--- name: "Jason Robards" canonical: "https://film.one/person/jason-robards" fi1m_id: "jason-robards" imdb_id: "nm0001673" tmdb_id: 4765 wikidata_id: "Q296630" roles: ["Actor"] born: "26 July 1922" died: "26 December 2000" reviewed_on_fi1m: 9 average_fi1m_score: 75 average_as: "actor" average_over: 9 updated: "2026-10-07T11:27:05.640061+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Jason Robards ## Identity Jason Robards - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jason-robards - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** jason-robards - **IMDb ID:** nm0001673 - **TMDB ID:** 4765 - **Wikidata ID:** Q296630 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Robards, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q296630, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001673/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4765 Actor. Born 26 July 1922 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Died 26 December 2000. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 26 July 1922, Chicago, Illinois, USA - **Died:** 26 December 2000 - **Active:** 1965–1999 - **Also known as:** Jason Robards Jr., Джейсон Робардс, Jason Nelson Robards Jr. - **Frequently works with:** [Hal Holbrook](https://film.one/person/hal-holbrook.md), [Martin Balsam](https://film.one/person/martin-balsam.md), [Mary Steenburgen](https://film.one/person/mary-steenburgen.md) - **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscars (2 won · 1 nominated) - **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 9 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 84 (2), 1970s 75 (2), 1980s 57 (2), 1990s 82 (3) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 74 to 68 across 7 titles - **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 2 of 9 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 8, Comedy 2, Thriller 2, Action 1, Adventure 1, Documentary 1 - **Screen time:** 18 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $485m across 7 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Robards, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q296630, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001673/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4765 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Civil War*](https://film.one/tv/the-civil-war.md) (87), [*Raise the Titanic*](https://film.one/film/raise-the-titanic.md) (36) - **HBO Max:** [*Magnolia*](https://film.one/film/magnolia.md) (84) - **Netflix:** [*Parenthood*](https://film.one/film/parenthood.md) (78) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Jason Robards > Jason Robards brought a rich voice and an inward intensity to men accustomed to authority. We rate him for making those men worth watching, though *Philadelphia* shows how much even he depended on the writing. In *Philadelphia* (1993), Jason Robards's Charles Wheeler has to contend with a screenplay that makes its characters' attitudes too easy to anticipate. He keeps the supporting exchanges watchable, alongside Mary Steenburgen as Belinda Conine. We enjoyed those scenes because the actors held our attention after the writing had made the people predictable. It is a small but telling example of his usefulness in a supporting part. His theatrical reputation helps explain what we look for in his screen work: a rich voice and an intense, inward manner suited to flawed men. He established himself in Eugene O'Neill with Hickey in the 1956 revival of *The Iceman Cometh*. Jamie Tyrone in *Long Day's Journey Into Night* followed that year. Film work became steady in the 1960s, including Cheyenne in Sergio Leone's *Once Upon a Time in the West* (1968). By *All the President's Men* (1976), he was playing Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, a role well suited to his skill with men of authority. His performance is carefully modulated, a useful reminder that the rich voice was only part of the work. Dashiell Hammett in *Julia* (1977) continued that run of real-life figures. The work carried on through the 1990s, with Earl Partridge in Paul Thomas Anderson's ensemble *Magnolia* (1999) among the late roles. *Philadelphia* makes the limits clear enough. Jonathan Demme's drama is moving and humane, but Nyswaner's cautious screenplay gives too little space to lives beyond the case. Kristi Zea's production design keeps the legal surroundings from competing with the actors, a restraint that serves Robards and Steenburgen well. They still have to make neatly assigned attitudes sound like the views of particular people, and we cannot credit Robards with solving a problem that belongs to the writing. Watch it for the cast, and allow for the