Robert LuPone
Born
Robert Francis LuPone

(1946-07-29)July 29, 1946
New York City, U.S.
DiedAugust 27, 2022(2022-08-27) (aged 76)
Albany, New York, U.S.
EducationJuilliard School
Alma materDrama Studio London
Occupation(s)Actor, artistic director
Years active1967–2022
SpouseVirginia Robinson
Children1
RelativesPatti LuPone (sister)

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.

Early life and training

LuPone 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

After 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

At 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 experienced pancreatic cancer prior to his death.[11][3]

Filmography

Film

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

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

  1. ↑ Lenker, Maureen Lee (August 29, 2022). "Bob LuPone, Broadway change-maker and 'The Sopranos' actor, dies at 76". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  2. ↑ Tinoco, Armando (August 27, 2022). "Bob LuPone Dies: Off-Broadway MCC Theatre Founder Was 76". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 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.
  4. ↑ "Patti Lupone, Regina del Musical Americano a Broadway, Figlia dell'abruzzo". Virtù Quotidiane (in Italian). March 16, 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Staff Biography". MCC Theater. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Notable Alumni". HB Studio. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Faculty". The New School. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  8. ↑ "'The Sopranos' Cast List". IMDb. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  9. ↑ "'Law & Order: Criminal Intent Cast List". IMDb. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  10. ↑ Hirsch, Linda (April 12, 1992). "Life after 'death' suits Robert LuPone". Rocky Mountain News. Denver, CO. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  11. 1 2 Kennedy, Mark (August 27, 2022). "Bob LuPone, who helped lead MCC Theater, has died at 76". Associated Press. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  12. ↑ Beck, Robert (September 2, 2008). The Edward G. Robinson Encyclopedia. McFarland. p. 293. ISBN 9780786438648.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "Robert LuPone". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Robert Lupone – Filmography". TCMDB. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  15. 1 2 "Robert Lupone". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 "Robert Lupone". BFI.org. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  17. ↑ Willis, John A. (2003). Screen World. Vol. 54. Crown Publishers. p. 198.
  18. ↑ Martindale, David (1991). Television Detective Shows of the 1970s: Credits, Storylines, and Episode Guides for 109 Series. McFarland. p. 174. ISBN 9780899505572.
  19. 1 2 3 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
  20. ↑ Lentz, Harris M. (1988). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits Supplement 2: Through 1993. McFarland. p. 672. ISBN 9780899509273.
  21. ↑ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. Penguin Books. p. 499. ISBN 9780140249163.
  22. 1 2 3 "Robert LuPone List of Movies and TV Shows". TV Guide. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Robert LuPone". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  24. 1 2 Russell, Paul (October 14, 2020). Acting: Make It Your Business – How to Avoid Mistakes and Achieve Success as a Working Actor. Routledge. ISBN 9781351382045.
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