Broadway and film actor Tony Roberts, known for Woody Allen movies, dies at 85

NEW YORK (AP) — Tony Roberts, a versatile, Tony Award-nominated performer who besides appeared successful respective Woody Allen films — often arsenic Allen’s champion person — has died. He was 85.

Roberts’ death was announced to The New York Times by his daughter, Nicole Burley.

Roberts had a genial signifier property cleanable for philharmonic drama and helium originated roles successful specified divers Broadway musicals arsenic “How Now, Dow Jones” (1967); “Sugar” (1972), an adaptation of the movie “Some Like It Hot,” and “Victor/Victoria” (1995), successful which helium co-starred with Julie Andrews erstwhile she returned to Broadway successful the signifier mentation of her fashionable film. He besides was successful the campy, roller-disco “Xanadu” successful 2007 and “The Royal Family” successful 2009.

“I’ve ne'er been peculiarly fortunate astatine paper games. I’ve ne'er deed a jackpot. But I person been highly fortunate successful life,” helium constitute successful his memoir, “Do You Know Me?” “Unlike galore of my pals, who didn’t cognize what they wanted to go erstwhile they grew up, I knew I wanted to beryllium an histrion earlier I got to precocious school.”

Roberts besides appeared connected Broadway successful the 1966 Woody Allen drama “Don’t Drink the Water,” repeating his relation successful the movie version, and successful Allen’s “Play It Again, Sam” (1969), for which helium besides made the movie.

Other Allen films successful which Roberts appeared were “Annie Hall” (1977), “Stardust Memories” (1980), “A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy” (1982), “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986) and “Radio Days” (1987).

In Eric Lax’s publication “Woody Allen: A Biography,” Roberts recalled a analyzable country successful “A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy” that Allen changeable implicit and implicit — adjacent aft the movie had been edited — to get his intended effect.

“When you spell backmost to spot (Allen’s work) two, three, 4 times, you statesman to spot the astonishing magnitude of creation successful it, that thing is accidental,” Roberts said.

Among his different movies were “Serpico” (1973) and “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” (1974).

He was nominated doubly for a Tony Award — for “How Now, Dow Jones” and “Play It Again, Sam,” erstwhile helium was billed arsenic Anthony Roberts.

One of Roberts’ biggest Broadway successes was Charles Busch’s deed drama “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife” (2000), successful which helium played the rubric character’s husband.

Roberts, who made his Broadway debut successful 1962 successful the short-lived “Something About a Soldier,” besides was a replacement successful immoderate of its longest-running hits including “Barefoot successful the Park,” “Promises, “Promises,” “They’re Playing Our Song,” “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway,” “The Sisters Rosensweig” and the 1998 Roundabout Theatre Company revival of “Cabaret.”

“I was fortunate capable to get successful connected the past years of the Golden Age of Broadway. In that epoch determination was a batch much going connected that seemed to person precocious prime astir it and large conviction,” he told Broadway World successful 2015.

In London, helium starred with Betty Buckley successful the West End accumulation of “Promises, Promises,” playing the Jack Lemmon relation successful this signifier mentation of “The Apartment.”

Roberts’ tv credits see the short-lived bid “The Four Seasons” (1984) and “The Lucie Arnaz Show” (1985) arsenic good arsenic impermanent spots connected specified well-known shows arsenic “Murder, She Wrote” and “Law & Order.”

Tony Roberts attends the screening for “It Takes a Lunatic” during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival astatine the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, May 3, 2019, successful New York. (Photo by Brent N. Clarke/Invision/AP, File)

Roberts was calved successful New York connected Oct. 22, 1939, the lad of vigor and tv announced Ken Roberts.

“I was raised successful the mediate of a batch of histrion talk,” helium told the AP successful 1985. “My relative was Everett Sloane, who was a precise good actor. My father’s friends were mostly actors. I’m definite that successful immoderate mode I needed to beryllium myself successful their eyes.”

He attended the High School of Music and Art successful New York and graduated from Northwestern University successful Illinois.

His matrimony to Jennifer Lyons ended successful divorce. He is survived by his daughter, the histrion Nicole Burley.

He archetypal met Allen backstage erstwhile helium was starring successful “Barefoot successful the Park,” having replaced Robert Redford. Roberts had unsuccessfully auditioned 4 times for Allen’s archetypal Broadway play, “Don’t Drink the Water.”

Seeing Roberts execute successful “Barefoot successful the Park” convinced Allen that Roberts was worthy casting. According to his memoir, Allen told him, “You were great. How travel you’re specified a lousy auditioner?”