Richard Zobel

Richard Zobel
Born
Richard J. Zobel Jr.

(1952-06-18)June 18, 1952
West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedOctober 4, 2005(2005-10-04) (aged 53)
OccupationActor

Richard J. Zobel Jr. (June 5, 1952 – October 4, 2005) was an American actor. He starred as the attorney Aaron Levinsky in the original Broadway run of Nuts in 1980. Over the course of his career, he was also a singer, instrumentalist, animator, writer, and producer.

Career

Zobel was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and moved to New York City for his acting career.

New York and Hollywood acting career

Zobel's Off-Broadway credits included All's Well That Ends Well and The Taming of the Shrew in the New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park in 1978, and The Country Girl in 1984.[1]

He starred as the attorney Aaron Levinsky in the original Broadway run of Nuts in 1980.[2] He appeared in small and supporting film roles, and had guest appearances in over a dozen television series including The X-Files, ER, China Beach, Hill Street Blues, and Star Trek: Voyager, from 1984 through 1999.[3] He was also a singer and a musician.[4][5]

He acted and sang in, and was the vocal arranger for, the 1987 film Walker, and the 2008 making-of documentary about the film, Dispatches from Nicaragua, is dedicated to his memory.[3][6][7]

Lexington Conservatory Theatre

Zobel was a founding company member of Lexington Conservatory Theatre and friend and collaborator of co-founder Oakley Hall III. He performed with them in numerous roles and continued his association with the company when it moved to Albany, NY and became Capital Repertory Theatre. Zobel starred as the title role in Hall's first adaptations of Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi (called Ubu Rex) and its sequels, in New York City Off-Off-Broadway and at Lexington, co-producing as well as creating the masks for it. He also appeared in the world premiere of Hall's Grinder's Stand. Zobel's work with the two companies totaled more than 200 performances over the course of two decades.[8][3][9][10]

In 2004, Zobel appeared in the documentary The Loss of Nameless Things, recalling his experience of working with Lexington Conservatory Theatre and Oakley Hall III.[11] It was his last appearance on film.

Rubber Chicken Cards

In 2000, Zobel co-founded Rubber Chicken Cards, which sells online greeting cards that combine voice-over acting with irreverent humor, with fellow actor and Lexington alumni Steven Rotblatt.[12][13][3] For the cards Zobel sang, played several instruments, wrote scripts, did animation, and voiced numerous characters.[5][3]

Zobel died of cancer in October 2005 in Hershey, Pennsylvania where he lived. He was survived by his wife and daughter.[12][14]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Once Upon a Time in America Reporter 2
1984 Teachers Propes
1985 Turk 182 TV Interviewer
1987 From the Hip Matt Cowens
1987 Walker Lemuel
1992 To Sleep with a Vampire Cabby
1993 Warlock: The Armageddon Barker
1995 Tall Tale Barkeep
1998 Montana Simms

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1983–1984 The Edge of Night Eric Blake 15 episodes
1985 Search for Tomorrow Elmo 2 episodes
1987 Hill Street Blues Scanlon Episode: "Dogsbreath Afternoon"
1987–1988 Crime Story Lt. Col. Milton Dance 4 episodes
1988 Simon & Simon Head of Security Episode: "Simon & Simon and Associates"
1989 Matlock Val Delaney 2 episodes
1990 Mancuso, F.B.I. FBI Counter Intelligence Agent
1990 Parker Kane Jack Moody Television film
1990 Jake and the Fatman Manny Episode: "'Round Midnight"
1990 The Young Riders McPhalen Episode: "Star Light, Star Bright"
1991 Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love Mitch Television film
1991 China Beach Tony Episode: "Through and Through"
1992 Melrose Place Employment Officer Episode: "Friends & Lovers"
1993 Knots Landing Middle-Aged Hippie Episode: "Some Like It Hot"
1993 Bodies of Evidence Bert Episode: "Flesh and Blood"
1994 M.A.N.T.I.S. Homeless Man Television film
1997 ER Mr. Bartok Episode: "You Bet Your Life"
1997 Star Trek: Voyager Gaumen Episode: "The Raven"
1997–1998 Profiler Ben Farrarini 3 episodes
1999 The X-Files Al Episode: "Three of a Kind"

References

  1. ^ Richard Zobel at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
  2. ^ Richard Zobel at the Internet Broadway Database Edit this at Wikidata
  3. ^ a b c d e Independent Lens. The Loss of Nameless Things: The Players (page 2). PBS. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  4. ^ Rubber Chicken Cards: From the Beak. Archived June 28, 2009.
  5. ^ a b "Who's behind the Best Electronic Greeting Cards?". RubberChickenCards.com. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  6. ^ Walker [Original Soundtrack] at AllMusic. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  7. ^ Dispatches from Nicaragua (2008): Full Cast & Crew at the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  8. ^ Oakley Hall III (2010). Jarry and Me: The Autobiography of Alfred Jarry. Absintheur Press.
  9. ^ Oakley Hall III. "UBU ROI by Alfred Jarry; Translated by Oakley Hall III" (Production Notes). Firlefanz-Gallery.com. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  10. ^ Barnes, Steve (October 7, 2005). "Actor Richard Zobel dies at 52". Albany Times Union. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  11. ^ Independent Lens. The Loss of Nameless Things: The Film. PBS. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  12. ^ a b Verrier, Richard. "Actor Plays His Cards Right". Los Angeles Times. July 5, 2006.
  13. ^ Verrier, Richard. "Rubber Chicken Tickles the Funny Bone." The Standard. July 19, 2006.
  14. ^ Barnes, Steve (October 7, 2005). "Actor Richard Zobel dies at 52". Albany Times Union. Retrieved June 20, 2024.