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Jason Robards (1922–2000)

Actor | Soundtrack

Powerful and highly respected American star character actor. Son of stage and film star Jason Robards Sr., he was born in Chicago, but raised mostly in Los Angeles. A star athlete at Hollywood High School, he served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, where he saw combat as a radioman (though he is not listed in official rolls of Navy Cross winners... See full bio »

Born:

Jason Nelson Robards Jr.
in Chicago, Illinois, USA

Died:

(age 78) in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
Tatum O'Neal and Jason Robards at Still of Jason Robards in The Ballad of Cable Hogue Still of Jason Robards and David Warner in The Ballad of Cable Hogue Frank & Earl
39 photos | 33 videos | 174 news articles »

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Related News

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My Demo Reel -- Includes clips from GLORY DAZE, COMMUNITY and horror film URBAN EXPLORER.

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Francine Locke Film Reel -- Family Law (Best Actress, Gideon), Stealing Home (Best Supporting Actress-nom.) 168 Project, True Tale Monster (Albert P. Weisman Award), The Discarded (2011 Feature Release).

Francine Locke Film Reel

Christopher Mann's Theatrical Demo Reel -- This reel contains Christopher performing in Film and Television. The clips included are from the following: "The Boundary", "The Wire", "Duplicity", "Law & Order(SVU)", "Michael Clayton", "Cost Of A Soul", "HEROES" and "Law & Order (CI)".

Christopher Mann's Theatrical Demo Reel

Franklin Ojeda Smith - -- "...back in the day the 'barb wire' was more visible" and early on I chose baseball over acting; then academia and not baseball. Now,"...the kids are grown, the dog is dead and now that I may, I choose acting." Please take a look: 1)Boardwalk Empire - Deacon Cuffy 2)Murder Incorporated - Sam Christenson 3)Cayman Went - Aniston Turnkey 4)Letting Go -Therapist 5)Footsteps in the Sand - Jim. Thank You! Franklin

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Melanie Molnar - Reel -- No description provided.

Melanie Molnar - Reel


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Won 2 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 15 nominations See more awards »

Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideActor (130 titles)
2000 Going Home (TV movie)
Charles Barton
 
1999 Magnolia
Earl Partridge
 
1998 Enemy of the State
Congressman Phillip Hammersley (uncredited)
 
1998 Beloved
Mr. Bodwin
 
1998 The Real Macaw
Grandpa Girdis
 
1998 Heartwood
Logan Reeser
 
1996-1997 The American Experience (TV series documentary)
Narrator
– Truman: Part I (1997) … Narrator
– T.R.: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt (Part I) (1996) … Narrator
 
1997 A Thousand Acres
Larry Cook
 
1995 Journey (TV movie)
Marcus
 
1995 Crimson Tide
Rear Admiral Anderson, Board of Inquiry President (uncredited)
 
1995 My Antonia (TV movie)
Josea Burden
 
1994 Little Big League
Thomas Heywood
 
1994 The Paper
Graham Keighley
 
1994 The Enemy Within (TV movie)
General R. Pendleton Lloyd
 
1993 Philadelphia
Charles Wheeler
 
1993 Heidi (TV movie)
Grandfather
 
1993 The Trial
Doctor Huld
 
1993 The Adventures of Huck Finn
The King
 
1992 Lincoln (TV movie)
President Abraham Lincoln (voice)
 
1992 Storyville
Clifford Fowler
 
1992 Rabbit Ears: Jonah and the Whale (video short)
Narrator
 
1992 Deceptions
Clay
 
1991 Mark Twain and Me (TV movie)
Mark Twain
 
1991 American Masters (TV series documentary)
Narrator
– Helen Hayes: First Lady of the American Theatre (1991) … Narrator
 
1991 An Inconvenient Woman (TV movie)
Jules Mendelson
 
1991 Chernobyl: The Final Warning (TV movie)
Dr. Armand Hammer
 
1991 The Perfect Tribute (TV movie)
President Abraham Lincoln
 
1990 The Civil War (TV mini-series documentary)
Ulysses S. Grant
– The Better Angels of Our Nature (1865) (1990) … Ulysses S. Grant (voice)
– War Is All Hell (1865) (1990) … Ulysses S. Grant (voice)
– Most Hallowed Ground (1864) (1990) … Ulysses S. Grant (voice)
– Valley of the Shadow of Death (1864) (1990) … Ulysses S. Grant (voice)
– Simply Murder (1863) (1990) … Ulysses S. Grant (voice)
See all 9 episodes »
 
