# Brian Murray (actor)

Brian Murray (né Bell; 10 September 1937 – 20 August 2018) was a South African actor and theatre director who was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2004.

## Biography

Murray was born Brian Bell in Johannesburg, the son of Mary Dickson (née Murray) and Alfred Bell, a professional golfer.

## Career

Murray made his Broadway debut in the play All in Good Time in 1965. In 1967, he starred as Rosencrantz in the Broadway production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, earning the first of three Tony Awards, Best Featured Actor In A Play nominations for his performance.
Murray directed the 1973 Broadway revival of The Waltz of the Toreadors. His stage directing credits include Broadway revivals of Hay Fever (1985), Arsenic and Old Lace (1986), Blithe Spirit (1987), and The Show Off (1992).
In 1998, he received the Lucille Lortel Award for outstanding body of work.
His film credits include Bob Roberts and City Hall. On television he has appeared in Kojak, Another World, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and 30 Rock. In the 1970s and 1980s, he performed in a number of radio plays for Yuri Rasovsky's award-winning National Radio Theater. In 2002, he provided the voice of John Silver in the Disney animated Treasure Planet, a role he reprised in the video game Treasure Planet: Battle at Procyon. He played a role in the 2009 film, My Dog Tulip.

## Death

Murray died of natural causes on August 20, 2018, at age 80.

## Additional Broadway acting credits

Source: Playbill Vault
* Sleuth (1973)
* Da (1978)
* The Arcata Promise (1982)
* Noises Off (1983)
* A Small Family Business (1992)
* The Little Foxes (1997)
* Twelfth Night (1998)
* Uncle Vanya (2000)
* The Crucible (2002)
* The Rivals (2004)

## Filmography

Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Source: Behind the voice actors

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960 | The Angry Silence | Gladys | |
| 1960 | The League of Gentlemen | Private "Chunky" Grogan | |
| 1992 | Bob Roberts | Terry Manchester | |
| 1996 | City Hall | Corporation Counsel | |
| 2002 | Treasure Planet | Long John Silver | Voice |
| 2009 | My Dog Tulip | Captain Pugh, Mr Blandish | Voice |
| 2011 | Dream House | Dr. Medlin | |
| 2011 | In the Family | Paul Hawks | |
| 2018 | A Bread Factory | Sir Walter | Posthumous release; final film role |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1959–1966 | ITV Play of the Week | John Clegg, PC Bernard Wall | Episodes: "Sugar in the Morning" & "Blue as His Eyes, the Tin Helmet He Wore" |
| 1959 | Saturday Playhouse | Stevens | Episode: "The Larford Lad" |
| 1959 | Emergency – Ward 10 | Joe Masters | 3 Episodes |
| 1960 | No Hiding Place | Chopper Green | Episode: "The Long Day" |
| 1963 | The Plane Makers | Tom Barnsley | Episode: "Point of Contact" |
| 1964 | Drama 61-67 | Cpl. Parker, David Potter | Episodes: "Drama '64: Across the Border" & "Studio '64: The Happy Moorings" |
| 1976 | Kojak | Caesar Ogilvy | Episode: "A Summer Madness" |
| 1978–1979 | Another World | Dr. Dan Shearer #2 | Unknown episodes |
| 1990 | Great Performances | Claudius | Episode: "Hamlet" |
| 2004 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Richard Sullivan | Episode: "The Saint" |
| 2007 | 30 Rock | Jack's Dad | Episode: "The Fighting Irish" |
| 2007 | American Experience | Gouverneur Morris | Episode: "Alexander Hamilton" |
| 2011 | The Good Wife | Judge Mowbray | Episode: "The Death Zone" |

### Videogames

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Treasure Planet | Long John Silver | Voice |
| 2002 | Treasure Planet: Battle at Procyon | John Silver / Robot Silver | Voice |

## Radio drama

* A Tale of Two Cities (1977)
* The Man of Destiny (1978)
* The Killer (1979)
* Medea (1985)
* The Tempest (1985)
* The Imaginary Invalid (1985)
* The Lady of the Camellias (1985)
* An Enemy of the People (1985)
* Arms and the Man (1985)
* Uncle Vanya (1985)

## Awards and nominations

Sources: Playbill Vault; IBDB

### Awards

* 1984 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Work – Noises Off
* 1997 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play – The Little Foxes

### Nominations

* 1968 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play – Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
* 1978 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play – Da
* 1992 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play – A Small Family Business
* 1997 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play – The Little Foxes
* 2000 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play – Uncle Vanya
* 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play – The Crucible
* 2002 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play – The Crucible
* 2002 Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production – Treasure Planet