Tony Roberts, the character actor who appeared in Annie Hall and quite a few different seminal '70s movies, has died. He was 85.

Roberts died at residence in Manhattan on Friday following issues from lung most cancers, his daughter, Nicole Burley, confirmed to The New York Times.

Roberts' regular, assured demeanor made him the right onscreen foil for Woody Allen's overly neurotic characters in movies like Annie Corridor, and his aura of unflappable competence made him a pure match to play cinematic authority figures, together with a police officer in Serpico and a deputy mayor in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

Born in Manhattan in 1939, Roberts studied appearing on the borough's Excessive College of Music & Artwork and at Northwestern College on the recommendation of household pal Lee Strasberg. He graduated in 1961 and made his Broadway debut a 12 months later in One thing A couple of Soldier. He went on to star in productions of Barefoot within the Park and How Now, Dow Jones, the latter of which earned him a Tony nomination for Finest Featured Actor in a Play.

Roberts first collaborated with Allen when he auditioned for — and was ultimately forged in — the Manhattan filmmaker's 1966 play, Don't Drink the Water. He then appeared within the 1969 manufacturing of Play It Once more, Sam, which Allen wrote and starred in. Roberts and his costar Diane Keaton each earned Tony noms for his or her performances within the present, and all three actors reprised their roles in Herbert Ross' 1972 movie adaptation.

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The actor's movie debut got here a 12 months earlier than within the 1971 Disney comedy The Million Greenback Duck, which forged Roberts as the perfect pal of Dean Jones' protagonist. The identical 12 months, he appeared within the movie adaptation of Star Spangled Lady, adopted by Sidney Lumet's 1973 crime drama Serpico and the Walter Matthau–starring 1974 subway thriller The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

Roberts' most memorable position was in 1977's Annie Corridor, his first time working with Allen along with his costar behind the digicam. Roberts' Rob is sort of comically laid-back, so it's pretty unsurprising that he thrives in Los Angeles (and even much less shocking that Allen's Alvy doesn't take to the Metropolis of Angels). The movie received Finest Image on the 1978 Oscars, and is extensively thought-about one of the crucial influential romance movies of the twentieth century, in addition to Allen's magnum opus.

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Roberts went on to collaborate with Allen on 4 extra movies: 1980's Stardust Reminiscences, 1982's A Midsummer Night time's Intercourse Comedy, 1986's Hannah and Her Sisters, and 1987's Radio Days.

The actor performed one in all his solely big-screen main roles within the 1983 horror sequel Amityville 3-D, and later appeared in movies like Swap with Ellen Barkin and The Longest Week with Jason Bateman.

On the small display, Roberts acted on exhibits like The Fringe of Night time, The Love Boat, Matlock, The Carol Burnett Show, and Law & Order. His remaining display credit score was the 2017 made-for-TV remake of Soiled Dancing.
Roberts is survived by his daughter.

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