Longtime Stage Veteran Brian Murray Dies at 80

The multi-award-winning actor Brian Murray has died, according to posts from family and friends across social media. He was 80.

Born Brian Bell on September 10, 1937, in Johannesburg, Murray amassed 22 Broadway credits throughout his career as an actor and director. He made his Broadway debut in 1965 in All in Good Time, originated the roles of Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and Lloyd Dallas in Noises Off, and took on classical roles on Broadway including Reverend Chasuble in The Importance of Being Earnest (2011), the Earl of Shrewsbury in Mary Stuart (2009), and Sir Lucius O'Trigger in The Rivals (2004).

He received Tony nominations for his performances in The Crucible, The Little Foxes, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. His many Broadway directing credits include revivals of The Show Off, Blithe Spirit, and Arsenic and Old Lace. Murray was also a longtime member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Off-Broadway, Murray's list of credits include Edward Albee's The Play About the Baby and Me, Myself & I, Irish Repertory Theatre productions of Man and Superman, Candida, Gaslight, Da, and Long Day's Journey Into Night, as well as countless other productions. He received three Obie Awards, in 1977 for Ashes, in 1998 for Sustained Excellence of Performance, and in 2001 for The Play About the Baby, as well as Drama Desk Awards for The Little Foxes and Noises Off.

Murray played Jack's Dad on 30 Rock, and appeared in The Good Wife, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Kojak, and Bob Roberts, among others television and film works.