Tony Roberts
Roberts (far right), with Squire Fridell and Julie Cobb, 1977.
Born	David Anthony Roberts (1939-10-22) October 22, 1939 (age 77) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1962–present
Spouse(s)	Jennifer Lyons (m. 1969; div. 1975)
Children	1

David Anthony “Tony” Roberts (born October 22, 1939) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in several Woody Allen movies, most notably Annie Hall, usually cast as Allen’s best friend.

Early life

Roberts was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of Norma (née Finkelstein), an animator, and CBS radio announcer Ken Roberts.[1][2] His family is Jewish.[3][4][5] He had a sister, Nancy, and is the cousin of late actor Everett Sloane.[6] Roberts attended The High School of Music & Art[7] and Northwestern University, and made his Broadway debut in 1962, with a role in the play Something About a Soldier.

Career

Film

Roberts is best known for his collaborations with Woody Allen. In Annie Hall, he portrayed Alvy Singer’s best friend Rob. Other Allen films and/or plays in which he has appeared include both the Broadway and film versions of Play It Again, Sam (directed by Herbert Ross), Radio Days (in which his father had a voice role), Stardust Memories, Hannah and Her Sisters, A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy, and Woody Allen’s segment for The Concert for New York City.

Roberts memorably portrayed the badgering Deputy Mayor Warren LaSalle in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. He also appeared in the Sidney Lumet films Serpico and Just Tell Me What You Want. Roberts was in the 1983 horror film Amityville 3-D portraying John Baxter, the owner of the infamous possessed house.

Roberts was featured in 2014’s The Longest Week opposite Jason Bateman.

Theater

Roberts’ Broadway credits include Barefoot in the Park; How Now, Dow Jones; Murder at the Howard Johnson’s; Promises, Promises; Sugar (the musical version of the movie Some Like It Hot); The Sisters Rosensweig; They’re Playing Our Song; Victor/Victoria; The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife; and Cabaret. In 1998 Roberts played the role of “Buddy Plummer” in Stephen Sondheim’s Follies at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. In May 2007, Roberts returned to Broadway in the roller-disco rock musical Xanadu.

Television and Radio

On television he has appeared in numerous series such as The Carol Burnett Show, Matlock, and Law & Order. In 1977, he starred in the short-lived series Rosetti and Ryan with Squire Fridell. In 1978 he guest starred on The Love Boat where he and Lauren Tewes’ character, cruise ship director Julie McCoy, fell in love but didn’t pursue a relationship. (Roberts’ character, a widowed father of two girls, eventually married someone else, much to Julie’s bitter regret). On radio he was a regular performer on the CBS Radio Mystery Theater. Roberts also provides the narration on many, if not all, of the audio books in the Stone Barrington novels written by Stuart Woods.

Stage

The Royal Family – [Play, Comedy, Revival] –   Oct 08, 2009 – Dec 13, 2009
Xanadu – [Musical, Fantasy, Original] –    Jul 10, 2007 – Sep 28, 2008
Barefoot in the Park – [Play, Comedy, Revival]   Feb 16, 2006 – May 21, 2006
The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife – [Play, Comedy, Original]  –  Nov 02, 2000 – Sep 15, 2002
Cabaret – [Musical, Drama, Revival] – (Sep 22, 2003 – Jan 04, 2004)
Victor / Victoria – [Musical, Comedy, Original] – Oct 25, 1995 – Jul 27, 1997
The Sisters Rosensweig – [Play, Original] –     Mar 18, 1993 – Jul 16, 1994
The Seagull – [Play, Drama, Comedy, Revival] – Nov 29, 1992 – Jan 10, 1993
Jerome Robbins’ Broadway – [Musical, Revue, Dance, Original]  – Feb 26, 1989 – Sep 01, 1990
Arsenic and Old Lace – [Play, Comedy, Revival] – Jun 26, 1986 – Jan 03, 1987
Doubles – [Play, Comedy, Original] – May 08, 1985 – Jan 04, 1986
Murder at the Howard Johnson’s – [Play, Comedy, Original] – May 17, 1979 – May 20, 1979
They’re Playing Our Song – [Musical, Romantic Comedy, Original] –    Feb 11, 1979 – Sep 06, 1981
Absurd Person Singular – [Play, Comedy, Original] – Oct 08, 1974 – Mar 06, 1976
Sugar – [Musical, Comedy, Original] – Apr 09, 1972 – Jun 23, 1973
Play It Again, Sam – [Play, Comedy, Original] – Feb 12, 1969 – Mar 14, 1970
Promises, Promises – [Musical, Comedy, Original] –     Dec 01, 1968 – Jan 01, 1972
How Now, Dow Jones – [Musical, Comedy, Original] – Dec 07, 1967 – Jun 15, 1968
Don’t Drink the Water – [Play, Comedy, Original] – Nov 17, 1966 – Apr 20, 1968
The Last Analysis – [Play, Farce, Original] – Oct 01, 1964 – Oct 24, 1964
Barefoot in the Park – [Play, Comedy, Original] – Oct 23, 1963 – Jun 25, 1967
Something About a Soldier – [Play, Original] – Jan 04, 1962 – Jan 13, 1962
Take Her, She’s Mine – [Play, Comedy, Original] – Dec 21, 1961 – Dec 08, 1962

Filmography

• The Longest Week (2012)
• Twelve and Holding (2005)
• My Best Friend’s Wife (2001)
• The Concert for New York City: “Sounds from a Town I Love” (2001)
• Dead Broke (1998)
• Apologies to Bunuel (1996)
• Switch (1991)
• Popcorn (1991)
• Fist Fighter (1989)
• 18 Again! (1988)
• Radio Days (1987)
• Seize the Day (1986)
• Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
• Key Exchange (1985)
• Amityville 3-D (1983)
• A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy (1982)
• Stardust Memories (1980)
• Just Tell Me What You Want (1980)
• The Girls in the Office (1979; TV Movie)
• Annie Hall (1977)
• Le Sauvage (1975)
• The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
• Serpico (1973)
• Play It Again, Sam (1972)
• Star Spangled Girl (1971)
• The Million Dollar Duck (1971)

References

External links[edit]

• Tony Roberts at the Internet Movie Database
• 57952 Tony Roberts at the Internet Broadway Database
• Tony Roberts at Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Tony Roberts – Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.org
• Tony Roberts article in The New York Observer

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Content retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Roberts_(actor).