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{{short description|American actor}}

{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Ellis Rabb
| name = Ellis Rabb
| image =
| image = Ellis_Rabb.jpeg
| birthname = Robert Thacker
| birthname = Ellis W. Rabb
| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|6|20|mf=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|6|20|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], [[United States|USA]]
| birth_place = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1998|1|11|1930|6|20|mf=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1998|1|11|1930|6|20|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], [[United States|USA]]
| death_place = Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Rosemary Harris]]|1959|1967|end=div}}
| tonyawards = '''[[Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play|Best Direction of a Play]]'''<br>1976 ''[[The Royal Family (play)|The Royal Family]]''
| awards = [[Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play]]<br>1976 ''[[The Royal Family (play)|The Royal Family]]''
}}
}}


'''Ellis Rabb''' (June 20, 1930, [[Memphis, Tennessee]] – January 11, 1998, [[Memphis, Tennessee]]) was an [[United States|American]] actor and director who in 1959 formed the Association of Producing Artists, a theatre company that brought new works and noteworthy revivals to Broadway and to regional theatres. The APA merged with the Phoenix Theatre in 1964 and as the APA-Phoenix went on to mount [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] revivals of ''[[Man and Superman]], The Show Off, [[Così è (se vi pare)|Right You Are If You Think You Are]],'' and ''[[Hamlet]]'' (in which Rabb played the title role) among others, with the APA-Phoenix receiving a special [[Tony Award]] for distinguished achievement prior to disbanding in 1969.
'''Ellis W. Rabb''' (June 20, 1930 – January 11, 1998) was an American actor and director who in 1959 formed the '''Association of Producing Artists''', a theatre company that brought new works and noteworthy revivals to Broadway and to regional theatres. The APA merged with the [[Phoenix Theatre (New York City)|Phoenix Theatre]] in 1964 and as the APA-Phoenix went on to mount [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] revivals of ''[[Man and Superman]], The Show Off, [[Così è (se vi pare)|Right You Are If You Think You Are]],'' and ''[[Hamlet]]'' (in which Rabb played the title role) among others, with the APA-Phoenix receiving a special [[Tony Award]] for distinguished achievement prior to disbanding in 1969.


== Life ==
Rabb’s subsequent work as an actor included starring in the [[New York City]] premiere of [[David Mamet]]'s ''[[A Life in the Theatre]]'' in 1977 at [[Off-Broadway]]'s Theatre de Lys and in 1980 he played the title role in ''[[The Man Who Came to Dinner]]'' at the [[Circle in the Square Theatre]].
Rabb was born the only child of Clark Williamson and Mary Carolyn. His subsequent work as an actor included starring in the [[New York City]] premiere of [[David Mamet]]'s ''[[A Life in the Theatre]]'' in 1977 at [[Off-Broadway]]'s Theatre de Lys, and in 1980 he played the title role in ''[[The Man Who Came to Dinner]]'' at the [[Circle in the Square Theatre]].


His later directing work included a 1973 production of ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (play)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]'', starring [[Rosemary Harris]] (to whom he was married from 1959–1967), [[James Farentino]], and [[Patricia Conolly]]; a memorable production of ''[[The Royal Family (play)|The Royal Family]]'' in 1975 for which he won both a [[Tony Award]] and a [[Drama Desk Award]], and a 1983 revival of ''[[You Can't Take It with You (play)|You Can't Take It with You]]'' with [[Jason Robards]] and [[Colleen Dewhurst]]. His final [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] production was his own adaptation of [[Arthur Schnitzler]]'s ''[[The Loves of Anatol]]''.
His later directing work included a 1973 production of ''[[A Streetcar Named Desire (play)|A Streetcar Named Desire]]'', starring [[Rosemary Harris]] (to whom he was married from 1959 to 1967), [[James Farentino]], and [[Patricia Conolly]]; a memorable all star Broadway revival of ''[[The Royal Family (play)|The Royal Family]]'' starring [[Rosemary Harris]], [[Sam Levene]], [[George Grizzard]] and [[Eva LeGalliene]] in 1975 for which he won both a [[Tony Award]] and a [[Drama Desk Award]], and a 1983 revival of ''[[You Can't Take It with You (play)|You Can't Take It with You]]'' with [[Jason Robards]] and [[Colleen Dewhurst]]. His final [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] production was his own adaptation of [[Arthur Schnitzler]]'s ''[[The Loves of Anatol]]''.
Rabb's production of ''[[The Royal Family (play)|The Royal Family]]'' was filmed for the [[PBS]] series ''[[Great Performances]]'' on November 9, 1977;<ref>{{cite news |date=November 6, 1977 |title=Television This Week: Of Special Interest |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E02E5DA1630E135A25755C0A9679D946690D6CF&legacy=true |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=2016-09-23 }}</ref> this version was released on [[DVD]]. Rabb replaced George Grizzard, who left due to prior commitments, in the role of Tony Cavendish in the Broadway revival of ''[[The Royal Family (play)|The Royal Family]]'' shortly after the revival opened and appeared in the PBS production as well.