1990 Quick Change
Chief Rotzinger
 
1989 Black Rainbow
Walter Travis
 
1989 Parenthood
Frank Buckman
 
1989 Metallica: 2 of One (video)
Joe's Father (uncredited)
 
1989 Reunion
Henry Strauss
 
1989 Dream a Little Dream
Coleman Ettinger
 
1989 Metallica: One (TV short)
Joe's Father
 
1988 The Christmas Wife (TV movie)
John Tanner
 
1988 The Good Mother
Muth
 
1988 Bright Lights, Big City
Drunken Writer -- Mr. Hardy (uncredited)
 
1988 Inherit the Wind (TV movie)
Henry Drummond
 
1988 Thomas Hart Benton (TV movie)
Narrator
 
1987 Breaking Home Ties (TV movie)
Lloyd
 
1987 Laguna Heat (TV movie)
Wade Shephard
 
1987 Square Dance
Dillard
 
1986 The Last Frontier (TV movie)
Ed Stenning
 
1986 Johnny Bull (TV movie)
Stephan Kovacs
 
1985 The Long Hot Summer (TV movie)
Will Varner
 
1985 The Atlanta Child Murders (TV mini-series)
Alvin Binder
 
1984 Great Performances (TV series)
Grandpa Martin Vanderhof
– You Can't Take It with You (1984) … Grandpa Martin Vanderhof
 
1984 Sakharov (TV movie)
Andrei Sakharov
 
1984 American Playhouse (TV series)
Erie Smith
– Hughie (1984) … Erie Smith
 
1983 The Day After (TV movie)
Dr. Russell Oakes
 
1983 Something Wicked This Way Comes
Charles Halloway
 
1983 Max Dugan Returns
Max Dugan
 
1981 Broadway on Showtime (TV series)
Erie Smith
– Hughie (1981) … Erie Smith
 
1981 The Legend of the Lone Ranger
President Ulysses S. Grant
 
1980 Melvin and Howard
Howard Hughes
 
1980 Raise the Titanic
Admiral James Sandecker
 
1980 Haywire (TV movie)
Leland Hayward
 
1980 F.D.R.: The Last Year (TV movie)
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
 
1980 Cabo Blanco
Gunther Beckdorff
 
1979 Hurricane
Capt. Bruckner
 
1978 A Christmas to Remember (TV movie)
Daniel Larson
 
1978 Comes a Horseman
Jacob 'J.W.' Ewing
 
1977 Julia
Hammett
 
1977 Washington: Behind Closed Doors (TV mini-series)
President Richard Monckton
– Part 6 (1977) … President Richard Monckton
– Part 5 (1977) … President Richard Monckton
– Part 4 (1977) … President Richard Monckton
– Part 3 (1977) … President Richard Monckton
– Part 2 (1977) … President Richard Monckton
See all 6 episodes »
 
