Tony Roberts

On stage, he made his Broadway debut in the Ernest Kinoy play Something About a Soldier (1962). He received two Tony Award nominations for his supporting roles in the musical comedy How Now, Dow Jones (1968) and Woody Allen's comedic play Play It Again, Sam (1969).

• Name — Tony Roberts • Birth Name — David Anthony Roberts • Born — 22 October 1939 • Birthplace — Manhattan, New York City, U.S. • Died — 7 February 2025 • Place of death — Manhattan, New York City, U.S. • Education — Northwestern University • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1962–2017 • Children — 1

Roberts was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of radio announcer Ken Roberts and Norma (née Finkelstein), an animator. His family was Jewish. Roberts attended the High School of Music & Art and Northwestern University, and he made his Broadway debut in 1962 with a role in the play Something About a Soldier.

Roberts often collaborated with Woody Allen. In Annie Hall, he portrayed Alvy Singer's best friend, Rob. Other Allen movies and plays in which he appeared include both the Broadway and movie versions of Play It Again, Sam; Stardust Memories (1980), A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy (1982), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Radio Days (1987). In 2001, Roberts appeared in Allen's respective segment for The Concert for New York City. • Illustration — From the original Broadway cast of Play It Again, Sam. Third from left in front row is Tony Roberts; fourth from left is Woody Allen. Diane Keaton is on the far right. (1969) Roberts portrayed Deputy Mayor Warren LaSalle in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. He also appeared in the Sidney Lumet movies Serpico and Just Tell Me What You Want. In a rare, big-screen leading role, Roberts starred in the 1983 horror movie Amityville 3-D as John Baxter, a deeply skeptical tabloid journalist who buys a haunted house. He appeared opposite George Burns (as his son) in 1988's Eighteen Again!, and co-starred in the horror-dark comedy Popcorn as Professor Davis, and in Blake Edwards's situation comedy Switch as Arnold Freidkin, both 1991 theatrical releases. Roberts also appeared in the Walt Disney screwball comedy The Million Dollar Duck and the stage-to-screen adaptation of Star Spangled Girl, both 1971 (and both co-starring Sandy Duncan); Key Exchange and Le Sauvage, both 1985; 1986's Seize the Day; and 2005's Twelve and Holding. Roberts's last theatrically released feature film role was as Jason Bateman's character's therapist in the 2014 independent romantic comedy-drama The Longest Week. His final made-for-television film portrayal was in the 2017 ABC production Dirty Dancing. Roberts's 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; Arsenic and Old Lace; and Cabaret. In 1998, he played Buddy Plummer in Stephen Sondheim's Follies at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. In 2007, Roberts returned to Broadway in the musical Xanadu. On television, Roberts was the third actor to play Lee Pollock on The Edge of Night. He appeared in numerous television series such as The Carol Burnett Show, Matlock, Law & Order, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In 1977, he was featured, alongside Squire Fridell, as a lead in the short-lived NBC legal drama Rosetti and Ryan. In 1978, he guest-starred on The Love Boat. Roberts and Lauren Tewes's character, cruise ship director Julie McCoy, fall in love, but in the end do not pursue a romantic relationship. Roberts was featured (with Penny Fuller, who had played his wife on The Edge of Night) on the ABC comedy The Thorns. He was a regular performer on the CBS Radio Mystery Theater. Roberts also recorded many of the audiobook adaptations of Stuart Woods's novels. His other audiobook credits include Andrew Vachss's Batman: The Ultimate Evil, Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, and Spencer Johnson's Who Moved My Cheese?.