Rabb appeared in ''[[Cheers (season 1)#ep12|Cheers]]'' playing an imaginary spy and then a poet in the episode "The Spy Who Came In For A Cold One". He was unmasked as the former by [[Diane Chambers]] and as the latter by [[Coach Ernie Pantusso|Coach]]. Former ''Cheers'' star [[Kelsey Grammer]] has stated that Rabb, whom Grammer had worked for, was his main inspiration for the character [[Sideshow Bob]] on ''[[The Simpsons]]''.<ref name=NuvoAllan>{{cite web|last=Allan|first=Marc|title=17 Reasons to Turn On the TV|url=http://www.nuvo.net/ScreensBlog/archives/2011/07/30/17-reasons-to-turn-on-the-tv|publisher=Nuvo Magazine|accessdate=3 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kelsey Grammer On Playing Sideshow Bob On "The Simpsons" - CONAN on TBS|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atX0M99CB5Y|website=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kelsey Grammer On How He Became Sideshow Bob - The Graham Norton Show|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XzVCAbyKOg|website=YouTube}}</ref>
Rabb appeared in ''[[Cheers (season 1)#ep12|Cheers]]'' playing an imaginary spy and then a poet in the episode "The Spy Who Came In For A Cold One". He was unmasked as the former by [[Diane Chambers]] and as the latter by [[Coach Ernie Pantusso|Coach]], but was then found to be telling the truth when he claimed he was wealthy. Former ''Cheers'' star [[Kelsey Grammer]] has stated that Rabb, for whom Grammer had worked, was his main inspiration for the voice of [[Sideshow Bob]] on ''[[The Simpsons]]''.<ref name=NuvoAllan>{{cite web|last=Allan|first=Marc|title=17 Reasons to Turn On the TV|url=http://www.nuvo.net/ScreensBlog/archives/2011/07/30/17-reasons-to-turn-on-the-tv|publisher=Nuvo Magazine|access-date=3 August 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015141244/http://www.nuvo.net/ScreensBlog/archives/2011/07/30/17-reasons-to-turn-on-the-tv|archive-date=15 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kelsey Grammer On Playing Sideshow Bob On "The Simpsons" - CONAN on TBS|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atX0M99CB5Y |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/atX0M99CB5Y |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=YouTube| date=11 September 2012 }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kelsey Grammer On How He Became Sideshow Bob - The Graham Norton Show|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XzVCAbyKOg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/7XzVCAbyKOg |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=YouTube| date=3 June 2016 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>


Rabb died of heart failure at a [[Memphis|Memphis, Tennessee]] hospital on January 11, 1998.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gussow|first=Mel|title=Ellis Rabb, Actor and Director, Is Dead at 67|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/13/arts/ellis-rabb-actor-and-director-is-dead-at-67.html|publisher=New York Times|accessdate=11 December 2012}}</ref>
Rabb died of heart failure at a [[Memphis, Tennessee]] hospital on January 11, 1998.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gussow|first=Mel|title=Ellis Rabb, Actor and Director, Is Dead at 67|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/13/arts/ellis-rabb-actor-and-director-is-dead-at-67.html|work=New York Times|date=13 January 1998 |access-date=11 December 2012}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
* {{IBDB name|9602}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{IMDb name|0704758}}
* {{IMDb name|0704758}}
* [http://archives.nypl.org/the/21846 Ellis Rabb papers, 1930-1995 and undated], held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, [[New York Public Library for the Performing Arts]]
* [http://archives.nypl.org/the/21846 Ellis Rabb papers, 1930-1995 and undated], held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, [[New York Public Library for the Performing Arts]]


