 40,000 prisoners in a World War II German prisoner-of-war camp "somewhere on the Danube". Their compound holds ...

'', joining the cast during its run; Robards also worked as an assistant stage manager. In 1953 he appeared in ''American Gothic'' directed by Jose Quintero. Robards also began getting roles in some television dramas, such as episodes of ''The 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'' and ''Goodyear Playhouse''. Robards' big break was landing the starring role in José Quintero's 1956

off Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

theatre revival production - and the later 1960 television film - of O'Neill's '' The Iceman Cometh'', portraying the philosophical salesman Hickey; he won an

Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...

for his stage performance. He later portrayed Hickey again in another 1985

revival also staged by Quintero. Robards originated the role of Jamie Tyrone Jr. in the original Broadway production of O'Neill's

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

- and

-winning ''

'' (1956), which was also directed by Quintero and ran for 390 performances. Robards appeared alongside

Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, page 95. As ...

Florence Eldridge Florence Eldridge (born Florence McKechnie, September 5, 1901 – August 1, 1988) was an American actress. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play in 1957 for her performance in '' Long Day's Journey into Night''. E ...

and Bradfor Dillman. Robards earned the

for his performance and was also nominated for the

Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play The Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actors for quality supporting roles in a Broadway theatre, Broa ...

. Robards continued to be busy on television, guest starring in ''The Alcoa Hour'', ''Seven Lively Arts'', ''Studio One'' and ''Omnibus''. After his Broadway success, Robards was invited to make his feature film debut in the

Anatole Litvak Anatoly Mikhailovich Litvak (10 May 1902 – 15 December 1974), commonly known as Anatole Litvak, was a Russian-American filmmaker. Born to Jewish parents in Kiev, he began his theatrical training at age 13 in Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg, ...

directed drama '' The Journey'' (1959) starring

Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner (), was a Russian-born actor. He was known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical ''The King and I'' (19 ...

and

Deborah Kerr Deborah Jane Trimmer CBE (30 September 192116 October 2007), known professionally as Deborah Kerr (), was a Scottish actress. She was nominated six times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the first person from Scotland to be no ...

. He returned to Broadway acting in

's play '' The Disenchanted'', winning the

. It only had a short run but the

Lillian Hellman Lillian Florence Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American playwright, Prose, prose writer, Memoir, memoirist, and screenwriter known for her success on Broadway as well as her communist views and political activism. She was black ...

play '' Toys in the Attic'' (1960), where Robards acted opposite

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 ...

and

Irene Worth Irene Worth, CBE (June 23, 1916March 10, 2002), born Harriett Elizabeth Abrams, was an American stage and screen actress who became one of the leading stars of the British and American theatre. She pronounced her first name with three syllabl ...

, ran 456 performances. For the role he was nominated for the

. Robards starred in the TV version of ''

For Whom the Bell Tolls ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a dynamiter, he is assigned ...

'' for ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...

'', ''Billy Budd'' for ''

The Dupont Show of the Month ''DuPont Show of the Month'' was a 90-minute television anthology series that aired monthly on CBS from 1957 to 1961. The DuPont Company also sponsored a weekly half-hour dramatic anthology series hosted by June Allyson, ''The DuPont Show with Ju ...

'', ''A Doll's House'', and '' The Iceman Cometh''. In 1961 Robards starred in '' Big Fish, Little Fish'' by Hugh Wheeler directed by John Gielgud. This was followed by the enormously popular Broadway hit '' A Thousand Clowns'' (1962–63) by Herb Gardner. In Hollywood Robarts appeared in two flop films, '' By Love Possessed'' (1961) and ''

Tender is the Night ''Tender Is the Night'' is the fourth and final novel completed by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the French Riviera during the twilight of the Jazz Age, the 1934 novel chronicles the rise and fall of Dick Diver, a promising young ...

'' (1962).

1962–1980: Film stardom and acclaim

He became a familiar face to movie audiences throughout the 1960s. He repeated his role in ''Long Day's Journey into Night'' in the 1962 film and played playwright George S. Kaufman in the film '' Act One'' (1963) based on the

Moss Hart Moss Hart (October 24, 1904 – December 20, 1961) was an American playwright, librettist, and theater director. Early years Hart was born in New York City, the son of Lillian (Solomon) and Barnett Hart, a cigar maker. He had a younger brother ...

play of the same name. In the latter Robards acted alongside George Hamilton,

George Segal George Segal Jr. (February 13, 1934 – March 23, 2021) was an American actor. He became popular in the 1960s and 1970s for playing both dramatic and comedic roles. After first rising to prominence with roles in acclaimed films such as '' Ship o ...

