Tony Roberts dies at 85

Actor Tony Roberts, who was best known for appearing in Woody Allen films, has sadly passed away at the age of 85.

The beloved stage and screen actor’s daughter, Nicole Burley, confirmed her father’s death to The New York Times.

She also revealed that Roberts died at his Manhattan home due to complications of lung cancer.

Roberts was destined for showbiz from an early age as his father, Ken Roberts, was a well-known radio and television announcer.

“I was raised in the middle of a lot of actor talk,” he told AP in 1985, cited by The Mirror. “My cousin was Everett Sloane, who was a very fine actor. My father’s friends were mostly actors. I’m sure that in some way, I needed to prove myself in their eyes.”

The late Hollywood star attended the High School of Music and Art in New York before continuing his studies at Northwestern University in Illinois. There, he built a career that lasted decades.

Roberts starred in several Broadway productions like How Now, Dow Jones, Sugar, and an adaptation of Some Like It Hot. He also played opposite Dame Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria, marking her triumphant return to Broadway.

His stage work earned him two Tony Award nominations – one for How Now, Dow Jones, and another for Play It Again, Sam – a role he also reprised in the film version.

While Roberts enjoyed success on Broadway, he became widely recognized for his on-screen roles, particularly in Woody Allen’s films.

He starred in Play It Again, Sam, Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, Radio Days, Stardust Memories, and A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy.

Despite their strong working relationship, Roberts acknowledged the downside of being closely associated with Allen’s work.

Speaking to The Los Angeles Times in 1997, he reflected: “I was always so vividly the guy Woody wrote, that everybody in the business – casting agents, for instance – would think of me that way…The persona I was for Woody is a hard thing to break out of.”

Beyond Allen’s films, Roberts appeared in TV series such as The Four Seasons, The Lucie Arnaz Show, and made guest appearances on Murder, She Wrote, and Law & Order.

In his 2015 memoir, Do You Know Me, the award-winning actor reflected on his long and fulfilling career: “I’ve never been particularly lucky at card games. I’ve never hit a jackpot. But I have been extremely lucky in life.”

“Unlike many of my pals, who didn’t know what they wanted to become when they grew up, I knew I wanted to be an actor before I got to high school,” he added.

Our thoughts are with Roberts’ family and friends.

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