{{Navboxes
| title = Awards for Ellis Rabb
| list =
{{DramaDesk PlayDirection 1975–2000}}
{{DramaDesk PlayDirection 1975–2000}}
{{TonyAward PlayDirection 1976-2000}}
{{TonyAward PlayDirection 1976-2000}}
}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:American theatre directors]]
[[Category:American theatre directors]]
[[Category:Drama Desk Award winners]]
[[Category:Drama Desk Award winners]]
[[Category:People from Memphis, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Actors from Memphis, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Tony Award winners]]
[[Category:Tony Award winners]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]

Latest revision as of 02:49, 11 September 2024

Ellis Rabb
Born
Ellis W. Rabb

(1930-06-20)June 20, 1930
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedJanuary 11, 1998(1998-01-11) (aged 67)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1959; div. 1967)​
AwardsTony Award for Best Direction of a Play
1976 The Royal Family

Ellis W. Rabb (June 20, 1930 – January 11, 1998) was an American actor and director who in 1959 formed the Association of Producing Artists, a theatre company that brought new works and noteworthy revivals to Broadway and to regional theatres. The APA merged with the Phoenix Theatre in 1964 and as the APA-Phoenix went on to mount Broadway revivals of Man and Superman, The Show Off, Right You Are If You Think You Are, and Hamlet (in which Rabb played the title role) among others, with the APA-Phoenix receiving a special Tony Award for distinguished achievement prior to disbanding in 1969.

Life

[edit]

Rabb was born the only child of Clark Williamson and Mary Carolyn. His subsequent work as an actor included starring in the New York City premiere of David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre in 1977 at Off-Broadway's Theatre de Lys, and in 1980 he played the title role in The Man Who Came to Dinner at the Circle in the Square Theatre.

His later directing work included a 1973 production of A Streetcar Named Desire, starring Rosemary Harris (to whom he was married from 1959 to 1967), James Farentino, and Patricia Conolly; a memorable all star Broadway revival of The Royal Family starring Rosemary Harris, Sam Levene, George Grizzard and Eva LeGalliene in 1975 for which he won both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award, and a 1983 revival of You Can't Take It with You with Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst. His final Broadway production was his own adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's The Loves of Anatol. Rabb's production of The Royal Family was filmed for the PBS series Great Performances on November 9, 1977;[1] this version was released on DVD. Rabb replaced George Grizzard, who left due to prior commitments, in the role of Tony Cavendish in the Broadway revival of The Royal Family shortly after the revival opened and appeared in the PBS production as well.

Rabb appeared in Cheers playing an imaginary spy and then a poet in the episode "The Spy Who Came In For A Cold One". He was unmasked as the former by Diane Chambers and as the latter by Coach, but was then found to be telling the truth when he claimed he was wealthy. Former Cheers star Kelsey Grammer has stated that Rabb, for whom Grammer had worked, was his main inspiration for the voice of Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons.[2][3][4]

Rabb died of heart failure at a Memphis, Tennessee hospital on January 11, 1998.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Television This Week: Of Special Interest". The New York Times. November 6, 1977. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  2. ^ Allan, Marc. "17 Reasons to Turn On the TV". Nuvo Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  3. ^ "Kelsey Grammer On Playing Sideshow Bob On "The Simpsons" - CONAN on TBS". YouTube. 11 September 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  4. ^ "Kelsey Grammer On How He Became Sideshow Bob - The Graham Norton Show". YouTube. 3 June 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  5. ^ Gussow, Mel (13 January 1998). "Ellis Rabb, Actor and Director, Is Dead at 67". New York Times. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
[edit]
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