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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Patrick Renna to Christy Carlson Romano
Jason Robards Biography (1922-2000)
Full name, Jason Nelson Robards, Jr.; born July 26, 1922, in Chicago, IL; sonof Jason Nelson (an actor) and Hope Maxine (maiden name, Glanville) Robards;married Eleanor Pitman, May 7, 1948 (divorced, 1958); married Rachel Taylor(divorced); married Lauren Bacall (an actress), July 4, 1961 (divorced, 1969); married Lois O'Connor (a producer), 1970; children: (first marriage) Jason Nelson III (an actor), Sarah Louise, David; (third marriage) Sam (an actor); (fourth marriage) Shannon, Jake. Career: Actor, director, and songperformer. American Academy of Dramatic Arts, member of board of directors,1957--. Actor on radio serials, 1948-50; 48th Street Theatre, New York City,assistant stage manager, 1951; Playhouse Theatre, New York City, assistant stage manager, 1952. Military service: U.S. Navy, radio operator, 1939-46; won the Navy Cross. Member: American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, Players Club (New York City), Century Club, New York Athletic Club. Awards, Honors: Obie Award, Village Voice, 1956, for The Iceman Cometh; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best supporting or featured actor in a drama,and Theatre World Award, both 1957, both for Long Day's Journey into Night; Antoinette Perry Award, best actor in a drama, 1959, for The Disenchanted; American National Theatre and Academy Award, outstanding contribution to living theatre, 1959; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best dramatic actor, New York Drama Critics Award, most promising actor, 1960,both for Toys in the Attic; Cannes Film Festival Award, best actor (with others), 1962, for Long Day's Journey into Night; National Board of Review Award, best actor 1962, for Long Day's Journey into Night and Tender is the Night; Emmy Award nomination, best actor in a single performance, 1964, for "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," Hallmark Hall of Fame; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actor in a drama, 1964, forAfter the Fall; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actor in a drama, 1965, for Hughie; Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actor-musical/comedy, 1966, for A Thousand Clowns; Antoinette PerryAward nomination, best actor in a drama, 1972, for The Country Girl;Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best dramatic actor, and Drama Desk Award,outstanding performance, 1974, both for A Moon for the Misbegotten; Emmy Award nomination, best actor in a drama or comedy special, 1975, for "A Moon for the Misbegotten," ABC Theatre; Academy Award, New York Film Critics Award, National Society of Film Critics, National Board of the Review Award, best supporting actor, 1976, Golden Globe Award nomination, best motionpicture actor in a supporting role, British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award nomination, best supporting actor, 1977, all for All the President's Men; Academy Award, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award,best supporting actor, 1977, Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actor in a supporting role, 1978, British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award nomination, best supporting actor, 1979, all for Julia; Emmyaward nomination, best actor in a limited series, 1977, for Washington: Behind Closed Doors; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actor in a play, 1978, for A Touch of the Poet; Emmy Award nomination, best actor in a limited series or special, 1980, for "F. D. R.--The Last Year," NBC Live Theatre; Academy Award nomination, best supporting actor, 1980, GoldenGlobe Award nomination, best motion picture actor in a supporting role, 1981, both for Melvin and Howard; honorary D.H.L. degree, Fairfield University, 1982; honorary D.F.A. degree, Williams College, 1983; Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a miniseries or motion picturemade for TV, 1985, for Sakharov; Los Angeles Drama Critics Award nomination, best lead performance, 1987, for The Iceman Cometh; Emmy Award,best actor in a miniseries or special, 1988, for Inherit the Wind; presidential citation. Addresses: Contact: Paradigm Talent Agency, 200 West 57th St., Suite 900, New York, NY 10019-3211.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Actor, director, song performer
- Birth Details
- July 26, 1922
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Death Details
- December 26, 2000
- Bridgeport, Connecticut
