Jason Robards, Jr. Movies
One of Hollywood's elder statesmen, Jason Robards Jr. had a rich, deep voice and authoritative aura that befit the distinguished citizens he often played. The son of stage and screen actor Jason Robards Sr., Robards kept alive his rich heritage throughout the second half of the 20th century.Born July 26, 1922, in Chicago, Robards was a military man before becoming an actor. He served seven years in the Navy, and was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked in 1941 (he later received the Navy Cross). Following his service, Robards moved to New York to pursue an acting career. He found work in incidental plays, radio soap operas, and live television dramas, driving a cab and teaching school to support himself. After a decade of obscurity, he rose to prominence in 1956 in the Circle in the Square production of Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh. He appeared on Broadway the following year in Long Day's Journey Into Night, for which he won a New York Drama Critics Award. Following that success, he remained a busy and popular Broadway performer, and, in 1958, got the opportunity to appear with his father in The Disenchanted.
Making his onscreen debut in The Journey (1959), Robards maintained a TV and screen career while continuing to work on the stage. He tended to appear in two or three movies per year during the '60s, including the acclaimed 1962 screen adaptation of Long Day's Journey Into Night and Sergio Leone's much lauded 1968 Western Once Upon a Time in the West. Two years after his role in the war epic Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), the actor was in a near-fatal car crash, but managed to make a complete recovery, returning to Broadway two years later. He ended the '70s by winning Oscars for his supporting roles in All the President's Men (1976) and Julia (1977), and was nominated for the same award for his portrayal of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes in Melvin and Howard (1980), The slew of awards and nominations during this period also served as a nice complement to the six Tony awards he had been nominated for between 1960 and 1974. In 1978, Robards returned to the material that had helped to cement his reputation by directing himself in a revival of Long Day's Journey Into Night, which opened at Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera House.
Robards continued to act on-stage and in film throughout the '80s, in addition to working on a number of documentaries and made-for-TV movies. Among his more notable television portrayals were the title role in the acclaimed 1980 miniseries F.D.R.: The Last Year (1980) and a lead part in You Can't Take It With You (1984). He also participated in the 1982 documentary Burden of Dreams, a highly acclaimed film about the making of Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo. Robards' screen roles during that decade were usually limited to the part of the patriarch in such films as Square Dance (1987) and Parenthood (1989), although he was introduced to a younger audience with his lead in the 1989 comedy Dream a Little Dream, which featured Corey Haim and Corey Feldman and little else.
Robards worked steadily throughout the '90s, taking on roles in such acclaimed features as Philadelphia (1993), A Thousand Acres (1997), and Beloved (1998). He also continued to appear in a number of TV miniseries. In 1999, Robards lent his voice to the widely lauded documentary The Irish in America: The Long Journey Home, further demonstrating that, in addition to being one of Hollywood's most respected figures, he was also one of its most versatile. One of Robards' last roles was a suitably complex one, a dying man longing for a reconciliation with his estranged son in Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia (1999). The actor died of cancer, himself, the following year. ~ All Movie Guide
- 2000
Jason Robards made his final filmed appearance in this relentlessly heartwarming made-for-TV drama. With her career as a book editor thriving, Katherine Barton (Sherry Stringfield) has no burning desire to return to her home town. But the decision is made for Katherine when she is informed by an old friend that her formerly robust and level-headed father, Charles (Robards), has been mailing packages to his son -- who died decades earlier in Vietnam. Upon her arrival, Katherine contacts local medico Dr. Warren (played by country singer Clint Black), who prescribes a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and other forms of "stimulation" for the elderly Barton. Dr. Warren further suggests that Charles' survival hinges upon Katherine's willingness to give up her career and remain with her father. First broadcast by CBS, Going Home was originally shown on March 12, 2000, some eight months before Jason Robards' death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Robards, Jr., Sherry Stringfield, (more)
- 1999
- Add They Drew Fire: Combat Artists of World War II to QueueAdd They Drew Fire: Combat Artists of World War II to top of Queue
The U.S. government commissioned seven artists -- Franklin Boggs, Howard Brodie, Manuel Bromberg, William Draper, Richard Gibney, Robert Greenhalgh, and Edward Reep -- to capture images of World War II on canvas. They Drew Fire: Combat Artists of World War II presents for the first time a close look of some of the 12,000 pieces of art they completed. The scenes capture the horrific images of war from an artist's perspective. Directed by Brian Lanker and narrated by Jason Robards. ~ Laura Mahnken, All Movie Guide
- 1998
In the tradition of Babe and Paulie, this Australian family fantasy-adventure features mouthy macaw Mac (portrayed by Tango and three bird stand-ins). Mac, who once witnessed treasure buried on a South Sea Island, is owned by elderly eccentric bird collector Ben Girdis (Jason Robards). His son Rick Girdis (Joe Petruzzi) plans to pay off Ben's debts by putting him in a nursing home and selling Ben's house. Ben's 15-year-old grandson Sam (Jamie Croft), who wants to save Ben's home, discovers that Mac can speak (with a Spanish accent). After Mac proposes a search for the buried treasure, Sam, the bird, and anthropologist Lance Hagen (John Waters) set off on an expedition. Unfortunately, a luxury hotel has been erected directly over the treasure, causing feathers to fly as the determined Sam and Mac continue to seek the treasure while eluding hotel staffers. The film was directed by Mario Andreacchio, who previously made the talking-dog movie Napoleon. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jamie Croft, Jason Robards, Jr., (more)
