Sam Robards

Sam Robards
Born
Sam Prideaux Robards

(1961-12-16) December 16, 1961
OccupationActor
Years active1980–present
Spouses
(m. 1986; div. 1994)
    Sidsel Jensen Robards
    (m. 1997)
    Children3
    Parents
    RelativesStephen Humphrey Bogart (maternal half-brother)

    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.

    Early life

    Robards was born in New York City, the son of actor Jason Robards (1922–2000) and actress Lauren Bacall (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.[1] 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.[2]

    Robards then attended Sarah Lawrence College.[3] 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 production of Album, and made his feature-film debut in director Paul Mazursky's 1982 film Tempest. In 1985, Robards starred alongside Kevin Costner and future wife Suzy Amis in Fandango. 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's film Prêt-à-Porter, where he was a part of an ensemble that included his mother; and Alan Rudolph's biographical film of Dorothy Parker, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, where he portrayed the first editor of The New Yorker, Harold Ross.

    In 2002, Robards received acclaim for his performance as Gustav Eberson in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's The Man Who Had All the Luck, winning the Clarence Derwent Award and earning nominations for the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award.[4] In July 2008, he took over the role of Richard Hannay in the Broadway run of The 39 Steps.[5]

    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, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Sex and the City, The Good Wife and Hotel Cocaine. He had recurring roles on the series Gossip Girl and Treme.

    Personal life

    In 1986, he married actress Suzy Amis, his co-star in Fandango. They have a son, Jasper, born before their divorce in 1994.[6] In 1997, Robards married Danish model Sidsel Jensen Robards. They have two sons, Calvin and Sebastian.[7][8]

    Filmography

    Film

    Year Title Role Notes
    1982 Tempest Teddy
    1985 Fandango Kenneth Waggener
    Not Quite Paradise Mike
    1988 Bright Lights, Big City Rich Vanier
    Bird Moscowitz
    1989 Casualties of War Chaplain Kirk
    1993 The Ballad of Little Jo Jasper Hill
    1994 Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle Harold Ross
    Prêt-à-Porter Regina's Assistant
    1996 Beautiful Girls Steve Rossmore
    1997 Dinner and Driving Frank
    1998 Love from Ground Zero Henry (voice)
    1999 American Beauty Jim Berkley
    2000 Bounce Todd Exner
    2001 A.I. Artificial Intelligence Henry Swinton
    Life as a House David Dokos
    2004 Catch That Kid Tom
    Surviving Eden Gary Gold
    Marmalade Roger
    2007 Awake Clayton Beresford Sr.
    2008 The Other Side of the Tracks David
    Che: Part One Tad Szulc
    Perestroika Sasha
    2009 The Rebound Frank
    Company Retreat Ron Gable
    2011 The Art of Getting By Jack Sargent
    2014 Grand Street Gary
    2016 The Late Bloomer Dr. Lawson
    Broken Links Jack
    2017 Where Is Kyra? Carl
    2022 Isle of Hope William

    Television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1983 Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number Daniel Timerman Television film
    1985 Spenser: For Hire Chip Holmby Episode: "The Choice"
    Into Thin Air Stephen Walker Television film
    1988 Pancho Barnes Gene McKendry
    1988–1989 TV 101 Kevin Keegan 17 episodes
    1990–1991 Get a Life Larry Potter 24 episodes
    1993, 2009 Law & Order Davis Webb / Daniel Hendricks 2 episodes
    1995 The Outer Limits Ben Kohler Episode: "Living Hell"
    Donor Unknown Dr. David Bausch Television film
    1996 The Man Who Captured Eichmann David
    1997 The Trial of Adolf Eichmann Avraham Aviel
    1998 Maximum Bob Sheriff Gary Hammond 7 episodes
    1998–1999 Spin City Arthur 4 episodes
    1999 Black and Blue Mike Riordan Television film
    2000 Sex and the City Tom Reymi Episode: "Running with Scissors"
    Hamlet Fortinbras Television film
    2001 The Warden Axel
    On Golden Pond Bill Ray
    2002 Obsessed David Stillman
    2003 My Life with Men Jess Zebrowski
    2004 The Blackwater Lightship Paul
    Clubhouse Bennet Episode: "Chin Music"
    Law & Order: Criminal Intent Paul Whitlock Episode: "Magnificat"
    2004–2005 The West Wing Greg Brock 8 episodes
    2006 CSI: Miami Mitchell Collett Episode: "Dead Air"
    2007–2012 Gossip Girl Howie 'The Captain' Archibald 16 episodes
    2010 Vamped Out Audition Actor #1 Episode: "A New Day"
    2011 Body of Proof Bradford Paige Episode: "Pilot"
    Blue Bloods Roger Carson Episode: "My Funny Valentine"
    The Good Wife Jarvis Bowes Episode: "Killer Song"
    2012–2013 Treme Tim Feeny 11 episodes
    2013–2014 Twisted Kyle Masterson 19 episodes
    2015 Limitless Miles Amos Episode: "Badge! Gun!"
    2019 Madam Secretary Major Brad Jenkins Episode: "Valor"
    2021 Y: The Last Man Dean Brown 2 episodes

    Awards and nominations

    Year Association Category Nominated work Result
    1983 Young Artist Awards Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Tempest Nominated
    2002 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play The Man Who Had All the Luck Nominated
    Clarence Derwent Awards Most Promising Male Won
    Tony Awards Best Featured Actor in a Play Nominated

    References

    1. ^ Bacall, Lauren. (2006). By Myself and Then Some. p. 377. HarperCollins, New York City. ISBN 978-0-06-112791-5.
    2. ^ The Dutchman (the Collegiate School yearbook), 1975 edition, p. 35 (8th grade photos)
    3. ^ Hammer, Josh (October 18, 1982). "Having Survived the Tempest of Life with a Famous Mom and Dad, Actor Sam Sets Sail on His Own". People. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
    4. ^ Jones, Kenneth (May 22, 2002). "Anne Hathaway and Sam Robards Named 2002 Clarence Derwent Recipients". Playbill.
    5. ^ Jones, Kenneth (June 4, 2008). "Sam Robards Is the Next Pursued Man of Broadway's 39 Steps". Playbill. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
    6. ^ Kolson, Ann (1993-04-04). "Actress Suzy Amis Is Great, Critics Say, But Nobody Knows It − Yet". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
    7. ^ "Sam Robards". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
    8. ^ Green, Adam (2014-08-13). "Call Me Betty: Vogue's Theater Critic Remembers Family Friend Lauren Bacall". Vogue. Retrieved 2016-05-27.