# Tony Roberts (actor)

David Anthony Roberts (October 22, 1939 – February 7, 2025) was an American actor known for his roles on stage and screen. He is best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Woody Allen, having acted in six of his films, most notably Annie Hall (1977).
Roberts also acted in films by Sidney Lumet, Blake Edwards, and Herbert Ross. 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).

## Early life and education

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.

## Career

Roberts 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.
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?.

## Personal life

Roberts died of lung cancer at his Manhattan home on February 7, 2025, at the age of 85.

## Acting credits
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
| 1971 | The Million Dollar Duck | Fred Hines | Vincent McEveety | |
| 1971 | Star Spangled Girl | Andy Hobart | Jerry Paris | |
| 1972 | Play It Again, Sam | Dick | Herbert Ross | |
| 1973 | Serpico | Bob Blair | Sidney Lumet | |
| 1974 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | Warren LaSalle | Joseph Sargent | |
| 1975 | Le Sauvage | Alex Fox | Jean-Paul Rappeneau | |
| 1977 | Annie Hall | Rob | Woody Allen | |
| 1980 | Just Tell Me What You Want | Mike Berger | Sidney Lumet | |
| 1980 | Stardust Memories | Tony | Woody Allen | |
| 1982 | A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy | Maxwell | Woody Allen | |
| 1983 | Amityville 3-D | John Baxter | Richard Fleischer | |
| 1985 | Key Exchange | David Slattery | Barnet Kellman | |
| 1986 | Hannah and Her Sisters | Norman | Woody Allen | |
| 1986 | Seize the Day | Bernie Pell | Fielder Cook | |
| 1987 | Radio Days | "Silver Dollar" Emcee | Woody Allen | |
| 1988 | 18 Again! | Arnie Watson | Paul Flaherty | |
| 1991 | Popcorn | Professor Davis | Mark Herrier | |
| 1991 | Switch | Arnold Freidkin | Blake Edwards | |
| 1996 | Apologies to Buñuel | Steve | Debbie Elbin | |
| 1998 | Dead Broke | Walter | Edward Vilga | |
| 2001 | My Best Friend's Wife | Mr. Epstein | Doug Finelli | |
| 2005 | Twelve and Holding | Doctor | Michael Cuesta | |
| 2006 | Well Fed and Comfortable | Mr. Barnes | Lou Howe | Short film |
| 2013 | An Anomaly | Performer | Charlie Scharfman | Short film |
| 2014 | The Longest Week | Barry the Therapist | Peter Glanz | |

### Television

| 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 |

### Theater

| Year | Title | Role | Venue |
| 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 |

### Radio

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1974–1977 | 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 / various | Various episodes |

## Awards and nominations

* How Now, Dow Jones — Nominee — Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (1968)
* Play It Again, Sam — Nominee — Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (1969)