Roberts was married to Jennifer Lyons from 1969 until they divorced in 1975. They had one child. Roberts died of lung cancer at his Manhattan home on February 7, 2025 at the age of 85.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1965 — The Trials of O'Brien — Charlie — 1 episode • 1965, 1966 — The Edge of Night — Lee Pollock — 2 episodes • 1969 — A Guide for the Married Man — Ed Stander — TV movie • 1970 — Men at Law — Jack Halbert — 1 episode • 1971 — Love, American Style — Chris — 1 episode • 1971 — Night Gallery — Dr. Morris Levine — 1 episode • 1975 — Phyllis — Jerry — 1 episode • 1976 — The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case — Lt. Jim Finn — TV movie • 1976 — Snafu — Conroy — TV movie • 1977 — McMillan and Wife — Philip Bainbridge — 1 episode • 1978, 1979 — The Love Boat — Jack Chenault — 3 episodes • 1979 — The Girls in the Office — Mike Holden — TV movie • 1980 — If Things Were Different — Michael Boden — TV movie • 1982 — A Question of Honor — Marlowe — TV movie • 1983 — Packin' It In — Charlie Baumgartner — TV movie • 1983, 1985 — Trapper John, M.D. — Lawrence Kolleeny / Dr. Jerry Kulyn — 2 episodes • 1984 — The Four Seasons — Ted Bolen — 13 episodes • 1985 — Finder of Lost Loves — Thad Holcombe — 1 episode • 1985 — The Lucie Arnaz Show — Jim Gordon — 6 episodes • 1985 — Hotel — Brian Fox — 1 episode • 1987 — A Different Affair — Jeffrey Newman — TV movie • 1988 — The Thorns — Sloan Thorn — 12 episodes • 1991 — Matlock — Guy Palmer — 1 episode • 1991 — The Carol Burnett Show — Various skit characters — 2 episodes • 1991, 1994, 1998, 2010 — Law & Order — Lucas Pollard / Nicholas Bennett Paul Redfield / Senator Bryce Peterson — 4 episodes • 1991 — Our Sons — Harry — TV movie • 1992 — Murder, She Wrote — Devon "Sonny" Lane — 1 episode • 1993 — Not in My Family — Psychotherapist — TV movie • 1993 — The American Clock — Jesse Livermore — TV movie • 1994 — All My Children — Dr. Eisenstein — 1 episode • 1995 — The Case of the Jealous Jokester — Ted Joplin — Perry Mason TV movie • 1995 — Victor/Victoria — Carol "Toddy" Todd — TV movie • 2001 — The Concert for New York City — Man on Bench — Segment: "Sounds from a Town I Love" TV movie and live concert special • 2001 — American Masters — Narrator — 1 episode • 2004 — Married to the Kellys — Martin Wagner — 1 episode • 2008 — Law & Order: Criminal Intent — Ziggy Gold — 1 episode • 2015 — Dinner with Family with Brett Gelman and Friends — Tony Roberts / Himself — TV movie • 2017 — Dirty Dancing — Max Kellerman — TV movie

• Year — Title — Role — Venue — Ref. • 1962 — Something About a Soldier — Air Cadet / a Soldier — Ambassador Theatre, Broadway • 1964 — The Last Analysis — Max — Belasco Theatre, Broadway • 1965 — Barefoot in the Park — Paul Bratter — Biltmore Theatre, Broadway • 1966–1968 — Don't Drink the Water — Axel Magee — Morosco Theatre, Broadway • 1967–1968 — How Now, Dow Jones — Charlie — Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway • 1969–1970 — Play It Again, Sam — Dick Christie — Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway • 1970 — Promises, Promises — Chuck Baxter — Shubert Theatre, Broadway • 1972–1973 — Sugar — Joe — Majestic Theatre, Broadway • 1974–1976 — Absurd Person Singular — Geoffrey — Music Box Theatre, Broadway • 1979–1981 — They're Playing Our Song — Vernon Hersch — Imperial Theatre, Broadway • 1979 — Murder at the Howard Johnson's — Mitchell Lavell — John Golden Theatre, Broadway • 1985–1986 — Doubles — George — Ritz Theatre, Broadway • 1986–1987 — Arsenic and Old Lace — Mortimer Brewster — 46th Street Theatre, Broadway • 1989–1990 — Jerome Robbins' Broadway — The Setter / Emcee / Pseudolus / Pa / Cigar / Tevye / Floy — Imperial Theatre, Broadway • 1992–1993 — The Seagull — Dr. Dorn — Lyceum Theatre, Broadway • 1994 — The Sisters Rosensweig — Mervyn Kant — Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway • 1995–1997 — Victor/Victoria — Carroll "Toddy" Todd — Marquis Theatre, Broadway • 2000–2002 — The Tale of the Allergist's Wife — Ira — Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway • 2003–2004 — Cabaret — Herr Schultz — Studio 54, Broadway • 2005 — Endgame — Hamm — Irish Repertory Theatre, Off-Broadway • 2006 — Barefoot in the Park — Victor Velasco — Cort Theatre, Broadway • 2007–2008 — Xanadu — Danny Maguire / Zeus — Helen Hayes Theatre, Broadway • 2009 — The Royal Family — Oscar Wolfe — Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Broadway

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1974–1982 — CBS Radio Mystery Theatre — Officer / Dan / Ned Murray / Prof. Steve Ramsey / Bill / Peter Jackson / David / Salvador / Harry / Steve / James Blake / Todd Stearns / Hugh / Mike Slater / Cash Haliday / Billy Chapman / Peter Carlsen / Tim Lang / Tom Porter / Bobby Boyle / Stuart Belden / Dr. Harold W. Smiley / John Surratt / Ted / various other characters — 82 episodes