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Film Appearances
- (Film debut; as Jason Robards, Jr.) Paul Kedes and Flemying, The Journey, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1959
- (As Jason Robards, Jr.) Julius Penrose, By Love Possessed, UnitedArtists, 1961
- (As Jason Robards, Jr.) Dick Diver, Tender Is the Night, TwentiethCentury-Fox, 1961
- (As Jason Robards, Jr.) James Tyrone, Jr., Long Day's Journey intoNight, Embassy, 1962
- (As Jason Robards, Jr.) George S. Kaufman, Act One, Warner Bros.,1964
- Murray Burns, A Thousand Clowns, United Artists, 1965
- John Cleves, Any Wednesday(also known as Bachelor Girl Apartment), Warner Bros., 1966
- (As Jason Robards, Jr.) Henry Drummond, A Big Hand for the Little Lady(also known as Big Deal at Dodge City), Warner Bros., 1966
- Nelson Downes, Divorce American Style, Columbia, 1967
- Doc Holliday, Hour of the Gun, United Artists, 1967
- Al "Scarface" Capone, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1967
- Paris Singer, Isadora(also known as The Loves of Isadora),Universal, 1968
- Raymond Paine, The Night They Raided Minsky's(also known as The Night They Invented Striptease), United Artists, 1968
- Cheyenne, Once Upon a Time in the West, Paramount, 1969
- Title role, The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Warner Bros., 1970
- Matthew South, Fools, Cinerama, 1970
- Brutus, Julius Caesar, American International, 1970
- Sam Armstrong, Rosolino Paterno: Soldato... .(also known as Operation Snafu,
Situation Normal,
All Fouled Up, and Situation Normal: A.F.U.), 1970
- General Walter C. Short, Tora! Tora! Tora!, Twentieth Century-Fox,1970
- Joe's father, Johnny Got His Gun, Cinemation, 1971
- Cesar Charron, Murders in the Rue Morgue, American International,1971
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Jud, Maron, 1971
- Stephen Kozlenko, The War between Men and Women, National General,1972
- Governor Lew Wallace, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1973
- Inspector Barkan, Tod eines Fremden(also known as The Death Merchants and Death of a Stranger), 1973
- Mr. Craddock, A Boy and His Dog(also known as Psycho Boy and His Killer Dog), LQ/JAF, 1975
- John Gwilt, Mr. Sycamore, Film Venture, 1975
- Ben Bradlee, All the President's Men, Warner Bros., 1976
- Dashiell Hammett, Julia, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977
- Jacob "JW" Ewing, Comes a Horseman, United Artists, 1978
- Captain Bruckner, Hurricane(also known as Forbidden Paradise), Paramount, 1979
- Howard Hughes, Melvin and Howard, Universal, 1980
- Admiral James Sandecker, Raise the Titanic, Associated Film Distribution, 1980
- Gunther Beckdorff, Caboblanco, Avco-Embassy, 1981
- President Grant, The Legend of the Lone Ranger, Associated Film Distribution, 1981
- Himself, Burden of Dreams(also known as Die Last der Traume; documentary about the making of the film Fitzcarraldo), ContemporaryFilms Ltd., 1982
- Title role, Max Dugan Returns, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983
- Charles Holloway, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Buena Vista, 1983
- Voice of Lewis Hine, America and Lewis Hine,1984
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Personal Touch: Jason Robards on Alcoholism(short documentary), Coronet, 1985
- 1939 New York World's Fair Visitor, The World of Tomorrow,1985
- Grandpa Dillard, Square Dance(also known as Home Is Where the Heart Is), Island, 1987
- (Uncredited) Alex Hardy, Bright Lights, Big City, United Artists,1988
- Muth, The Good Mother, Buena Vista, 1988
- Coleman Ettinger, Dream a Little Dream, Vestron, 1989
- Frank Buckman, Parenthood, Universal, 1989
- Walter Travis, Black Rainbow,1989
- Chief Rotzinger, Quick Change, Warner Bros., 1990
- Henry Strauss, Reunion, Castle Hill, 1991
- Clifford Fowler, Storyville, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1992
- Dr. Huld, The Trial, Angelika, 1993
- Charles Wheeler, Philadelphia, TriStar, 1993
- The king, The Adventures of Huck Finn(also known as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), Buena Vista, 1993
- Thomas Heywood, Little Big League, Columbia, 1994
- Graham Keighly, The Paper,1994
- (Uncredited) Admiral, Crimson Tide,1995
- Himself, The Line King: The Al Hirschfield Story, Castle Hill, 1996
- Narrator, The Great American West,1997
- Larry Cook, A Thousand Acres, Buena Vista, 1997
- Logan Reeser, Heartwood,1998
- (Uncredited) Congressman Phillip Hammersley, Enemy of the State,1998
- Mr. Bodwin, Beloved, Buena Vista, 1998
- Grandpa Ben Girdis, The Real Macaw,1998
- Also appeared as narrator of short documentary films for high school students.
