Tony Roberts dead at 85
Tony Award nominated star Tony Roberts - who was a frequent collaborator of director Woody Allen - has died at the age of 85.
Tony Roberts has died aged 85.
The Tony Award nominated star - who was a frequent collaborator of director Woody Allen - passed away on Friday (02.07.25) from complications of lung cancer, his daughter Nicole Burley announced to the New York Times.
He married dancer Jennifer Lyons in 1969 but they divorced in 1975. He is survived only by his daughter.
Roberts was a renowned Broadway actor with roles in musicals including 'How Now, Dow Jones' in 1967, 'Sugar' in 1972 and 'Victor/Victoria' in 1995.
He co-starred with Dame Julie Andrews in the latter, when she returned to Broadway for the stage version of her famous film.
He also appeared in 'Xanadu' in 2007 and 'The Royal Family' in 2009.
He was nominated twice for a Tony Award — for 'How Now, Dow Jones' and 'Play It Again, Sam'.
One of his biggest stage successes was Charles Busch's comedy 'The Tale of the Allergist's Wife' in 2000, in which he played the title character's husband.
He told Broadway World in 2015: “I was lucky enough to get in on the last years of the Golden Age of Broadway. In that era there was a lot more going on that seemed to have high quality about it and great conviction."
He first met Allen backstage when he starred in 'Barefoot in the Park', where he replaced Robert Redford.
He had had unsuccessfully auditioned four times for Allen´s first Broadway play, 'Don´t Drink the Water' but after seeing him on stage, Allen was convinced to cast him and said: "You were great. How come you’re such a lousy auditioner?"
He became a close friend of the director on and off screen and is best known for his roles in Allen's movie 'Annie Hall' as Alvy Singer's best friend Rob.