Jack Klugman Jack Klugman (April 27, 1922 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. He began his career in 1949 and started television and film work with roles in ''12 Angry Men (1957 film), 12 Angry Men'' (1957) and ...

and

Eli Wallach Eli Herschel Wallach ( ; December 7, 1915 – June 24, 2014) was an American film, television, and stage actor from New York City. Known for his character actor roles, his entertainment career spanned over six decades. He received a British Aca ...

. Robards returned to Broadway to appear in two plays directed by Elia Kazan, Arthur Miller's '' After the Fall'' (1964) and S.N. Behrman's ''But For Whom Charlie'' (1964). Roberts was also in Eugene O'Neil's '' Hughie'' (1964) directed by Quintero In films, Robards played '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1964) for television and Murray Burns in the comedy-drama '' A Thousand Clowns'' (1965) repeating his stage performance, for which he was nominated for the

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershi ...

. He was in two episodes of ''

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre ''Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre'' is an American anthology series, sponsored by Chrysler, which ran on NBC from 1963 through 1967. The show was hosted by Bob Hope, but it had a variety of formats, including musical, dramatic, and comed ...

'' including an adaptation of ''

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich ''One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich'' (, ) is a short novel by the Russian writer and Nobel laureate Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, first published in November 1962 in the Soviet literary magazine ''Novy Mir'' (''New World'').Big Hand for the Little Lady'' (1966), a comedy Western, and '' Any Wednesday'' (1966), an adaptation of a popular Broadway hit. Robards did ''

Noon Wine ''Noon Wine'' is a 1937 short novel by American author Katherine Anne Porter. It initially appeared in a limited numbered edition of 250, all signed by the author and published by Shuman's. It later appeared in 1939 as part of '' Pale Horse, Pa ...

'' (1966) for

Sam Peckinpah David Samuel Peckinpah (; February 21, 1925 – December 28, 1984) was an American film director and screenwriter. His 1969 Western epic '' The Wild Bunch'' received two Academy Award nominations and was ranked No. 80 on the American Film Instit ...

on television, the film that revived Peckinpah's career. On Broadway he was in '' The Devils'' (1966), which only had a short run. In 1967 Robards portrayed

Doc Holliday John Henry Holliday (August 14, 1851 – November 8, 1887), better known as Doc Holliday, was an American dentistry, dentist, gambling, gambler, and gunfighter who was a close friend and associate of Sheriff, lawman Wyatt Earp. Holliday is b ...

in the western film ''

Hour of the Gun ''Hour of the Gun'' is a 1967 Western film depicting Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday during their 1881 battles against Ike Clanton and his brothers in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and the gunfight's aftermath in and around Tombstone, Arizona. ...

'' and played

Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone ( ; ; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American organized crime, gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-foun ...

in '' The St. Valentine's Day Massacre''. That same year he acted in '' Divorce American Style'' acting alongside

Dick Van Dyke Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an American actor, entertainer and comedian. Dick Van Dyke on screen and stage, His work spans screen and stage, and List of awards and nominations received by Dick Van Dyke, his awards includ ...

Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer and entrepreneur. Her acting career spanned almost 70 years. Reynolds performed on stage and television and in films into her 80s. She was nom ...

Van Johnson Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916 – December 12, 2008) was an American actor and dancer. He had a prolific career in film, television, theatre and radio, which spanned over 50 years, from 1940 to 1992. He was a major star at Metr ...

, and

Jean Simmons Jean Merilyn Simmons (31 January 1929 – 22 January 2010) was a British actress and singer. One of J. Arthur Rank's "well-spoken young starlets", she appeared predominantly in films, beginning with those made in Britain during and after the ...

. The following year he played Manuel "Cheyenne" Gutiérrez in the

Sergio Leone Sergio Leone ( ; ; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian filmmaker, credited as the pioneer of the spaghetti Western genre. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema. Leone's film-making style ...

western film ''

'' (1968). He acted opposite

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor whose career spanned five decades on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in Hollywood. On screen and stage, he often portrayed characters who embodied an everyman image. Bo ...

Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. He was known for his roles in action films and his "granite features and brawny physique". Bronson was born into extreme poverty in ...

, and

Claudia Cardinale Claude Joséphine Rose Cardinale (; born 15 April 1938), known as Claudia Cardinale (), is an Italian actress. Born and raised in La Goulette, a neighbourhood of Tunis, Cardinale won the "Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia" competition ...

. That year he also acted in the

William Friedkin William David Friedkin (; August 29, 1935 – August 7, 2023) was an American film, television and opera director, producer, and screenwriter who was closely identified with the "New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in doc ...

directed musical comedy ''

The Night They Raided Minsky's ''The Night They Raided Minsky's'' is a 1968 American musical comedy film written and produced by Norman Lear, with music and lyrics by the duo of Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, and directed by William Friedkin. Based on a 1960 novel by Rowla ...

'' (1968) and the biographical drama ''

Isadora Isidora or Isadora is a female given name of Greek origin, derived from Ἰσίδωρος, ''Isídōros'' (a compound of Ἶσις, ''Ísis'', and δῶρον, ''dōron'': "gift of he goddessIsis"). The male equivalent is Isidore. The name surviv ...

''. Robards did ''The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' for television and on Broadway Robards was in '' We Bombed in New Haven'' (1968) a play by Joseph Heller. Robards acted in the 1970 film ''

'', a depiction of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, that led the United States into World War II. Robards played Brutus in ''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...

'' (1970) opposite Charlton Heston, did '' Rosolino Paternò, soldato...'' (1970) in Italy and played the lead in '' The Ballad of Cable Hogue'' (1970) for Peckinpah. Robards starred in '' Fools'' (1970), ''

Johnny Got His Gun ''Johnny Got His Gun'' is an anti-war novel written in 1938 by American novelist Dalton Trumbo and published in September 1939 by J. B. Lippincott. The novel won one of the early National Book Awards: the Most Original Book of 1939. A 1971 f ...

'' (1971), '' Murders in the Rue Morgue'' (1971) for AIP, and '' The War Between Men and Women'' (1972). On television he did '' The House Without a Christmas Tree'' (1972), '' The Thanksgiving Treasure'' and ''Old Faithful'' (1973). Robards continued to appear on Broadway in revivals such as ''The Country Girl'' (1972) and ''

'' (1973). He repeated his performance in ''Moon'' for television in 1975. Robards had a small role in Peckinpah's '' Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid'' (1973). He was also in '' A Boy and His Dog'' (1975), '' The Easter Promise'' (1975), '' Mr. Sycamore'' (1975), and '' Addie and the King of Hearts'' (1976). Robards appeared in two dramatizations based on the

Watergate scandal The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the Presidency of Richard Nixon, administration of President Richard Nixon. The scandal began in 1972 and ultimately led to Resignation of Richard Nixon, Nix ...

; in 1976, he portrayed ''

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' executive editor

in the film ''

'', based on the book by

Carl Bernstein Carl Milton Bernstein ( ; born February 14, 1944) is an American investigative journalist and author. While a young reporter for ''The Washington Post'' in 1972, Bernstein was teamed up with Bob Woodward, and the two did much of the original ne ...

and

Bob Woodward Robert Upshur Woodward (born March 26, 1943) is an American investigative journalist. He started working for ''The Washington Post'' as a reporter in 1971 and now holds the honorific title of associate editor though the Post no longer employs ...

. He won the

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...

, denying ''Network'' a chance to sweep all four acting categories (something only

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...

had done previously). The next year, he played fictional president Richard Monckton (based on

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

) in the 1977 television miniseries '' Washington: Behind Closed Doors'', based on

John Ehrlichman John Daniel Ehrlichman (; March 20, 1925 – February 14, 1999) was an American political aide who served as White House Counsel and Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon. Ehrlichman was an important infl ...

's ''

roman à clef A ''roman à clef'' ( ; ; ) is a novel about real-life events that is overlaid with a façade of fiction. The fictitious names in the novel represent real people and the "key" is the relationship between the non-fiction and the fiction. This m ...

'' '' The Company''. Robards was reunited with O'Neill and Quintero for ''

'' on stage in 1977. He was alson in '' The Spy Who Never Was'' (1977), '' Julia'' (1977), ''

Comes a Horseman ''Comes a Horseman'' is a 1978 American Western drama film starring Jane Fonda, James Caan, Jason Robards, and Richard Farnsworth, directed by Alan J. Pakula. Set in the American West of the 1940s but not a typical Western, it tells the sto ...