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Film Song Performer
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The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Warner Bros., 1970
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Television Appearances
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Movies
- James Mills, The House without a Christmas Tree, CBS, 1972
- James Mills, The Thanksgiving Treasure, CBS, 1973
- James Mills, The Easter Promise, CBS, 1975
- James Mills, Addie and the King of Hearts, CBS, 1976
- Daniel Larson, A Christmas to Remember, CBS, 1978
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, "F. D. R.--The Last Year," NBC Live Theatre, NBC, 1980
- Leland Hayward, Haywire, CBS, 1980
- Dr. Russell Oakes, The Day After, ABC, 1983
- Andrei Sakharov, Sakharov, HBO, 1984
- Stephan Kovacs, Johnny Bull, ABC, 1986
- Lloyd Welles, Norman Rockwell's "Breaking Home Ties," ABC, 1987
- Wade Shepherd, Laguna Heat, HBO, 1987
- John Tanner, The Christmas Wife, HBO, 1988
- (As Jason Robards, Jr.) Henry Drummond, Inherit the Wind, NBC, 1988
- President Abraham Lincoln, The Perfect Tribute,1991
- Dr. Armand Hammer, Chernobyl: The Final Warning,1991
- Title role, Mark Twain and Me,1991
- General Lloyd, The Enemy Within, HBO, 1994
- Grandfather Burden, My Antonia,1995
- Marcus, Journey,1995
- Logan Reeser, Heartwood, Family Channel, 1998
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Miniseries
- President Richard Monckton, Washington: Behind Closed Doors, ABC,1977
- Alvin Binder, The Atlanta Child Murders, CBS, 1985
- Will Varner, The Long Hot Summer, NBC, 1985
- Ed Stenning, The Last Frontier, CBS, 1986
- Voice of General Ulysses S. Grant, The Civil War(also known as The American Civil War), 1990
- Jules Mendelson, An Inconvenient Woman,1991
- Grandfather, Heidi,1993
- Voice, Baseball(also known as The History of Baseball), PBS, 1994
- Voice, The West, PBS, 1996
- Voice, The Irish in America: Long Journey Home, PBS, 1998
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Specials
- Dr. Rank, "A Doll's House," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1959 then on The Golden Age of Television, PBS, 1981
- Title role, "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC,1964
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The Presidency: A Splendid Misery, CBS, 1964
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Barbra Streisand: The Belle of 14th Street, CBS, 1967
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Old Faithful, ABC, 1973
- Frank Elgin, "The Country Girl," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1974
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The Magic of David Copperfield, CBS, 1981
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The Silken Tent, PBS, 1981
- Erie, Hughie, Showtime, 1981
- Narrator, "Polar Bear Alert," National Geographic Special, PBS, 1982
- Grandpa Martin Venderhof, You Can't Take It with You, Showtime, 1984
- Host, The Unknown Soldier,1985
- (As Jason Robards, Jr.) Happy Birthday, Hollywood, ABC, 1987
- "Robert Frost," Voices and Visions, PBS, 1988
- Narrator, The Making of "Gorillas in the Mist,"1988
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The 42nd Annual Tony Awards,1988
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Thomas Hart Benton,1989
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The Night of 100 Stars III,1990
- Narrator, Joseph Brodsky: A Maddening Space,1990