1976 The Spy Who Never Was
Inspector Barkan
 
1976 All the President's Men
Ben Bradlee
 
1976 Addie and the King of Hearts (TV movie)
Jamie Mills
 
1975 Mr. Sycamore
John Gwilt
 
1975 A Moon for the Misbegotten (TV movie)
James Tyrone Jr.
 
1975 A Boy and His Dog
Lou Craddock
 
1975 The Easter Promise (TV movie)
Jamie
 
1974 The Country Girl (TV movie)
Frank Elgin
 
1973 The Thanksgiving Treasure (TV movie)
James Mills
 
1973 Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
Governor Wallace
 
1972 The House Without a Christmas Tree (TV movie)
Jamie Mills
 
1972 Circle of Fear (TV series)
Elliot Brent
– The Dead We Leave Behind (1972) … Elliot Brent
 
1972 The War Between Men and Women
Stephen Kozlenko
 
1971 Murders in the Rue Morgue
Cesar Charron
 
1971 Johnny Got His Gun
Joe's Father
 
1971 Jud
 
1970 Fools
Matthew South
 
1970 Tora! Tora! Tora!
Lt. Gen. Walter C. Short
 
1970 Julius Caesar
Marcus Brutus
 
1970 The Ballad of Cable Hogue
Cable Hogue
 
1970 Rosolino Paternò, soldato...
Sam Armstrong
 
1969 Spoon River (TV movie)
Reader
 
1968 Isadora
Singer
 
1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's
Raymond Paine
 
1968 Once Upon a Time in the West
Cheyenne
 
1967 Hour of the Gun
Doc Holliday
 
1967 The Bell Telephone Hour (TV series)
– The Many Faces of Romeo and Juliet (1967)
 
1967 The St. Valentine's Day Massacre
Al Capone
 
1967 Divorce American Style
Nelson Downes
 
1966 ABC Stage 67 (TV series)
Royal Earle Thompson
– Noon Wine (1966) … Royal Earle Thompson
 
1966 Any Wednesday
John Cleves
 
1963-1966 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (TV series)
Irish LaFontain / Ivan Denisovich
– Shipwrecked (1966) … Irish LaFontain
– One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1963) … Ivan Denisovich (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1966 A Big Hand for the Little Lady
Henry Drummond
 
1965 A Thousand Clowns
Murray
 
1964 Mr. Broadway (TV series)
– Take a Walk Through a Cemetery (1964)
 
1964 Abe Lincoln in Illinois (TV movie)
Abraham Lincoln
 
1963 Act One
George S. Kaufman
 
1962 Long Day's Journey Into Night
Jamie Tyrone (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1962 Westinghouse Presents: That's Where the Town Is Going (TV movie)
Hobart Cramm (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1962 Tender Is the Night
Dr. Richard 'Dick' Diver (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1961 By Love Possessed
Julius Penrose (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1961 The Case of the Dangerous Robin (TV series)
– The Deadly Impersonation (1961) (as Jason Robards Sr.)
 
1960 Play of the Week (TV series)
Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman
– The Iceman Cometh: Part 2 (1960) … Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman
– The Iceman Cometh: Part 1 (1960) … Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman
 
1960 The Iceman Cometh (TV movie)
Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman
 
1960 Dow Hour of Great Mysteries (TV series)
Detective Anderson
– The Bat (1960) … Detective Anderson (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1959 A Doll's House (TV movie)
Dr. Rank (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1959 Sunday Showcase (TV series)
Alex Reed
– People Kill People Sometimes (1959) … Alex Reed (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1959 Playhouse 90 (TV series)
Robert Jordan
– For Whom the Bell Tolls: Part 2 (1959) … Robert Jordan (as Jason Robards Jr.)
– For Whom the Bell Tolls: Part 1 (1959) … Robert Jordan (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1959 The Journey
Paul Kedes (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1958 Omnibus (TV series)
Prime Minister
– Moment of Truth (1958) … Prime Minister
 
1955-1957 Studio One in Hollywood (TV series)
Cameron / Leonard O'Brien / Prisoner
– Twenty-Four Hours (1957) … Prisoner (as Jason Robards Jr.)
– The Incredible World of Horace Ford (1955) … Leonard O'Brien (as Jason Robards Jr.)
– A Picture in the Paper (1955) … Cameron (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1957 The Seven Lively Arts (TV series)
– The Changing Ways of Love (1957) (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1956-1957 The Alcoa Hour (TV series)
Bert Palmer / Bridger / Jayson
– Night (1957) … Jayson (as Jason Robards Jr.)
– The Big Build-Up (1957) … Bert Palmer (as Jason Robards Jr.)
– Even the Weariest River (1956) … Bridger (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1956-1957 Goodyear Playhouse (TV series)
– Nobody's Town (1957) (as Jason Robards Jr.)
– Proud Passage (1956) (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1955-1956 Star Tonight (TV series)
– Boy Crazy (1956) (as Jason Robards Jr.)
– Flame and Ice (1955) (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1955-1956 Justice (TV series)
Karder
– Pattern of Lies (1956) … Karder (as Jason Robards Jr.)
– Decision by Panic (1955) (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1955-1956 Appointment with Adventure (TV series)
– A Thief There Was (1956)
– Destination Freedom (1955)
 