'' (1978), '' A Christmas to Remember'' (1978), ''

Hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its ...

'' (1979), '' Cabo Blanco'' (1980), '' Haywire'' (1980) (as

Leland Hayward Leland Hayward (September 13, 1902 – March 18, 1971) was an American talent agent and theatrical producer. He was an agent to about 150 artists in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood, and produced the original Broadway theatre, Broadway st ...

, '' F.D.R.: The Last Year'' (1980), '' Raise the Titanic'' (1980), ''

'' (1980) (as

), and '' The Legend of the Lone Ranger'' (1981). On stage, Robards was in ''Hughie'' (1981). Robard's performance in ''Melvin and Howard'' earned him another Oscar nomination.

1981–1999: Established actor and final roles

Robards had lead roles in '' Max Dugan Returns'' (1983) by

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 ...

and '' Something Wicked This Way Comes'' (1983) from the novel by

Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury ( ; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, Horror fiction, horr ...

. He played Dr. Russell Oakes in the 1983 television film ''

The Day After ''The Day After'' is a 1983 American television film directed by Nicholas Meyer. The war film postulates a fictional conflict between NATO and the Warsaw Pact over Germany that rapidly escalates into a full-scale nuclear exchange between the ...

''. In 1983 Robards appeared in a popular Broadway revival of ''You Can't Take It with You (play), You Can't Take It With You'', a 1985 revival of ''The Iceman Cometh'' with Quintero and ''A Month of Sundays'' (1987) directed by Gene Saks. Robards appeared in the lead role of James Tyrone Sr., in a 1988 production of ''Long Day's Journey into Night'' directed by Quintero. For television Robards did ''Sakharov (film), Sakharov'' (1984), ''The Atlanta Child Murders (miniseries), The Atlanta Child Murders'' (1984), ''The Long Hot Summer (1985 film), The Long Hot Summer'' (1985), ''Johnny Bull'' (1986), ''The Last Frontier (miniseries), The Last Frontier'' (1986), ''Laguna Heat'' (1987), ''Breaking Home Ties'' (1987), '' Inherit the Wind'' (1988) and ''The Christmas Wife'' (1988). For films he made ''Square Dance (film), Square Dance'' (1987), ''Bright Lights, Big City (film), Bright Lights, Big City'' (1988), and ''The Good Mother (1988 film), The Good Mother'' (1988). Robards also appeared onstage in a revival of O'Neill's ''Ah, Wilderness!'' (1988) directed by Arvin Brown, ''Love Letters'' (1990) with Colleen Dewhurst, ''Park Your Car in Harvard Yard'' (1991) by Israel Horovitz, as well as Harold Pinter's ''No Man's Land (play), No Man's Land'' (1994). In 1989 he acted in the Ron Howard directed comedy-drama '' Parenthood'' starring Steve Martin and Dianne Wiest and the British drama ''Reunion (1989 film), Reunion'' with a screenplay by Harold Pinter. That year he also acted in the comedy ''Dream a Little Dream (film), Dream a Little Dream'' and the psychological thriller ''Black Rainbow''. The following year he acted in the crime comedy ''Quick Change'' starring Bill Murray, Geena Davis, and Randy Quaid. On TV he did ''The Perfect Tribute'' (1991), ''Chernobyl: The Final Warning'' (1991), ''An Inconvenient Woman'' (1991), ''Mark Twain and Me'' (1991), and ''Heidi'' (1993). For films Robards was in ''Storyville (film), Storyville'' (1992), ''The Adventures of Huck Finn'' (1992) and in 1993 he acted in Harold Pinter's British legal film ''The Trial (1993 film), The Trial'' opposite Kyle MacLachlan and Anthony Hopkins and the AIDS legal drama ''

'' starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. Robards portrayed three presidents in films. He played Abraham Lincoln in the television films ''Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1964) and ''The Perfect Tribute'' (1991), and supplied the voice for the 1992 television documentary miniseries ''Lincoln''. He also played the role of Ulysses S. Grant in '' The Legend of the Lone Ranger'' (1981) and supplied the Union General's voice in the PBS miniseries ''The Civil War (miniseries), The Civil War'' (1990). He also played Franklin D. Roosevelt in F.D.R.: The Last Year (1980). Robards appeared in the documentary ''Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio'' (1992). Robards appeared in ''The Roots of Roe'' (1993), ''The Paper (film), The Paper'' (1994), ''Little Big League'' (1994), ''The Enemy Within'' (1994), ''My Antonia (film), My Antonia'' (1995), ''Crimson Tide (film), Crimson Tide'' (1995), ''Journey'' (1995), ''A Thousand Acres (film), A Thousand Acres'' (1997), ''Heartwood (film), Heartwood'' (1998), ''The Real Macaw (film), The Real Macaw'' (1998), and ''Beloved (1998 film), Beloved'' (1998) In 1995 Robards appeared on stage in ''Molly Sweeney''. He played a Member of Congress, congressman in Tony Scott's political thriller '' Enemy of the State'' starring Will Smith (1998). In his final film role, he played a cancer patient in the Paul Thomas Anderson directed drama ''

'' (1999). His last TV appearance was in ''Going Home'' (2000).

Personal life

Marriages and family

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 actress Lauren Bacall, his third wife, to whom he was married from 1961 to 1969, had a son, actor Sam Robards. Robards and Bacall divorced in part due to his alcoholism. Robards had two more children with his fourth wife, Lois O'Connor, and they remained married until his death.

Health problems and 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. Robards overcame his addiction and went on to publicly campaign for alcoholism awareness. Robards was an American Civil War buff and scholar, an interest which informed his portrayal of the voice of Ulysses S. Grant in ''The Civil War (miniseries), The Civil War'' series by filmmaker Ken Burns. Robards was a resident of the Southport, Connecticut, Southport section of Fairfield, Connecticut. He died of lung cancer in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on December 26, 2000. His remains were buried at Oak Lawn Cemetery (Fairfield, Connecticut), Oak Lawn Cemetery in Fairfield.

Acting credits

Film

Television

Theatre

Source:

Awards, honors, and legacy

Robards received eight Tony Award nominations, more than any other male actor . He won the Tony for Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for his work in '' The Disenchanted'' (1959); this was also his only stage appearance with his father. He received the

in consecutive years: for ''

'' (1976), portraying ''Washington Post'' editor Ben Bradlee, and for '' Julia'' (1977), portraying writer

. He was also nominated for another Academy Award for his role as

in ''

'' (1980). Robards received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his role in the television film '' Inherit the Wind'' (1988). In 1997, Robards received the U.S.

, 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 the

, an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. In 2000, Robards received the first Monte Cristo Award, presented by the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, and named after O'Neill's home. Subsequent recipients have included Edward Albee, Kevin Spacey, Wendy Wasserstein, and Christopher Plummer. Robards narrated the public radio documentary, ''Schizophrenia: Voices of an Illness'', produced by Lichtenstein Creative Media, which was awarded a 1994 George Foster Peabody Award for Excellence in Broadcasting. According to ''Time'', Robards offered to narrate the schizophrenia program, saying that his first wife had been institutionalized for that illness. Robards is in the American Theater Hall of Fame, inducted in 1979. The Jason Robards Award was created by the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City in his honor and his relationship with the theater.

Military awards

References

External links

* * * * *
archive

''Jason Robards''
su Encyclopædia Britannica, ''Enciclopedia Britannica'', Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc
''Jason Robards''
su ''Discogs'', Zink Media. *
Jason Robards
', su ''MusicBrainz'', MetaBrainz Foundation *
Jason Robards
', su ''Mymovies.it, MYmovies.it'' Mo-Net Srl
''Jason Robards''
su ''Rotten Tomatoes'', Flixster Inc {{DEFAULTSORT:Robards, Jason 1922 births 2000 deaths 20th-century American male actors Actors from Fairfield, Connecticut American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors American people of English descent American people of German descent American people of Irish descent American people of Swedish descent American people of Welsh descent Audiobook narrators Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor winners Deaths from lung cancer in Connecticut Kennedy Center honorees Male actors from Chicago Male actors from Los Angeles Male actors from New York (state) Male Spaghetti Western actors Male Western (genre) film actors Military personnel from California Obie Award recipients Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Southport, Connecticut Shipwreck survivors Tony Award winners United States National Medal of Arts recipients United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy sailors