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Carnegie Hall at 100: A Place of Dreams,1991
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Pearl Harbor--Surprise and Remembrance,1991
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Helen Hayes: First Lady of the American Theatre,1991
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World War II: A Personal Journey,1991
- Voice, When It Was a Game II, HBO, 1992
- Narrator, Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio,1992
- Voice of Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln(documentary), ABC, 1992
- Narrator, Pillar of Fire, TNT, 1992
- Host and narrator, One Child-One Voice,1992
- Narrator, The People's Palace: Secrets of the New York Public Library,1992
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Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron,1993
- Host, All Aboard! Riding the Rails of American Film, syndicated, 1993
- Narrator, When Doctors Get Cancer, PBS, 1994
- Narrator, TR, The Story of Teddy Roosevelt, PBS, 1996
- Voice, The Roots of Roe, PBS, 1997
- Narrator, Truman, PBS, 1997
- Narrator, U.S.S. Indianapolis: Tragedy at Sea, Discovery Channel,1998
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The 53rd Annual Tony Awards,1999
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Episodic
- "The Case of the Last Escape," The Man Behind the Badge, CBS, 1954
- "A Picture in the Paper," Studio One, CBS, 1955
- "The Incredible World of Horace Ford," Studio One, CBS, 1955
- "The Death of Billy the Kid," Philco Television Playhouse, NBC, 1955
- "A Domestic Dilemma," Windows, CBS, 1955
- "The Outsiders," Philco Television Playhouse, NBC, 1955
- "Destination Freedom," Appointment with Adventure, CBS, 1955
- "Lost: Two Billion Dollars--The Diary of Diane," Armstrong Circle Theatre, NBC, 1955
- "Decision by Panic," Justice, NBC, 1955
- "Miracle in the Desert," The Big Story, NBC, 1955
- "A Thief There Was," Appointment with Adventure, CBS, 1956
- "Pattern of Lies," Justice, NBC, 1956
- "Even the Weariest River," Alcoa Hour, NBC, 1956
- "Proud Passage," Goodyear Playhouse, NBC, 1956
- "Nobody's Town," Goodyear Playhouse, NBC, 1957
- "The Big Build-Up," Alcoa Hour, NBC, 1957
- "Night," Alcoa Hour, NBC, 1957
- "The Changing Ways of Love," The Seven Lively Arts, CBS, 1957
- "24 Hours to Dawn," Studio One, CBS, 1957
- The prime minister, "The Moment of Truth," Omnibus, NBC, 1958
- Robert Jordan, "For Whom the Bell Tolls," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1959
- "People Kill People Sometimes," Sunday Showcase, NBC, 1959
- "Billy Budd," DuPont Show of the Month, CBS, 1959
- Hickey, "The Iceman Cometh," Play of the Week, syndicated, 1960
- "The Bat," Dow Hour of Great Mysteries, NBC, 1960
- "That's Where the Town's Going," Westinghouse Playhouse, CBS, 1962
- Title role, "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch," Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre, NBC, 1963
- "Shipwrecked," Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre, NBC, 1966
- "Noon Wine," ABC Stage '67, ABC, 1966
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Ghost Story, NBC, 1972
- "The Dead We Leave Behind," Night Gallery, NBC, 1972
- "A Moon for the Misbegotten," ABC Theatre, ABC, 1975
- Narrator, Reading Rainbow, PBS, 1983
- Host and narrator, On the Waterways: A Video Magazine of North American Life,1991
- Narrator, "Tall Ship: High Sea Adventure," ABC's World of Discovery, ABC, 1992
- Also appeared in The Web, CBS; Suspense, CBS; Treasury Men in Action, NBC; The Deputy, ABC.
