Actor Tony Roberts, of Play It Again, Sam, Closes His Last Show “on the Big, Blue Rock”—Dead at 85 (Imagine how long he would have lived, if not for apartheid!)

Tony Roberts in Annie Hall (1977)

By Grand Rapids Anonymous
saturday, february 8, 2025 at 9:47:00 a.m. est

Actor Tony Roberts, of Play It Again, Sam, Closes His Last Show “on the Big, Blue Rock”—Dead at 85
Updated 9:23 p.m. est, february 7, 2025

“new york (ap) — Tony Roberts, a versatile, Tony award-nominated theater performer at home in both plays and musicals and who appeared in several Woody Allen movies — often as Allen’s best friend — has died. he was 85.

“Roberts’ death was announced to the new york times by his daughter, Nicole Burley.

“Roberts had a genial stage personality perfect for musical comedy and he originated roles in such diverse broadway musicals as how now, dow Jones (1967); Sugar (1972), an adaptation of the movie Some Like It Hot, and Victor/Victoria (1995), in which he co-starred with Julie Andrews when she returned to broadway in the stage version of her popular film. he also was in the campy, roller-disco Xanadu in 2007 and the royal family in 2009.

“‘I’ve never been particularly lucky at card games. I’ve never hit a jackpot. but I have been extremely lucky in life,’ he write in his memoir, Do You Know Me? “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.

“Roberts also appeared on broadway in the 1966 Woody Allen comedy Don’t Drink the Water, repeating his role in the film version, and in Allen’s Play It Again, Sam (1969), for which he also made the movie.

“Other Allen films in which Roberts appeared were Annie Hall (1977), Stardust Memories (1980), A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy (1982), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Radio Days (1987).

“‘Roberts’ confident onscreen presence — not to mention his tall frame, broad shoulders and brown curly mane — was the perfect foil for Allen’s various neurotic characters, making them more funny and enjoyable to watch,’ the Jewish daily forward wrote in 2016.

“In Eric Lax’s book Woody Allen: a biography, Roberts recalled a complicated scene in A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy that Allen shot over and over — even after the film had been edited — to get his intended effect.

“‘when you go back to see (Allen’s work) two, three, four times, you begin to see the amazing amount of art in it, that nothing is accidental,’ Roberts said.

“among his other movies were Serpico (1973) and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974).

GRA: To me, he and Wayne Rogers were the same person. Each could have done what the other guy was starring in, easily. Effortless acting ability in the Woody Allen films—Play It Again, Sam—one of my favorite movies.

--GRA