Jason Robards

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. 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, a Tony Award, and an Emmy Award. He was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1979, earned the National Medal of Arts in 1997, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 1999.

Robards started his career in theatre, making his Broadway debut playing James Tyrone Jr. in the 1956 revival of the Eugene O'Neill play '' Long Day's Journey into Night'' earning a Theatre World Award. He earned the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role in the Budd Schulberg 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'' (1973), and '' A Touch of the Poet'' (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 in '' All the President's Men'' (1976), and Dashiell Hammett in '' Julia'' (1977). He was Oscar-nominated for playing Howard Hughes in '' Melvin and Howard'' (1980). His other notable films include '' Long 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), and '' Magnolia'' (1999).

On television, Robards won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his performance as Henry Drummond in the NBC television adaptation '' Inherit the Wind'' (1988). His other Emmy-nominated roles were in ''Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1964), '' A Moon for the Misbegotten'' (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, 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 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 at Hollywood High School 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 in 1941 as a radioman 3rd class. On December 7, 1941, ''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 two days later. ''Northampton'' was later directed into the Guadalcanal campaign in World War II's Pacific theater, where she participated in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands.

During the Battle of Tassafaronga in the waters north of Guadalcanal on the night of November 30, 1942, ''Northampton'' was sunk by hits from two Japanese torpedoes. Robards found himself treading water until near daybreak, when he was rescued by an American destroyer. 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 , the flagship for the invasion of Mindoro in the northern Philippines. On December 13, she was struck by a kamikaze aircraft off Negros 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 the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, for repairs.

Robards served honorably during the war, but was not a recipient of the U.S. Navy Cross, 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'' in the ship's library.''The New York Times Magazine'', 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 (AADA) in New York City, from which he graduated in 1948. Robards left the Navy in 1946 as a Petty officer first class. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal of the Navy, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

Career

1947–1961: Theatre debut and breakthrough

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'', 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 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 for his stage performance. He later portrayed Hickey again in another 1985 Broadway revival also staged by Quintero.

Robards originated the role of Jamie Tyrone Jr. in the original Broadway production of O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning '' Long Day's Journey into Night'' (1956), which was also directed by Quintero and ran for 390 performances. Robards appeared alongside Fredric March, Florence Eldridge and Bradfor Dillman. Robards earned the Theatre World Award for his performance and was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

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 directed drama '' The Journey'' (1959) starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr.

He returned to Broadway acting in Budd Schulberg's play '' The Disenchanted'', winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. It only had a short run but the Lillian Hellman play '' Toys in the Attic'' (1960), where Robards acted opposite Maureen Stapleton and Irene Worth, ran 456 performances. For the role he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.

Robards starred in the TV version of '' For Whom the Bell Tolls'' for ''Playhouse 90'', ''Billy Budd'' for '' The Dupont Show of the Month'', ''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'' (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 play of the same name. In the latter Robards acted alongside George Hamilton, George Segal, Jack Klugman and Eli Wallach.

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. He was in two episodes of '' Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre'' including an adaptation of '' One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich''.

His films included '' 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'' (1966) for Sam Peckinpah 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 in the western film '' Hour of the Gun'' and played Al Capone in '' The St. Valentine's Day Massacre''. That same year he acted in '' Divorce American Style'' acting alongside Dick Van Dyke, Debbie Reynolds, Van Johnson, and Jean Simmons.

The following year he played Manuel "Cheyenne" Gutiérrez in the Sergio Leone western film '' Once Upon a Time in the West'' (1968). He acted opposite Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, and Claudia Cardinale. That year he also acted in the William Friedkin directed musical comedy '' The Night They Raided Minsky's'' (1968) and the biographical drama '' Isadora''.

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 '' Tora! Tora! Tora!'', 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'' (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'' (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 '' A Moon for the Misbegotten'' (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; in 1976, he portrayed ''Washington Post'' executive editor Ben Bradlee in the film '' All the President's Men'', based on the book by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, denying ''Network'' a chance to sweep all four acting categories (something only Humphrey Bogart had done previously). The next year, he played fictional president Richard Monckton (based on Richard Nixon) in the 1977 television miniseries '' Washington: Behind Closed Doors'', based on John Ehrlichman's ''roman à clef'' '' The Company''.

Robards was reunited with O'Neill and Quintero for '' A Touch of the Poet'' on stage in 1977. He was alson in '' The Spy Who Never Was'' (1977), '' Julia'' (1977), '' Comes a Horseman'' (1978), '' A Christmas to Remember'' (1978), ''Hurricane'' (1979), '' Cabo Blanco'' (1980), '' Haywire'' (1980) (as Leland Hayward, '' F.D.R.: The Last Year'' (1980), '' Raise the Titanic'' (1980), '' Melvin and Howard'' (1980) (as Howard Hughes), 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 and '' Something Wicked This Way Comes'' (1983) from the novel by Ray Bradbury. He played Dr. Russell Oakes in the 1983 television film '' The Day After''.

In 1983 Robards appeared in a popular Broadway revival of '' 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'' (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) and '' The Christmas Wife'' (1988). For films he made ''Square Dance'' (1987), '' Bright Lights, Big City'' (1988), and '' 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'' (1994).

In 1989 he acted in the Ron Howard directed comedy-drama '' Parenthood'' starring Steve Martin and Dianne Wiest and the British drama '' Reunion'' with a screenplay by Harold Pinter. That year he also acted in the comedy '' 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'' (1992), ''The Adventures of Huck Finn'' (1992) and in 1993 he acted in Harold Pinter's British legal film '' The Trial'' opposite Kyle MacLachlan and Anthony Hopkins and the AIDS legal drama ''Philadelphia'' 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'' (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'' (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), and '' Beloved'' (1998) In 1995 Robards appeared on stage in '' Molly Sweeney''. He played a 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 '' Magnolia'' (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'' series by filmmaker Ken Burns.

Robards was a resident of the 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 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 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 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in consecutive years: for '' All the President's Men'' (1976), portraying ''Washington Post'' editor Ben Bradlee, and for '' Julia'' (1977), portraying writer Dashiell Hammett. He was also nominated for another Academy Award for his role as Howard Hughes in '' Melvin and Howard'' (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. 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 the Kennedy Center Honors, 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

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''Jason Robards''
su ''Enciclopedia Britannica'', Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc

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Jason Robards
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''Jason Robards''
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{{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