Talk:Jason Robards

Played 3 Presidents

Is it worth noting that Robards is the only actor to have ever played three different US Presidents on film? (Namely Abraham Lincoln in The Perfect Tribute, Ulysses S. Grant in The Legend of the Lone Ranger, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt in FDR: The Final Years) GeeJo 03:01, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

If he indeed is the only actor to do so (which I don't know), it's probably worth a trivia note. Old64mb 23:53, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

It's quite interesting and certainly deserves a note but I strongly doubt that he was the only actor to play at least three presidents. Don't ask me about the others, though, since I don't know offhand. Racing Forward (talk) 11:15, 18 May 2022 (UTC)

A Moon for the Misbegotten

This was performed in 1973 for 330 performances and I saw it with Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst sitting from the 2nd row.

This was an unusual experience esp in this way, sitting in normal seats much further back you get no clue as to the power of the actors delivery, as they near exploded in sound during this performance. Jason would explode out dialogue so forcefully he was spitting out at the other actors and even the audience.

He later was a near neighbor in old Perry home in Southport, Ct.

I love this anecdote! Racing Forward (talk) 12:58, 1 July 2022 (UTC)

Navy Cross

I looked a bit - pretty sure it's in 'Stars in Blue' but don't have the book handy - but think a brief blurb about exactly what Robards did to earn the Navy Cross might be worthwhile. The article also could use a lot more sourcing as has been noted elsewhere; tried but couldn't find Old64mb 23:53, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

If I may add, I think it would be better to clump all military experience into rather than his postwar education in the middle

Fitzcarraldo inclusion into article

Should there be a mention on the Jason Robards page about his start in the filming of the epic Werner Herzog film Fitzcarraldo? He started filming with Mick Jagger before getting dysentary and doctor's orders to go home and not return. Should this info be included in Jason's page? (59.101.248.185 07:50, 4 September 2007 (UTC))

Most definitely! And of course a later time conflict with yet another of the literally endless tours with his band cost Mick Jagger his role in that marvelous film, which is arguably at least as frustrating as dysentery. Racing Forward (talk) 13:01, 1 July 2022 (UTC)

Incorrectly linked spouse

It's listed that one of his spouses is Rachel Taylor, and the link directs to that of an Australian actress who was born in 1984, years before the marriage took place. Clearly, the linked Rachel Taylor is not the correct person. I don't know how to change this, I just thought I'd bring it to attention.

The anonymity of a common name! I looked up a friend I hadn't interacted with in forty years the other day named Ivan Warmuth and it took longer to recognize him in a photo than it did to find the photo. (However, once you recognize someone that far removed in time, you can always do it instantaneously.) Racing Forward (talk) 13:06, 1 July 2022 (UTC)

More on Navy Cross

On November 8, 2007, an anonymous editor added this statement to the article: "NOTE: Careful investigation reveals that the United States Navy does not have a record of awarding a Navy Cross to anyone named Jason Robards. It is possible that he served under another name, one used before he became an actor. It is also possible that records of the award were lost during the war. See http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/0_NC/06_ncross_wwii-listAll.html." There are a couple issues with this. Firstly, it's original research. The site that is noted says specifically You can verify if someone received the Navy Cross from this list, but absence of a name should NOT be construed to definitively negate a veteran's claim to this award. One cannot say that there is no record in the US Navy based on this list, and therefore, it means nothing in regard to Robards being awarded one. Secondly, even if the site didn't have the disclaimer about the list, it is not a US Navy site, thus, one can't state that the Navy has no record. Based on this, I am removing this note. Wildhartlivie (talk) 11:02, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

I guess the problem is there is not one shred of serious information or sourcing that indicates he did receive the Navy Cross. :There is one article from a celebrity writer (not even a reporter but a celebrity gossip columnist), who uses no reference, no source. Gardner's puff piece indeed seems to have been ghost written by a studio public relations person.

As a matter of fact the Navy does have a full list of Receipts of the Navy Cross from World War Two . I have just gone down to the Washington Naval Yard where the Office of military Historian has Col. Albert F. Gleim exhaustive book on the specific subject, listing all receipeints from WWII

Robard's name is not present among Gleim's comprehensive list on his book "Navy Cross Awards for World War II. Planchet Press, Publication Number 60, 1995. Robards name is also not present in "US Navy. Office of Public Information. Navy Cross: Officers and Enlisted Men of the United States Navy Awarded the Navy Cross, December 7, 1941 – July 1, 1945."

