Tony Roberts (actor)

David Anthony "Tony" Roberts (born October 22, 1939) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in six Woody Allen movies—most notably Annie Hall—often playing Allen's best friend.

Tony Roberts
Roberts in 2019
Born
David Anthony Roberts

(1939-10-22) October 22, 1939
Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1962–present
Spouse(s)
Jennifer Lyons
​
​
(m. 1969; div. 1975)​
Children1
From the original Broadway cast of Play It Again, Sam. Third from left is Tony Roberts; fourth from left is Woody Allen. Diane Keaton is on the far right. (1969)

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'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 roller-disco rock musical Xanadu.

Television and radio

On television, Roberts was the third actor to play Lee Pollock on The Edge of Night. 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. Roberts and Lauren Tewes's character, cruise ship director Julie McCoy, fall in love but don't pursue a relationship.

He starred (with Penny Fuller, who had played his wife on The Edge of Night) on the ABC comedy The Thorns. (Millee Taggart, who had succeeded Fuller in the role on The Edge of Night was the co-creator and co-producer of the series.) He was a regular performer on the CBS Radio Mystery Theater. Roberts also provides the narration on many of the audiobooks in Stuart Woods's Stone Barrington novels.

Filmography

References
  1. "Tony Roberts, Star File: Broadway.com Buzz". Broadway.com. 2011-03-19. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  2. Shapiro, T. Rees (2009-06-28). "Golden-Throated Announcer Introduced Soap Operas". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  3. "Death rattle of the world – with laughs". Thevillager.com. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  4. "Tony Roberts Best of Friends With Success: 'Victor/Victoria' - Jewish Exponent | HighBeam Research". May 17, 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-05-17. Retrieved Sep 5, 2020.
  5. "Woody Allen's sidekick shares all". Jewish Journal. Jan 14, 2016. Retrieved Sep 5, 2020.
  6. "Error - Filmography - Movies - New York Times". Feb 3, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved Sep 5, 2020.
  7. "Notable Alumni," Alumni & Friends of LaGuardia High School website. Accessed Feb. 29, 2016.
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