Robert Francis LuPone (July 29, 1946 – August 27, 2022) was an American actor and artistic director. He worked on stage, in film, and in television. He was the brother of actress Patti LuPone.
Robert LuPone | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Francis LuPone July 29, 1946 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | August 27, 2022 (aged 76) Albany, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Juilliard School |
| Alma mater | Drama Studio London |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, artistic director |
| Years active | 1967–2022 |
| Spouse | Virginia Robinson |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Patti LuPone (sister) |
Early life and training
editLuPone was born in Brooklyn on July 29, 1946.[1][2] His father, Orlando Joseph LuPone, worked as a school administrator and English teacher at Walt Whitman High School in Huntington, Long Island; his mother, Angela Louise (Patti), was a library administrator at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. His great-great aunt was 19th-century Spanish-born Italian opera singer Adelina Patti. His father's side came from Abruzzo, while his mother's side is Sicilian.[3][4] LuPone was raised in Northport, New York on Long Island.[3] He trained as a dancer and was a graduate of Juilliard School, having studied with Antony Tudor, Jose Limon, and Martha Graham.[5] He also studied theatre at HB Studio under Uta Hagen.[6]
Career
editAfter graduating from Juilliard in 1968, LuPone made his Broadway debut that same year as a dancer in "Noël Coward's Sweet Potato". He featured in three more shows in that same capacity before successfully auditioning for A Chorus Line (1976), having convinced Michael Bennett to let him play the role of the director, Zach. LuPone was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, in what proved to be his final dancing role.[3] His later performances included A Thousand Clowns (2001), True West (2000), A View from the Bridge (1997), Late Nite Comic (1987), Saint Joan (1977), and The Magic Show (1974).[3] His numerous off-Broadway performances included Twelfth Night (1980), Black Angel (1982), and Lennon (1982). He also appeared in regional theater.[7] He was the director of the MFA Drama Program at The New School for Drama (New York City) until the spring of 2011.[7]
Together with his former student, Bernie Telsey, LuPone established the Manhattan Class Company in 1986. This eventually became the MCC Theater. As its artistic director,[5] he produced Frozen (2004), Reasons To Be Pretty (2008), and "Hand to God" (2014), all of which were nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play and eventually made their way to Broadway.[3]
On television, LuPone appeared in five episodes of The Sopranos as Dr. Bruce Cusamano, next-door neighbor of the titular Soprano family (1999–2007).[8] He appeared on Law & Order: Criminal Intent for two episodes as Nelson Broome (2003–2009),[9] and on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for one episode in 2004. He also appeared on All My Children in the 1980s and Guiding Light in the 1990s.[10] He appeared in the pilot episode of the NBC musical series Smash as well as the pilot episode of Showtime's drama Billions.[3]
Personal life
editAt the time of his death, LuPone was a resident of Athens, New York.[3] He was married to Virginia Robinson until his death. Together, they had one son. His younger sister is actress-singer Patti LuPone.[3][11]
LuPone died on August 27, 2022, at a hospice facility in Albany, New York. He was 76, and suffered from pancreatic cancer prior to his death.[11][3]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Song of Norway[12] | Dancer | Uncredited |
| 1973 | Jesus Christ Superstar | James the Apostle[3] | |
| 1989 | High Stakes | John Stratton[13] | |
| 1991 | The Doors[14][15] | Music Manager | |
| 1995 | A Modern Affair[14][15] | Ben | |
| 1995 | Palookaville[13] | Ralph | |
| 1995 | Dead Presidents[14][16] | Attorney Salvatore Rizzo | |
| 2002 | Heartbreak Hospital[17] | Hal | |
| 2004 | The Door in the Floor[14][16] | Mendelssohn | |
| 2004 | Indocumentados[14] | Priest | |
| 2005 | Come Away with Me | Fred | |
| 2006 | Mentor[13][14] | Franklin Burier | |
| 2007 | Then She Found Me[14][16] | Ted | |
| 2007 | Funny Games[13][14] | Robert Thompson | |
| 2009 | Breaking Point[13] | Frank Donnelly | |
| 2013 | Isn't It Delicious[13] | Sam Spenser |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Rich Man, Poor Man Book II | Dick Barnaby | Episode: "Chapter IX" |
| 1977 | The Feather and Father Gang[18] | Choreographer | Episode: "Flight to Mexico" |
| 1979–1980 | Ryan's Hope | Chester Wallace[19] | 9 episodes |
| 1983 | Search for Tomorrow | Tom Bergman #5[19] | 77 episodes |
| 1984–1985 | All My Children | Zach Grayson[13] | 4 episodes |
| 1985–1986 | Another World | Neal Cory[19] | 7 episodes |