Based on the complete lack of evidence that Robards received this commendation, except for a a single phrase in a celebrity gossip column from the 1970's, any claim that Robards received the Navy Cross needs to be redacted from this article.Jenston (talk) 15:50, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Some editor put it back in with no explanation. I have removed it. All naval cross recipients are officially enumerated and Robards is not one. It is an offense to Robards, who served honorably in combat but NEVER received a Naval Cross, to suggest he dishonorably claimed this award which he never received. The most likely explanation is it was done by a PR person who misunderstood a much lower commendation his ship received. Future editors SHOULD NOT claim Robards received this without citing a US Navy publication, not a publicity piece. (A USN (retired) Officer) 72.75.21.189 (talk) 18:49, 19 February 2011 (UTC)

The paragraph regarding Hy Gardner's column claiming Robards won the Navy Cross was an attempt to make clear that he did NOT receive the award and to explain where the false story originated. I have restored and rewritten the paragraph to make it clearer. It is not enough, I think, merely to avoid mentioning the Navy Cross question, as Gardner's column from the 1970s is not the only place that falsehood appears. Were it the only place, it could be safely ignored and no mention made in Robards's article of his supposedly receiving the Cross. But it has permeated dozens and dozens of articles and books, creating "citable" evidence of what did not occur. Thus it seems important to mention the question in the WP article and to explain why it's right to ignore citations claiming an award that was never given. Monkeyzpop (talk) 20:06, 20 February 2011 (UTC)

Death

I came to the page in hope I could find more information on his death, and found no section dedicated to it as I have with most other celebrities in Wikipedia, and instead find this sentence floating by itself as its own paragraph, under Personal Life:

Robards was cremated.

That's it? Did he perhaps die first? Was that why he died? Did I miss something? A little more information about the circumstances surrounding, leading up to his death is appreciated, and certainly not as inclusive/deficient and confusing as 'Robards was cremated'. B.Soto (talk) 19:24, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

He died of premature cremation. Racing Forward (talk) 11:22, 18 May 2022 (UTC)

His ashes were pronounced dead at the mortuary. Racing Forward (talk) 11:22, 18 May 2022 (UTC)

Neither breathing nor a heartbeat could be detected. Racing Forward (talk) 11:23, 18 May 2022 (UTC)

Suspiciously, however, reams of Eugene O'Neill's dialogue intermittently emit from his urn for those who listen carefully. Racing Forward (talk) 11:38, 18 May 2022 (UTC)

Sadly, the urn is only available for voice-overs and narration. Racing Forward (talk) 11:41, 18 May 2022 (UTC)

Under the "Legacy" section of the article, the following: "The Jason Robards Award was created by the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City in his honor and his relationship with the theatre." I swear that when I read that a moment ago, at first I thought it said, "The Jason Robards Award was cremated by the Roundabout Theatre Company....." Racing Forward (talk) 23:07, 18 May 2022 (UTC)

Inappropriate link: Heartwood

The Heartwood (1998) entry in the Work / Film section is a link to an article Heartwood that redirects to to a section in the article Wood... I do not know the best way to fix this. 00:33, 10 July 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Fholson (talk • contribs)

It's been fixed. Racing Forward (talk) 17:15, 25 June 2022 (UTC)

1972 accident

Was the story of his accident merely a cover for his cosmetic surgery operation? In 1972, plastic surgery was not as accepted as it is today.Lestrade (talk) 18:34, 20 September 2009 (UTC)Lestrade

I do recall that when Gary Cooper checked into a hospital for plastic surgery to look younger, the press was told that he was momentarily ill. Racing Forward (talk) 17:10, 25 June 2022 (UTC)

Howard Hughes?

A relation to Howard Hughes, other than playing him? Apple8800 (talk) 17:39, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

No relation was ever cited as far as I know but I do think that watching actual newsreels of Hughes at the Senate hearings is as entertaining as anything Robards later did on screen, which is saying a hell of a lot. Racing Forward (talk) 17:07, 25 June 2022 (UTC)

"Deceptions" 1992

The link included in his filmography to this supposed film "Deceptions" from 1992 links to a different movie, so I'm removing the link. But as far as I can tell, this movie does not exist at all. IMDB lists it, with a complete cast and few credits, but I can find literally no evidence anywhere else that such a film ever existed. No reviews, no release information, no images, no trailer, no indication of any kind that it ever appeared anywhere in the real world. Since IMDB is not considered a reliable source, I suggest this film be removed from the official filmography until someone has some non-IMBD evidence that it was ever filmed or released. Even on IMDB there is no plot description or any reviews, extremely unusual for a film with high-profile actors which was apparently released so recently. I have serious doubts that it ever existed to begin with.Mr Subtlety (talk) 23:22, 21 January 2015 (UTC)

I think we should just kill it as a hoax. 1992 isn't 1892. There should be records. The title itself, "Deceptions" should be our first clue. Kill it, but leave a comment up in case someone else tries to add it back. Rklawton (talk) 03:42, 2 February 2017 (UTC)

OK it's gone. That's been bothering me for like two years now, thanks for the encouragement to finally just kill it dead.Mr Subtlety (talk) 18:46, 2 February 2017 (UTC)

IMDB (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193082/) refers Jason Robards as Clay's voice. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 191.80.209.158 (talk) 14:00, 28 November 2021 (UTC)

Bow tie tying scene

I am trying to find the movie and scene in which Robards flawlessly ties a bow tie. Does anyone know where that scene is found? Adm7141 (talk) 12:41, 2 January 2024 (UTC)