Editing Jason Robards (section)

=== 1947–1961: Theatre debut and breakthrough ===
[[File:Maureen Stapleton Jason Robards Seven Lively Arts 1958.jpg|thumb|left|Robards and [[Maureen Stapleton]] in ''[[Toys in the Attic (play)|Toys in the Attic]]'' (Broadway, 1960)]]
Robards moved to New York City and began working on radio and stage. His first role was the 1947 short film ''Follow That Music''. He made his Broadway debut in the popular hit ''[[Stalag 17]]'', joining the cast during its run; Robards also worked as an assistant stage manager. In 1953 he appeared in ''American Gothic'' directed by Jose Quintero. Robards also began getting roles in some television dramas, such as episodes of ''The Magnavox Theatre'', ''Mama'', ''The Man Behind the Badge'', ''The Big Story'', ''Philco Television Playhouse'' (including Gore Vidal's "The Death of Billy the Kid"), ''Armstrong Circle Theatre'', ''Appointment with Adventure'', ''Justice'', ''Star Tonight'' and ''Goodyear Playhouse''.

Robards' big break was landing the starring role in [[José Quintero]]'s 1956 [[off Broadway]] theatre revival production - and the later 1960 television film - of O'Neill's ''[[The Iceman Cometh]]'', portraying the philosophical salesman Hickey; he won an [[Obie Award]] for his stage performance. He later portrayed Hickey again in another 1985 [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] revival also staged by Quintero.

Robards originated the role of Jamie Tyrone Jr. in the original Broadway production of O'Neill's [[Pulitzer Prize]]- and [[Tony Award]]-winning ''[[Long Day's Journey into Night]]'' (1956), which was also directed by Quintero and ran for 390 performances. Robards appeared alongside [[Fredric March]], [[Florence Eldridge]] and Bradfor Dillman. Robards earned the [[Theatre World Award]] for his performance and was also nominated for the [[Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.playbill.com/production/long-days-journey-into-night-helen-hayes-theatre-vault-0000004510|title= Long Day's Journey into Night (Broadway, 1956)|website= Playbill|access-date= March 17, 2024}}</ref>

Robards continued to be busy on television, guest starring in ''The Alcoa Hour'', ''Seven Lively Arts'', ''Studio One'' and ''Omnibus''.

After his Broadway success, Robards was invited to make his feature film debut in the [[Anatole Litvak]] directed drama ''[[The Journey (1959 film)|The Journey]]'' (1959) starring [[Yul Brynner]] and [[Deborah Kerr]].

He returned to Broadway acting in [[Budd Schulberg]]'s play ''[[The Disenchanted]]'', winning the [[Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play]].<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|title=The Disenchanted|page=72|date=5 November 1958|url=https://archive.org/details/variety212-1958-11/page/n73/mode/2up?}}</ref> It only had a short run but the [[Lillian Hellman]] play ''[[Toys in the Attic (play)|Toys in the Attic]]'' (1960), where Robards acted  opposite [[Maureen Stapleton]] and [[Irene Worth]], ran 456 performances. For the role he was nominated for the [[Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.playbill.com/production/toys-in-the-attic-hudson-theatre-vault-0000005847|title= Toys in the Attic (Broadway, 1960)|website= Playbill|access-date= March 17, 2024}}</ref>

Robards starred in the TV version of ''[[For Whom the Bell Tolls (Playhouse 90)|For Whom the Bell Tolls]]'' for ''[[Playhouse 90]]'', ''Billy Budd'' for ''[[The Dupont Show of the Month]]'', ''A Doll's House'', and ''[[The Iceman Cometh (The Play of the Week)|The Iceman Cometh]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Great Hemingway Role Falls To Robards|newspaper=The Hartford Courant|date=March 8, 1959|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60619068/great-hemingway-role-falls-to-robards/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

In 1961 Robards starred in ''[[Big Fish, Little Fish]]'' by Hugh Wheeler directed by John Gielgud.<ref>Hampton, Wilborn. [https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/28/obituaries/hugh-wheeler-award-winning-playwright.html Obituary: "Hugh Wheeler, Award Winning Playwright"], ''The New York Times'', July 28, 1987, retrieved March 14, 2014</ref> This was followed by the enormously popular Broadway hit ''[[A Thousand Clowns (play)|A Thousand Clowns]]'' (1962–63) by Herb Gardner. In Hollywood Robarts appeared in two flop films, ''[[By Love Possessed (film)|By Love Possessed]]'' (1961) and ''[[Tender Is the Night (film)|Tender is the Night]]'' (1962).<ref>{{cite book|page=65|url=https://archive.org/details/hollywoodhaunted0000unse_r7i7/page/65/mode/1up?q=%22by+love+possessed%22|title= hollywood the haunted house|year=1967|first=Paul|last=Mayersberg}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Henry|last=King|title=Henry King, director : from silents to ʼscope|year=1995|publisher= Directors Guild of America|url=https://archive.org/details/henrykingdirecto00king/page/186/mode/1up?|page=186|isbn=978-1-882766-03-1 }}</ref>