lectures. ## Biography Jason Robards was an American stage and film actor. Born Jason Nelson Robards Jr. in Chicago, Illinois, on 26 July 1922, he died in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on 26 December 2000. The son of actor Jason Robards Sr., he trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. He gained prominence on Broadway for his interpretations of Eugene O'Neill plays, including Hickey in The Iceman Cometh (1956) and roles in Long Day's Journey into Night. Robards entered feature films in the late 1950s. He received consecutive Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his performances as Ben Bradlee in All the President's Men (1976) and Dashiell Hammett in Julia (1977). Other notable film roles include Cheyenne in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), Frank Buckman in Parenthood (1989), Charles Wheeler in Philadelphia (1993) and Earl Partridge in Magnolia (1999). He also won a Tony Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, britannica.com.* ## On Fi1m (9) - *Magnolia* (1999), Fi1m 84, as Earl Partridge — [page](https://film.one/film/magnolia.md) - *Philadelphia* (1993), Fi1m 76, as Charles Wheeler — [page](https://film.one/film/philadelphia.md) - *The Civil War* (1990), Fi1m 87, as Ulysses S. Grant (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-civil-war.md) - *Parenthood* (1989), Fi1m 78, as Frank Buckman — [page](https://film.one/film/parenthood.md) - *Raise the Titanic* (1980), Fi1m 36, as Admiral James Sandecker — [page](https://film.one/film/raise-the-titanic.md) - *Julia* (1977), Fi1m 60, as Dashiell Hammett — [page](https://film.one/film/julia.md) - *All the President's Men* (1976), Fi1m 90, as Ben Bradlee — [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-presidents-men.md) - *Once Upon a Time in the West* (1968), Fi1m 91, as 'Cheyenne' — [page](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west.md) - *A Thousand Clowns* (1965), Fi1m 76, as Murray — [page](https://film.one/film/a-thousand-clowns.md) ## Complete filmography (131) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, and the Spirit of I.F. Stone* (2016), as Ben Bradlee (archive footage) - *Metallica: The Videos 1989-2004* (2006), as Joe's Father (video "One") - *Going Home* (2000), as Charles Barton - *Magnolia* (1999), as Earl Partridge — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/magnolia.md) - *Enemy of the State* (1998), as Congressman Phillip Hammersley (uncredited) — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/enemy-of-the-state.md) - *Beloved* (1998), as Mr. Bodwin - *The Real Macaw* (1998), as Grandpa Girdis - *Heartwood* (1998), as Logan Reeser - *Truman* (1997), as Narrator (voice) - *A Thousand Acres* (1997), as Larry Cook - *T.R.: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt* (1996), as Narrator - *Journey* (1995), as Marcus - *Crimson Tide* (1995), as Rear Admiral Anderson (uncredited) - *My Antonia* (1995), as Josea Burden - *The Great American West* (1995), as Narrator (voice) - *Baseball* (1994), series, as (voice) - *The Enemy Within* (1994), as General R. Pendleton Lloyd - *Little Big League* (1994), as Thomas Heywood - *The Paper* (1994), as Graham Keighley - *Over Washington D.C.: Our Nation's Capital* (1994), as Narrator - *La Classe américaine* (1993), as The Newspaper Director (archive footage) - *Philadelphia* (1993), as Charles Wheeler — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/philadelphia.md) - *Roots of Roe* (1993), as Anthony Comstock (voice) - *Heidi* (1993), series, as Grandfather - *Heidi* (1993), as Großvater - *The Trial* (1993), as Doctor Huld - *The Adventures of Huck Finn* (1993), as The King - *Lincoln* (1992), as President Abraham Lincoln (voice) - *Storyville* (1992), as Clifford Fowler - *When It Was a Game 2* (1992), as Passage Narrator (voice) - *Deceptions* (1992), as Clay (voice) - *Mark Twain and Me* (1991), as Mark Twain - *Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio* (1991), as Narrator (voice) - *Rabbit Ears - Jonah and the Whale* (1991), as Narrator (voice) - *When It Was a Game* (1991), as (voice) - *An Inconvenient Woman* (1991), series, as Jules Mendelson - *Chernobyl: The Final Warning* (1991), as Dr. Armand Hammer - *The Perfect Tribute* (1991), as President Abraham Lincoln - *The Civil War* (1990), series, as Ulysses S. Grant (voice) — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-civil-war.md) - *Quick Change* (1990), as Chief Rotzinger - *Black Rainbow* (1989), as Walter Travis - *Thomas Hart Benton* (1989), as Narrator (voice) - *Parenthood* (1989), as Frank Buckman — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/parenthood.md) - *Reunion* (1989), as Henry