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Walter Charles

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Walter Charles (born Walter Charles Jacobsen; April 4, 1945 – August 3, 2023) was an American actor and singer.

Charles made his Broadway debut in Grease in 1972. Additional Broadway credits include 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (1976), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979), Cats (1982), La Cage aux Folles (1983), Me and My Girl (1987), Aspects of Love (1990), Kiss Me, Kate (2000), The Boys from Syracuse (2002), Big River (2003), The Woman in White (2005), The Apple Tree (2006) and Anything Goes (2011). He also originated the role of Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in 1994. He played Max von Mayerling in the Toronto production of Sunset Boulevard in 1995. He reprised the role of Judge Turpin in the 2002 Kennedy Center and 2004 New York City Opera productions of Sweeney Todd.[1][2][3]

Charles' screen credits include A Fine Mess, Fletch Lives, Weeds, and Prancer. On television he appeared in Cagney and Lacey, Kate and Allie, Law & Order, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Walter Charles died of complications from frontotemporal dementia on August 3, 2023, at the age of 78.[4] He is survived by his wife, Leslie Thompson.[5]

Stage credits

[edit]

Sources:[2][3]

Year Title Role Location
1970-1972 1776 Joseph Hewes
u/s Thomas McKean
u/s John Hancock 		US National Tour
1972 John Dickinson Bergen Mall Shopping Center
1972-1974 Grease Vince Fontaine US National Tour
1975 Royale Theatre, Broadway
1976 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Delegate of New Jersey / Ordway / Singer Mark Hellinger Theatre, Broadway
1977 Jesus Christ Superstar Caiaphas Paper Mill Playhouse
1978 Man of La Mancha Dr. Carrasco / The Duke US National Tour
1979-1980 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Ensemble
u/s Sweeney Todd 		Uris Theatre, Broadway
1980 Anyone Can Whistle Treasurer Cooley Berkshire Theatre Festival
1980-1981 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Passerby / Ensemble
u/s Sweeney Todd
u/s Judge Turpin 		US National Tour
1982-1983 Cats Chorus
u/s Old Deuteronomy 		Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway
1983-1984 La Cage aux Folles Renaud
u/s Albin
u/s Georges
u/s Edouard Dindon 		Palace Theatre, Broadway
1984-1985 Albin Golden Gate Park
Pantages Theatre
1985-1987 Palace Theatre, Broadway
1987 Kismet Hajj Heinz Hall
1987-1988 Me and My Girl Herbert Parchester US National Tour
1988 La Cage aux Folles Georges Paper Mill Playhouse
1990-1991 Aspects of Love Marcel Richard
u/s George Dillingham 		Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway
Sir George Dillingham
1991 Man of La Mancha Don Quixote / Miguel de Cervantes Artpark
1992 Gypsy Herbie Valley Forge Music Fair
Westbury Music Fair
1993 Martin Guerre M. Guerre / Jacques Boeri Hartford Stage
1993-1994 La Cage aux Folles Georges US National Tour
1994 Kismet Hajj 5th Avenue Theatre
A Christmas Carol Ebenezer Scrooge The Theater at Madison Square Garden
1995 Call Me Madam Cosmo Constantine New York City Center
Follies Benjamin Stone 5th Avenue Theatre
1995-1997 Sunset Boulevard Max von Mayerling Ford Centre for the Performing Arts
1997 La Cage aux Folles Georges Benedum Center
1998 Follies Benjamin Stone San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
La Cage aux Folles Georges US National Tour
Man of La Mancha Don Quixote / Miguel de Cervantes Westbury Music Fair
1998-1999 Wit Mr. Bearing / Harvey Kelekian MCC Theater
Union Square Theatre
1999-2000 Kiss Me, Kate Harrison Howell Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway
2002 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Judge Turpin Kennedy Center
Company Larry
The Boys from Syracuse Aegean American Airlines Theatre, Broadway
2003 Big River Preacher / Doctor / Voice of Judge / Voice of Duke / Voice of First Man / Ensemble
2004 Me and My Girl Sir John Tremayne Benedum Center
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Judge Turpin New York City Opera
Annie Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks The Muny
2005 Big River Voice of Duke / Doctor / Judge Thatcher Ford's Theatre
2005-2006 The Woman in White Mr. Fairlie Marquis Theatre, Broadway
2006 Hello, Dolly! Horace Vandergelder Paper Mill Playhouse
Cabaret Herr Schultz Arena Stage
2006-2007 The Apple Tree King Arik / Mr. Fallible / Producer Studio 54, Broadway
2007-2008 My Fair Lady Colonel Hugh Pickering US National Tour
2008 Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical Old Max
2009 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Judge Turpin Casa Mañana
2010 Sunday in the Park with George Charles Redmond / Mr. Arden Theatre Company
Damn Yankees Joe Boyd The Muny
2011-2012 Anything Goes Captain Stephen Sondheim Theatre, Broadway
2012 Sunset Boulevard Max von Mayerling Benedum Center
2015 La Cage aux Folles Georges The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Walter Charles Broadway" playbillvault.com. Retrieved November 6, 2015
  2. ^ a b Walter Charles IBDB ibdb.com. Retrieved January 23, 2024
  3. ^ a b Walter Charles Theatre Credits abouttheartists.com. Retrieved January 23, 2024
  4. ^ Wild, Stephi (August 3, 2023). "Broadway Alum Walter Charles Dies at 78". Broadway World. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  5. ^ Walter Charles
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