Young Frank (Eddie Mills), an outcast in his small lumber mill town, falls for the gorgeous Sylvia (Hilary Swank), the daughter of an engineer hired by the grizzled mill owner, Logan Reeser (Jason Robards), to save the business -- and the town. A greedy investor (Stanley DeSantis) wants Reeser to rape the redwood forest or close the mill. With a little luck and lots of enthusiasm, the young couple devises a scheme to save the town, despite the treacherous doings of a jealous rival (Randall Batinkoff). ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Robards, Jr., Eddie Mills, (more)
- 1998
Part one of this acclaimed PBS series explores the earliest roots of the Irish people in the New World. Centering on the crucial event of the Potato Famine, this tape examines the causes of what would become one of the greatest mass migrations in world history. The conditions faced by early arrivals in the United States are examined, including the prejudice that made the end of the remarkable journey so bittersweet for thousands of families in search of a new life. Serious in tone and well documented, this tape is appropriate for use in the college classroom. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Chieftains, Elvis Costello, (more)
- 1998
Part four of the acclaimed PBS series explores the rise of two great Irish dynastic families in America, the Kennedys and the O'Neills. The trial, triumphs, and tragedies of these two clans are investigated in detail and held up as examples of the final arrival of the Irish in the New World. The lasting contributions of the Irish to American culture are investigated, as well as the continuing effort of Irish-Americans to both celebrate their heritage and remain true to their roots. Serious in tone and well documented, this tape is appropriate for use in the college classroom. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Chieftains, Elvis Costello, (more)
- 1998
Part two of the acclaimed PBS series explores the path taken by new Irish arrivals in the New World. Irish roles in the building of the American nation are examined, as well as the emergence of Irish-American heroes including such figures as John L. Sullivan and John Mackey. Still dogged by prejudice and often persecuted because of their heritage, the Irish often had no one but each other to turn to. The video examines such groups as the Molly Maguires and their role in the fight for early acceptance. Serious in tone and well documented, this tape is appropriate for use in the college classroom. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Chieftains, Elvis Costello, (more)
- 1998
Part three of the acclaimed PBS series explores the golden age of Irish-Americans living in America as immigrants, with children who begin to make their first indelible marks upon American society. Included are brief profiles of such figures as Al Smith and Ned Harrigan. Also covered is the rise of the first Irish political machine, Tammany Hall, which proved both a blessing and a curse for the Irish in America. Serious in tone and well documented, this tape is appropriate for use in the college classroom. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Chieftains, Elvis Costello, (more)
- 1997
Viewers will find a historical review of the lives of both Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt on these two tapes that constitute part two of this series on the American presidency. Teddy Roosevelt's long years of public service are noted prior to his becoming the President in 1901 when McKinley was assassinated. Teddy Roosevelt held large corporations more accountable for their antitrust law violations and backed the legislation that established the Departments of Labor and Commerce. Learn why he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and other honors. Franklin Delano Roosevelt's many contributions to America are also covered, including his New Deal program that was particularly helpful to labor and the poor. Discover more about the strong leadership that FDR provided during World War II and the other important legislation he got passed during his lengthy tenure in office.
~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Upon the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945, Harry Truman became the 33rd president of the United States. This video captures the exciting details surrounding Truman's later race for re-election against Dewey, along with many other important historical moments. Viewers are reminded that Truman was a combat artillery captain during WWI and a highly respected U.S. senator before becoming vice president. As many recall, it was Truman who made the fateful decision to drop the first atomic bomb on Japan in 1945. Three years later, he chose to recognize the new state of Israel. Truman was also behind such important programs as the Marshall Plan, the Truman Doctrine, and the North Atlantic Treaty, which was designed to stop the Soviets from expanding further into Europe.
~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Made for the USA Network, this first film adaptation of Willa Cather's classic novel is a coming-of-age story of set in 1880s Nebraska. Orphaned after his parents die in a smallpox epidemic in Virginia, the teenaged Jimmy Burden (Neil Patrick Harris) moves to the farm of his grandparents (Jason Robards, Eva Marie Saint) outside Black Hawk, Nebraska. Their neighbors, newly arrived from Bohemia, are the Shimerda family, and Jimmy instantly becomes friends with the family's 15-year-old daughter, Antonia (Elina Lowensohn). He's pulled in two directions; her father wants him to teach her English, but his grandfather is wary of her distracting Jimmy from his own studies. After tragedy strikes the Shimerda family, Jimmy moves to town with his aging grandparents, who want to nurture his potential for becoming a university student and taking on a career. Antonia does come to work in town, thanks to the help of Jimmy's grandmother, but it's made clear to the young woman that she is not to distract Jimmy from his studies. Although Jimmy does go off to the state university in Lincoln and eventually Harvard Law School, he and Antonia maintain their friendship, understanding that the bond they formed as adolescents will endure. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Ken Burns' celebrated baseball documentary has come full circle, from the black-and-white images of the game's beginnings to the full color of the modern era. Ken Burns' Baseball: Inning 9 -- Home, the final episode, deals with such threats to our national pastime as drug use by players, the egos of players and owners such as Reggie Jackson and George Steinbrenner, sky-rocketing salaries, and Pete Rose's banishment for gambling. But it also relives such moments as Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's home run record, Carlton Fisk keeping the ball fair at Fenway with his body language, and Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. hitting back-to-back home runs in a game. Jackie Robinson's funeral is also covered in this episode, as Burns continues to pay tribute to the man who broke baseball's color barrier. ~ Kathryn Tamms, All Movie Guide