| 1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Jeffery Sinclair | Episode: "The Saint in Manhattan"[20] |
| 1990 | Guiding Light | Leo Flynn[13] | 4 episodes |
| 1990, 1994, 1999, 2002 | Law & Order | Kurtz / Marc Bransom / Mark Branson / Bill Wendyll[13] | |
| 1991–1994 | Loving | Leonard Brill / Charley Nichols[21] | 24 episodes |
| 1995 | Love and Betrayal: The Mia Farrow Story | André Previn | Television film[13] |
| 1996 | Swift Justice | Alan Kaufman | Episode: "Out on a Limb"[13] |
| 1999–2006 | The Sopranos | Dr. Bruce Cusamano | 6 episodes[13] |
| 2000 | Sex and the City | Len Schnieder | Episode: "The Big Time"[13] |
| 2000 | JAG | Mel Hayden | Episode: "JAG TV"[13] |
| 2000 | American Tragedy[22] | Robert Kardashian | Television film |
| 2001 | Ally McBeal | Attorney Bjork | Episode: "The Getaway"[3] |
| 2002 | Crossing Jordan[22] | DA Curt Schneider[23] | 2 episodes |
| 2003, 2009 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Nelson Broome[13] | |
| 2004, 2013, 2019 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Paretto / Gabriel Gorromini / Brooks Harmon | 3 episodes[13] |
| 2005 | Stella[24] | Bob Feldman | Episode: "Campaign" |
| 2006 | Conviction | Acting Teacher | Episode: "The Wall"[13] |
| 2009 | Royal Pains | Dr. Silver | Episode: "Pilot"[13] |
| 2011 | A Gifted Man | Dr. Arnold Soltman | Episode: "Pilot"[13] |
| 2011 | Gossip Girl | Dr. Krueger | Episode: "Rhodes to Perdition"[3] |
| 2012 | Smash[24] | Jerry's Attorney | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2014 | The Affair[22] | Dennis | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Billions | Skip Wolkowska | Episode: "Pilot"[3] |
| 2016 | Odd Mom Out | Timberly Crisp | Episode: "Knock of Shame"[13] |
References
edit- ^ Lenker, Maureen Lee (August 29, 2022). "Bob LuPone, Broadway change-maker and 'The Sopranos' actor, dies at 76". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ Tinoco, Armando (August 27, 2022). "Bob LuPone Dies: Off-Broadway MCC Theatre Founder Was 76". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Sandomir, Richard (August 31, 2022). "Robert LuPone, Actor Who Became a Behind-the-Scenes Force, Dies at 76". The New York Times. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "Patti Lupone, Regina del Musical Americano a Broadway, Figlia dell'abruzzo". Virtù Quotidiane (in Italian). March 16, 2019.
- ^ a b "Staff Biography". MCC Theater. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ "Notable Alumni". HB Studio. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Faculty". The New School. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ "'The Sopranos' Cast List". IMDb. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ "'Law & Order: Criminal Intent Cast List". IMDb. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ Hirsch, Linda (April 12, 1992). "Life after 'death' suits Robert LuPone". Rocky Mountain News. Denver, CO. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
- ^ a b Kennedy, Mark (August 27, 2022). "Bob LuPone, who helped lead MCC Theater, has died at 76". Associated Press. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ Beck, Robert (September 2, 2008). The Edward G. Robinson Encyclopedia. McFarland. p. 293. ISBN 9780786438648.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Robert LuPone". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Robert Lupone – Filmography". TCMDB. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ a b "Robert Lupone". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Robert Lupone". BFI.org. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ Willis, John A. (2003). Screen World. Vol. 54. Crown Publishers. p. 198.
- ^ Martindale, David (1991). Television Detective Shows of the 1970s: Credits, Storylines, and Episode Guides for 109 Series. McFarland. p. 174. ISBN 9780899505572.
- ^ a b c Viagas, Robert; Lee, Baayork; Walsh, Thommie (1990). On the Line: The Creation of a Chorus Line. Morrow. p. 354. ISBN 9780688084295.
His TV appearances include … Neil Corey in Another World, Chester Wallace in Ryan's Hope, and Tom Bergman in Search for Tomorrow
- ^ Lentz, Harris M. (1988). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits Supplement 2: Through 1993. McFarland. p. 672. ISBN 9780899509273.
- ^ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. Penguin Books. p. 499. ISBN 9780140249163.
- ^ a b c "Robert LuPone List of Movies and TV Shows". TV Guide. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ "Robert LuPone". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
- ^ a b Russell, Paul (October 14, 2020). Acting: Make It Your Business – How to Avoid Mistakes and Achieve Success as a Working Actor. Routledge. ISBN 9781351382045.
External links
edit- Robert LuPone at the Internet Broadway Database
- Robert LuPone at IMDb
- Robert LuPone at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Robert LuPone discography at Discogs