Strauss - *Dream a Little Dream* (1989), as Coleman Ettinger - *The Christmas Wife* (1988), as John Tanner - *The Good Mother* (1988), as W. O. Muth - *American Experience* (1988), series, as Narrator (voice) - *Bright Lights, Big City* (1988), as Mr. Hardy (uncredited) - *Inherit the Wind* (1988), as Harry Drummond - *Breaking Home Ties* (1987), as Lloyd Wells - *Laguna Heat* (1987), as Wade Shephard - *Square Dance* (1987), as Dillard - *The Last Frontier* (1986), series, as Ed Stenning - *Johnny Bull* (1986), as Stephan Kovacs - *The Long Hot Summer* (1985), series, as Will Varner - *The Atlanta Child Murders* (1985), series, as Alvin Binder - *Screen Two* (1985), series, as Doctor Huld - *You Can't Take it With You* (1984), as Grandpa Martin Vanderhof - *America and Lewis Hine* (1984), as Voice - *Sakharov* (1984), as Andrei Sakharov - *The Day After* (1983), as Dr. Russell Oakes - *Something Wicked This Way Comes* (1983), as Charles Halloway - *Max Dugan Returns* (1983), as Max Dugan - *Burden of Dreams* (1982), as Fitzcarraldo (archive footage) - *The Legend of the Lone Ranger* (1981), as President Ulysses S. Grant - *Melvin and Howard* (1980), as Howard Hughes - *Ghosts of Cape Horn* (1980), as Narrator - *Raise the Titanic* (1980), as Admiral James Sandecker — Fi1m 36, [page](https://film.one/film/raise-the-titanic.md) - *F.D.R.: The Last Year* (1980), as President Franklin D. Roosevelt - *Haywire* (1980), as Leland Hayward - *Caboblanco* (1980), as Gunther Beckdorff - *Broadway on Showtime* (1979), series, as Erie Smith - *Hurricane* (1979), as Capt. Charles Bruckner - *A Christmas to Remember* (1978), as Daniel Larson - *The Magic of David Copperfield* (1978), series, Actor - *Comes a Horseman* (1978), as Jacob 'J.W.' Ewing - *Julia* (1977), as Dashiell Hammett — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/julia.md) - *Washington: Behind Closed Doors* (1977), series, as President Richard Monckton - *The Spy Who Never Was* (1976), as Inspector Barkan - *All the President's Men* (1976), as Ben Bradlee — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-presidents-men.md) - *Addie and the King of Hearts* (1976), as James "Jamie" Mills - *Mr. Sycamore* (1975), as John Gwilt - *A Moon for the Misbegotten* (1975), as James Tyrone Jr. - *The Easter Promise* (1975), as James "Jamie" Mills - *A Boy and His Dog* (1975), as Lou Craddock - *The Country Girl* (1974), as Frank Elgin - *The Thanksgiving Treasure* (1973), as James "Jamie" Mills - *Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid* (1973), as Governor Wallace - *Old Faithful* (1973), as Jason Robards - *The House Without a Christmas Tree* (1972), as James "Jamie" Mills - *Ghost Story* (1972), series, as Elliot Brent - *The War Between Men and Women* (1972), as Stephen Kozlenko - *Johnny Got His Gun* (1971), as Joe's Father - *Murders in the Rue Morgue* (1971), as Cesar Charron - *Fools* (1970), as Matthew South - *Julius Caesar* (1970), as Marcus Brutus - *The Ballad of Cable Hogue* (1970), as Cable Hogue - *Operation Snafu* (1970), as Sam Armstrong - *Tora! Tora! Tora!* (1970), as General Walter C. Short - *Once Upon a Time in the West* (1968), as 'Cheyenne' — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west.md) - *The Night They Raided Minsky's* (1968), as Raymond Paine - *Isadora* (1968), as Paris Singer - *Hour of the Gun* (1967), as Doc Holliday - *The Belle of 14th Street* (1967), as Performer - *The St. Valentine's Day Massacre* (1967), as Al Capone - *Divorce American Style* (1967), as Nelson Downes - *The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde* (1967), as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde - *Noon Wine* (1966), as Royal Earle Thompson - *Any Wednesday* (1966), as John Cleves - *ABC Stage 67* (1966), series, as Royal Earle Thompson - *A Big Hand for the Little Lady* (1966), as Henry Drummond - *A Thousand Clowns* (1965), as Murray — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/a-thousand-clowns.md) - *Abe Lincoln in Illinois* (1964), as Abraham Lincoln - *Act One* (1963), as George S. Kaufman - *Long Day's Journey Into Night* (1962), as Jamie Tyrone - *Tender Is the Night* (1962), as Dick Diver - *By Love Possessed* (1961), as Julius Penrose - *The Iceman Cometh* (1960), series, as Theodore "Hickey" Hickman - *The Dow Hour of Great Mysteries* (1960), series, as Detective Anderson - *The Bat* (1960), as Detective Anderson - *A Doll's House* (1959), as Dr. Rank - *Play of the Week* (1959), series, Actor - *For Whom the Bell Tolls* (1959), as Robert Jordan - *The Journey* (1959), as Paul Kedes - *Playhouse 90* (1956), series, as Robert Jordan - *The Alcoa Hour* (1955), series, as Bert Palmer - *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Col. Carter - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Dr. Rank, Marcus, Abe Lincoln, Frank Elgin - *Studio One* (1948), series, as Frank Cameron, Prisoner, Walter Osgood, Leonard O'Brien - *The Philco Television Playhouse* (1948), series, as Joe Grant, Mason ## Gallery - ![Jason Robards](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-a162394a1550.jpg) Jason Robards — Village Voice photo by Ben Schiff, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Jason_Robards_1956_Obie_Awards_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Producer Leroy Griffith and actor Jason Robards during filming of the burlesque movie The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) in 1967.](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-75feff461169.png) Producer Leroy Griffith and actor Jason Robards during filming of the burlesque movie The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) in 1967. — Nuitetjour, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Jason_Robards%2C_Leroy_Griffith.png/1280px-Jason_Robards%2C_Leroy_Griffith.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Publicity photo of Jason Robards in Once Upon a Time in the West. (1968)](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-ccf09f3f55b3.jpg) Publicity photo of Jason Robards in Once Upon a Time in the West. (1968) — Studio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Jason_Robards-1968-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Publicity photo of Jason Robards (1975)](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-197791f03e62.jpg) Publicity photo of Jason Robards (1975) — Wire photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Jason_Robards-1975.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Jason Robards](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-bfdd71519f69.jpg) Jason Robards — Image via TMDB - ![Jason Robards](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-bcde3a27d547.jpg) Jason Robards — Image via TMDB - ![Jason Robards](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-567c50529b91.jpg) Jason Robards — Image via TMDB - ![Kennedy center award winner December 5, 1999 Wash. D.C. (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-de8582f71cb3.jpg) Kennedy center award winner December 5, 1999 Wash. D.C. (2019) — John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Jason_Robards_1999.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Actor Jason Robards posing in scene from Eugene O'Neill's play Hughie in Los Angeles (1965)](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-77949babd2ad.jpg) Actor Jason Robards posing in scene from Eugene O'Neill's play Hughie in Los Angeles (1965) — Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Jason_Robards_in_Eugene_O%27Neill%27s_Hughie.jpg/1280px-Jason_Robards_in_Eugene_O%27Neill%27s_Hughie.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Jason Robards](https://film.one/media/person/82626/gallery-1c381cd1964c.jpg) Jason Robards — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 2 won, 1 nominated - 1981: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Melvin and Howard* - 1978: Best Supporting Actor (won), for *Julia* - 1977: Best Supporting Actor (won), for *All the President's Men* ### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won - 1988: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (won), for *Inherit the Wind* ### Cannes Film Festival — 1 won - 1962: Best Actor (won), for *Long Day's Journey into Night* ### Other awards — 2 won, 7 nominated - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1978: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (nominated) - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1974: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (nominated) - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1972: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (nominated) - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1965: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (nominated) - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1964: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (nominated) - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1960: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (nominated) - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1959: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (won) - Theatre World Award 1957: Theatre World Award (won) - Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 1957: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (nominated) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jason-robards