Roberts had a long career on Broadway and in movies, and is most fondly remembered for playing Allen’s best friend in a string of successful films

Tony Roberts, a versatile, Tony Award-nominated theatre performer at home in both plays and musicals and who appeared in several Woody Allen movies – often as Allen’s best friend – has died. He was 85. Roberts’ death was announced to the New York Times by his daughter, Nicole Burley.

Roberts had a genial stage personality perfect for musical comedy and he originated roles in such diverse Broadway musicals as How Now, Dow Jones (1967); Sugar (1972), an adaptation of the movie Some Like It Hot; and Victor/Victoria (1995), in which he co-starred with Julie Andrews when she returned to Broadway in the stage version of her popular film. He also appeared in campy roller-disco Xanadu in 2007 and The Royal Family in 2009.