1955-1956 Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV series)
Paul Foster / Reinhardt Schmidt
– Man in Shadow (1956) … Paul Foster
– Lost $2 Billion: The Story of Hurricane Diane (1955) … Reinhardt Schmidt (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1955 The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse (TV series)
Joe Grant / Mason
– The Outsiders (1955) … Mason (as Jason Robards Jr.)
– The Death of Billy the Kid (1955) … Joe Grant (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1955 Windows (TV series)
– A Domestic Dilemma (1955) (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1951-1954 The Big Story (TV series)
Aaron Dudley / Mr. Simms
– Arthur Mielke of the Washington Times Herald (1954) … Mr. Simms
– Aaron Dudley, Reporter (1951) … Aaron Dudley
 
1954 The Man Behind the Badge (TV series)
– The Case of the Last Escape (1954)
 
1947 Follow That Music (short)
 
1943 Swingtime Johnny
 
1938 The Nurse from Brooklyn
Surgeon (uncredited)
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (3 titles)
1980 Melvin and Howard (performer: "Bye Bye Blackbird")
 
1970 The Ballad of Cable Hogue (performer: "Butterfly Mornin's")
 
1965 A Thousand Clowns (performer: "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby" 1925 - uncredited)
 
Show ShowSelf (58 titles)
2001 Money and Power: The History of Business (TV documentary)
Narrator
 
2000 That Moment: Magnolia Diary (video documentary)
Himself
 
2000 6th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TV special)
Himself
 
2000 They Drew Fire (TV documentary)
Narrator (voice)
 
1999 The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (TV special)
Himself
 
1999 The 53rd Annual Tony Awards (TV special)
Himself - Presenter
 
1998 The Irish in America: Long Journey Home (TV mini-series documentary) (voice)
 
1996-1997 The American Experience (TV series documentary)
Himself / Narrator
– Truman: Part II (1997) … Himself/Narrator
– T.R.: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt (Part II) (1996) … Himself/Narrator
 
1996 The West (TV series documentary)
– Fight No More Forever (1996) (voice)
– Death Runs Riot (1996) (voice)
– Speck of the Future (1996) (voice)
– Empire Upon the Trails (1996) (voice)
 
1995 The Great American West (documentary short)
Narrator (voice)
 
1994 Baseball (TV mini-series documentary)
Herself / Himself
– The National Pastime (1994) … Herself (voice)
– A National Heirloom (1994) … Herself (voice)
– The Faith of Fifty Million People (1994) … Herself (voice)
– Something Like a War (1994) … Himself (voice)
 
1993 Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1993 The Roots of Roe (TV documentary)
Anthony Comstock (voice)
 
1992 Reading Rainbow (TV series)
Himself
– Sam the Sea Cow (1992) … Himself (voice)
 
1992 Pillar of Fire (TV documentary)
Narrator
 
1992 One More Spring (TV movie)
Himself - Host
 
1992 The Peoples Palace: Secrets of the New York Public Library (documentary)
Narrator
 
1992 When It Was a Game 2 (TV documentary)
Himself (voice)
 
1991 Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (documentary)
Narrator (voice)
 
1991 When It Was a Game (TV documentary)
Himself (voice)
 
1990 Night of 100 Stars III (TV movie)
Himself
 
1988 The 42nd Annual Tony Awards (TV special)
Himself - Presenter
 
1987 Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood (TV special documentary)
Himself
 
1986 American Masters (TV series documentary)
Himself
– Eugene O'Neill: A Glory of Ghosts (1986) … Himself
 
1985 National Geographic Explorer (TV series documentary)
Himself - Narrator
– Polar Bear Alert (1985) … Himself - Narrator
 
1984 The World of Tomorrow (documentary)
Himself - Narrator
 
1984 America and Lewis Hine (documentary) (voice)
 
1983 The Making of 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1982 The 36th Annual Tony Awards (TV special)
Himself - Presenter
 
1982 Burden of Dreams (documentary)
Fitzcarraldo
 
1982 Night of 100 Stars (TV special)
Himself
 
1981 The Magic of David Copperfield IV: The Vanishing Airplane (TV movie)
Himself - Host
 
1981 The 35th Annual Tony Awards (TV special)
Himself - Performer
 
1981 The 38th Annual Golden Globe Awards (TV special)
Himself - Nominee: Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
 
