Woody Allen movie star Tony Roberts dies age 85 as cause of death shared

Stage and screen actor Tony Roberts, who was a Tony Award-nominated actor and often played Woody Allen's best friend in films, has died at the age of 85

Stage and screen actor Tony Roberts, who appeared in several Woody Allen movies, has died.

Tony, who was nominated for a Tony Award, appeared both in plays and musicals on the screen. He also took part in several Woody Allen movies, often playing the role of Allen's best friend. His death was announced by his daughter, Nicole Burley, as she paid tribute to the actor. 

The actor's daughter told The New York Times his cause of death was complications of lung cancer. The star died at his home in Manhattan, New York on Friday at the age of 85. He took part in a string of theatre productions on Broadway over his career including musicals How Now Dow Jones, Sugar as well as an adaption of the movie Some Like It Hot.

He also co-starred alongside Dame Julie Andrews for her return to Broadway in the stage version of the popular movie Victor/Victoria. The stage and screen star also appeared on stage for the 1966 Woody Allen comedy Don't Drink the Water, a role in which he undertook for the movie version. Tony appeared in a number of Woody Allen flicks including Play It Again Sam, which he also took part in the theatre production of.

His work in the theatre saw him nominated for a Tony Award on two occasions; once for How Now, Dow Jones and another time for Play It Again, Sam. 

Actor Tony went on to appear in a number of other Woody Allen films including Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, Radio Days, Stardust Memories and A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy. Tony also appeared on the smaller screen as well as the silver screen – taking up roles in The Four Seasons, The Lucie Aranz Show as well as guest appearances in Murder, She Wrote and Law & Order.

Though his close work with Woody Allen brought him success, Tony previously discussed the downside of working with the filmmaker. He told The Los Angeles Times in 1997: "I was always so vividly the guy Woody wrote, that everybody in the business — casting agents, for instance — would think of me that way.

"The persona I was for Woody is a hard thing to break out of," he added. The actor was born in New York in October 1939. His father, Ken Roberts, was a television and radio announcer. Showbiz was very much a part of Tony Roberts' family as he told AP in 1985: "I was raised in the middle of a lot of actor talk.

"My cousin was Everett Sloane, who was a very fine actor. My father's friends were mostly actors. I'm sure that in some way I needed to prove myself in their eyes." He went on to attend the High School of Music and Art in New York before heading to Northwestern University in Illinois.  Writing in his memoir, Do You Know Me, which was released in 2015, he looked over his career as he said: "I’ve never been particularly lucky at card games. I’ve never hit a jackpot. But I have been extremely lucky in life."

Tony added: "Unlike many of my pals, who didn’t know what they wanted to become when they grew up, I knew I wanted to be an actor before I got to high school."