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Stage Appearances
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Out of the Frying Pan, Delyork Theatre, Rehoboth Beach, DE, 1947
- (Broadway debut) The Mikado, D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Century Theatre, 1947
- Rear end of the cow, Jack and the Beanstalk, Children's WorldTheatre, New York City, 1947
- Buoyant, Buoyant Billions, 23rd Street Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), New York City, 1947
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Iolanthe, D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Century Theatre, 1948
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The Yeoman of the Guard, D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Century Theatre, 1948
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Stalag 17, 48th Street Theatre, New York City, 1951
- Ed Moody, American Gothic, Circle in the Square, New York City, 1953
- Hickey, The Iceman Cometh, Circle in the Square, 1956
- Jamie, Long Day's Journey into Night, Helen Hayes Theatre, NewYork City, 1956-58
- Hotspur, Henry IV, Part I, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, Ontario, 1958
- Polixenes, The Winter's Tale, Stratford Shakespeare Festival,1958
- Manley Halliday, The Disenchanted, Coronet Theatre, New York City,1958
- Title role, Macbeth, Metropolitan Boston Arts Center, Cambridge, MA, 1959
- Julian Berniers, Toys in the Attic, Hudson Theatre, New York City,1960
- William Baker, Big Fish, Little Fish, American National Theatre and Academy, New York City, 1961
- Murray Burns, A Thousand Clowns, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1962
- Quentin, After the Fall, Washington Square Theatre, New York City,1964
- Seymour Rosenthal, But for Whom Charlie, Washington Square Theatre, 1964
- Erie Smith, Hughie, Royale Theatre, New York City, 1964
- Vicar of St. Peter's, The Devils, Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1965
- Captain Starkey, We Bombed in New Haven, Ambassador Theatre, New York City, 1968
- Frank Elgin, The Country Girl, Eisenhower Theatre, Washington, DC,1971 then Billy Rose Theatre, New York City, 1972
- James Tyrone, Jr., A Moon for the Misbegotten, Eisenhower Theatre,then Morosco Theatre, New York City, both 1973 later Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1974
- Erie Smith, Hughie, Zellerbach Theatre, Los Angeles, 1975 then Lake Forest Theatre, Lake Forest, IL, 1976
- James Tyrone, Sr., Long Day's Journey into Night, Eisenhower Theatre, 1975 then Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY, 1976
- Cornelius Melody, A Touch of the Poet, Helen Hayes Theatre, 1977
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O'Neill and Carlotta, Public Theatre, New York City, 1979
- Martin Vanderhof, You Can't Take It with You, Booth Theatre, then Plymouth Theatre, both New York City, later John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, all 1983
- Hickey, The Iceman Cometh, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1985 then James A. Doolittle Theatre, Center for the Arts/Theatre Group, University of California, Los Angeles, 1986
- Cooper, A Month of Sundays, Ritz Theatre, New York City, 1987
- James Tyrone, Sr., Long Day's Journey into Night, Neil Simon Theatre, New York City, 1988
- Nat Miller, Ah, Wilderness!, Neil Simon Theatre, 1988
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The Players Club Centennial Salute, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1989
- Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, Love Letters, Promenade Theatre, New York City, 1989 then Edison Theatre, New York City, 1989
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Stage II Workshops: Established Price, Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1989-90
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The Night of 100 Stars III, Radio City Music Hall, New York City,1990
- Ebenezer Scrooge and Young Cratchit, A Christmas Carol, Hudson Theatre, 1990
- Jacob Brackish, Park Your Car in Harvard Yard, Music Box Theatre,New York City, 1991-92
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No Man's Land, Roundabout Theatre, New York City, 1993-94 thenCriterion Center Theatre, New York City, 1994
- Andy, Moonlight, Criterion Center/Laura Pels Theatre, New York City, 1995
- Also appeared in summer theatre productions of Stalag 17,
The Philadelphia Story, and Oh, Men! Oh, Women!, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Connecticut, 1955; Molly Sweeny, 1996; You Can't Take It with You, Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ.
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Major Tours
- Witherspoon, Stalag 17, U.S. cities, 1952-53
- Erie Smith, Hughie, U.S. cities, 1965
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Stage Work
- Director, A Long Day's Journey into Night, Eisenhower Theatre,1975 then Brooklyn Academy of Music, 1976
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RECORDINGS
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Taped Readings
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Ironweed,1986
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Billy Phelan's Greatest Game,1988
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Videos
- Narrator, The World of Tomorrow, Tom Johnson and Lance Bird, 1984
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