1981 Stages: Houseman Directs Lear (TV documentary)
Himself - Host
 
1981 Signature (TV series)
Himself - Guest
– Jason Robards … Himself - Guest
 
1980 The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (TV special)
Himself
 
1978-1980 Good Morning America (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 23 July 1980 (1980) … Himself
– Episode dated 31 March 1978 (1978) … Himself
– Episode dated 18 January 1978 (1978) … Himself
 
1980 The 34th Annual Tony Awards (TV special)
Himself - Co-host
 
1966-1980 Today (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 13 May 1980 (1980) … Himself
– Episode dated 14 December 1976 (1976) … Himself
– Episode dated 10 February 1966 (1966) … Himself
 
1977 They Said It with Music: Yankee Doodle to Ragtime (TV special)
 
1977 The 49th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
 
1973 Old Faithful (TV movie)
Himself
 
1972 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 30 May 1972 (1972) … Himself
 
1971 Rollin' on the River (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 23 October 1971 (1971) … Himself
 
1967 The Belle of 14th Street (TV special)
Himself
 
1966 The 38th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself - Presenter: Best Film Editing
 
1965 The Danny Kaye Show (TV series)
Himself - Guest
– Episode #2.27 (1965) … Himself - Guest (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1965 What's My Line? (TV series)
Himself - Mystery Guest
– Episode dated 3 January 1965 (1965) … Himself - Mystery Guest
 
1964 The Presidency: A Splendid Misery (TV documentary)
 
1963 The DuPont Show of the Week (TV series)
Himself
– Opening Night (1963) … Himself (as Jason Robards Jr.)
 
1963 Heavyweight Elimination Contest: Cassius Clay vs. Doug Jones
Himself - Audience Member
 
1962 The 16th Annual Tony Awards (TV movie)
Himself - Presenter
 
1961 The 15th Annual Tony Awards (TV movie)
Himself - Presenter
 
1960 Gala Adlai on Broadway (TV movie)
Himself - Performer
 
1960 The 14th Annual Tony Awards (TV movie)
Himself - Presenter
 
1959 The 13th Annual Tony Awards (TV special)
Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Play
 
1955 Producers' Showcase (TV series)
Himself
– Dateline II (1955) … Himself
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (10 titles)
2008 The 80th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself
 
2006 Metallica: The Videos 1989-2004 (video)
Joe's Father (video "One")
 
2006 The American Experience (TV series documentary)
 
2004 Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2001 Private Screenings (TV series)
 
2001 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills: America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies (TV special documentary)
Himself
 
2001 The 73rd Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself (Memorial Tribute)
 
1999 Heroes of Comedy (TV series documentary)
 
1999 My Best Fiend - Klaus Kinski (documentary)
Fitzcarraldo
 
1993 La classe américaine (TV movie)
Le patron du journal
 

Related Videos

Dream a Little Dream -- Bobby has everything a young guy should - a good buddy, a girlfriend and parents who love him. When the older couple down the street try a transcendental experiment in order to extend their lives, they quite literally become trapped in the teen's bodies. Once Upon a Time in the West -- Clip: Opening Scene All the President's Men -- Trailer for All the Presidents Men
See all 33 »
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Personal Details

Other Works:

Stage: Appeared (as "Seymour Rosenthal") in "But For Whom Charlie" (1964). Written by S.N. Behrman. Music arranged by David Amram. Scenic Design and lighting by Jo Mielziner. Costume Design by Anna Hill Johnstone. Directed by Elia Kazan. ANTA Washington Square Theatre: 12 Mar-2... See more »

Publicity Listings:

1 Print Biography  | 1 Interview  | 1 Article  | See more »

Alternate Names:

Jason Robards Jr. | Jason Robards Sr.

Height:

5' 8½" (1.74 m)
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

Sometimes you do junk just to keep alive. You know it's junk when you go in. You just hope you will do the best you can, and that the film will be entertaining. Many times, it isn't, but you just do those things to pay the bills. See more »

Trivia:

Katharine Hepburn was the godmother of his son Sam Robards. See more »

Trademark:

Sardonic deadpan See more »

Star Sign:

Leo