Sam Prideaux Robards (born December 16, 1961) is an American actor. He is best known for his film roles in '' American Beauty'' (1999) and '' A.I. Artificial Intelligence'' (2001). For his performance in the Broadway production of '' The Man Who Had All the Luck'', he received a nomination for the

Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play The Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actors for quality supporting roles in a Broadway theatre, Broa ...

Early life

Robards was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, the son of actor Jason Robards (1922–2000) and actress

Lauren Bacall Betty Joan Perske (September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014), professionally known as Lauren Bacall ( ), was an American actress. She was named the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the America ...

(1924–2014). He is the only child of their marriage, though he has seven half-siblings: five through his father (three elder, two younger); and two – Stephen Humphrey Bogart and Leslie Bogart – through his mother's previous marriage to

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...

. He lived for a time in London, where he attended the American School in London, then returned to New York City, where he attended Collegiate School. Robards then attended

Sarah Lawrence College Sarah Lawrence College (SLC) is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York, United States. Founded as a Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in 1926, Sarah Lawrence College has been coeducational ...

. In the fall of 1980, he attended the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut.

Career

Robards began his acting career in 1980 in an

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

production of ''Album'', and made his feature-film debut in director Paul Mazursky's 1982 film '' Tempest''. In 1985, Robards starred alongside

Kevin Costner Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Kevin Costner, various accolades, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Primeti ...

and future wife

Suzy Amis Suzy Amis Cameron (born Susan Elizabeth Amis, January 5, 1962) is an American former actress, model, author and activist, who advocates for a plant-based diet. Early life and career Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on January 5 1962, Amis Cameron ...

in ''

Fandango Fandango is a lively partner dance originating in Portugal and Spain, usually in triple metre, triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, tambourine or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is u ...

''. Robards acted opposite his father in the 1988 film '' Bright Lights, Big City'', which was their only collaboration before his death in 2000. Also in 1988, he was cast in the lead role of Kevin Keegan in the CBS drama '' TV 101''. In 1990, he played the role of Chris Elliott's friend, Larry, on the Fox sitcom '' Get a Life''. In 1994, Robards starred in two films:

Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...

's film '' Prêt-à-Porter'', where he was a part of an ensemble that included his mother; and

Alan Rudolph Alan Steven Rudolph (born December 18, 1943) is an American film director and screenwriter. Early life Rudolph was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Oscar Rudolph (1911–1991), a television director and actor, and his wife. Care ...

's biographical film of Dorothy Parker, '' Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle'', where he portrayed the first editor of ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'', Harold Ross. In 2002, Robards received acclaim for his performance as Gustav Eberson in the Broadway revival of

Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1 ...

's '' The Man Who Had All the Luck'', winning the

Clarence Derwent Award The Clarence Derwent Awards are theatre awards given annually by the Actors' Equity Association on Broadway in the United States and by Equity, the performers' union, in the West End in the United Kingdom. Clarence Derwent (23 March 1884 – 6 ...

and earning nominations for the

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

and

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...

. In July 2008, he took over the role of Richard Hannay in the Broadway run of '' The 39 Steps''. His film credits also include '' Casualties of War'', '' Beautiful Girls'', '' American Beauty'', '' A.I. Artificial Intelligence'', '' Life as a House'', '' The Other Side of the Tracks'', and '' The Art of Getting By''. Robards's television credits include a recurring roles on and appearances on '' Spin City'', ''

The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...

'', ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, launching the ''Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire ...

'', '' Law & Order: Criminal Intent'', ''

Sex and the City ''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy, romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO, based on Sex and the City (newspaper column), the newspaper column and 1996 book by Candace Bushnell. It premiered in th ...

'', '' The Good Wife'' and '' Hotel Cocaine''. He had recurring roles on the series ''

Gossip Girl ''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series created and developed by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage and based on the series of novels of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar. It follows a group of students on Manhattan's ...

'' and '' Treme''.

Personal life

In 1986, he married actress

, his co-star in ''

''. They have a son, Jasper, born before their divorce in 1994. In 1997, Robards married Danish model Sidsel Jensen Robards. They have two sons, Calvin and Sebastian.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Robards, Sam 1961 births 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American people of English descent American people of German descent American people of Irish descent American people of Romanian-Jewish descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent American people of Swedish descent American people of Welsh descent Clarence Derwent Award winners Collegiate School (New York) alumni Living people Male actors from New York City