Edward Herrmann
Edward Kirk Herrmann (July 21, 1943 – December 31, 2014) was an American actor, director, and writer, best known for his Emmy- and Tony-winning performances in television, film, and theater.[1][2] Born in Washington, D.C., Herrmann began his career on Broadway, earning a Tony Award in 1976 for his role in Mrs. Warren's Profession.[3] His distinctive baritone voice and commanding presence led to frequent portrayals of authoritative figures, including Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1976 miniseries Eleanor and Franklin, for which he received an Emmy nomination, and numerous History Channel documentaries.[1][2] Herrmann's film roles spanned comedies and dramas, including the progressive editor Max Eastman in Warren Beatty's Reds (1981), the aristocratic husband in Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), and the quirky inventor in Overboard (1987).[4] On television, he gained widespread recognition as the erudite patriarch Richard Gilmore in Gilmore Girls (2000–2007), a role that showcased his dry wit and warmth over seven seasons.[5] He also narrated extensively for educational programming, contributing his resonant narration to series on the History Channel, enhancing public understanding of American history.[2] Herrmann died of brain cancer at age 71 in New York City, leaving a legacy of versatile character work that bridged stage, screen, and voiceover mediums without major controversies.[1][6] His career, spanning over four decades, exemplified reliable craftsmanship in supporting roles that often elevated ensemble casts.[7]Early life and education
Family background and childhood
Edward Kirk Herrmann was born on July 21, 1943, in Washington, D.C., to John Anthony Herrmann and Jean Eleanor (née O'Connor) Herrmann.[1][8] His father worked as an engineer for automobile and railroad companies, later transitioning to roles in the automotive advertising sector.[1][9] The family relocated shortly after his birth to Grosse Pointe, Michigan, an affluent suburb of Detroit, where Herrmann spent his childhood.[9][10] Herrmann's paternal ancestry was German, while his maternal side included Irish roots through his mother's O'Connor lineage.[11][12] Raised in the stable, upper-middle-class environment of Grosse Pointe, he experienced a conventional Midwestern upbringing amid the post-World War II economic boom, with his father's industry ties reflecting the region's automotive dominance.[9] Limited public details exist on specific childhood experiences, though the move aligned with professional opportunities in Michigan's industrial heartland.[10]Academic training
Herrmann attended Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where he began performing in theater productions during his first year.[13] He graduated from Bucknell in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in English.[14] Following graduation, he pursued acting training at the Dallas Theater Center.[15] In 1968–1969, Herrmann studied drama at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) on a Fulbright scholarship.[16] This postgraduate program provided specialized instruction in classical and contemporary theater techniques, building on his undergraduate foundation.[17]Professional career
Stage performances
Herrmann commenced his professional stage career in the early 1970s with the U.S. premiere of Michael Weller's Moonchildren at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.[11] His New York debut occurred off-Broadway in 1971, portraying the soldier Hinkle in David Rabe's The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel at the Public Theater.[18][19] The Moonchildren production transferred to Broadway in 1972, where Herrmann reprised his role as Cootie (also known as Mel), a bohemian college student navigating post-adolescent aimlessness amid the Vietnam War era; the play opened at the Royale Theatre on February 21 and closed after 20 previews and 16 performances on March 4.[20] In 1976, he earned acclaim as Frank Gardner, the opportunistic son of a clergyman, in the Broadway revival of George Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, which ran from February 18 to April 4; for this performance, Herrmann won the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play at the 30th Annual Tony Awards.[20][21] Herrmann continued with leading roles in subsequent Broadway productions, including Mike Connor, the cynical journalist, in the 1980 revival of Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story at the Cort Theatre (November 14, 1980–January 4, 1981).[20] He portrayed the British diplomat Raymond Brock in David Hare's Plenty at the Plymouth Theatre in 1983 (January 6–March 27), a role that drew a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play.[20] Later appearances included a replacement stint as Andrew Makepiece Ladd III opposite Elaine Stritch in A.R. Gurney's epistolary drama Love Letters at the Promenade Theatre in 1989 (October 31, 1989–January 21, 1990).[20] In 1998, Herrmann starred as the tormented husband William Collyer in Terence Rattigan's The Deep Blue Sea revival at the Roundabout Theatre Company's Gramercy Theatre, which opened on March 26 and closed on May 10 after limited engagement.[20] Over his theater career, he garnered two Tony Award nominations, with his 1976 win highlighting his versatility in classical and modern repertoire.[22]Film roles
Herrmann debuted in feature films with the role of law student Thomas Craig Anderson in The Paper Chase (1973), a drama about Harvard Law School students directed by James Bridges.[23] He continued with supporting parts in period pieces such as the idle Klipspringer in The Great Gatsby (1974), adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, and a biplane pilot in The Great Waldo Pepper (1975), directed by George Roy Hill.[24] Throughout the 1980s, Herrmann frequently portrayed authoritative or eccentric figures, including journalist Max Eastman in Warren Beatty's epic Reds (1981), which chronicled the life of communist sympathizer John Reed and earned Beatty a Best Director Oscar. He appeared as Franklin D. Roosevelt in the musical adaptation Annie (1982), directed by John Huston, and as the video store-owning vampire leader Max in the horror-comedy The Lost Boys (1987), Joel Schumacher's tale of teenage vampires in California.[4] That same year, he played the snobbish shipping magnate Grant Stayton III in Garry Marshall's romantic comedy Overboard (1987), opposite Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. In the 1990s, Herrmann took on roles like Ed Devery in the remake Born Yesterday (1993) and the title character's father, Richard Rich Sr., in the family adventure Richie Rich (1994), a Macaulay Culkin vehicle based on the comic strip.[25] He portrayed Nelson Rockefeller in Oliver Stone's biographical drama Nixon (1995), which received four Academy Award nominations.[25] Later films included William Randolph Hearst in The Cat's Meow (2001), a period drama about a 1924 yacht scandal; Spencer Tracy in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004), earning the film five Oscars; and Randy Stratton, a corporate executive, in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), directed by Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, which garnered nine Oscar nominations.[4] [26] Herrmann's film work often emphasized his resonant voice and patrician demeanor, casting him as establishment types or villains in over 50 productions spanning dramas, comedies, and historical epics.[27]Television roles
Herrmann achieved early television prominence with his portrayal of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the ABC miniseries Eleanor and Franklin (1976), for which he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series.[28] He reprised the role in the sequel Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (1977), earning another Emmy nomination.[28] Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Herrmann appeared in guest and recurring capacities on several drama series, including five episodes as defense attorney Anderson Pearson on The Practice (1997–2004).[28] He also played Dr. Norman Shales, a cardiothoracic surgeon, in five episodes of Grey's Anatomy (2006–2007).[28] His most extensive television role came as the patriarch Richard Gilmore in the WB/CW series Gilmore Girls (2000–2007), appearing in 154 episodes as the Yale-educated, conservative head of the Gilmore family, whose refined demeanor and occasional clashes with his independent daughter Emily provided central dramatic tension.[28] Herrmann's performance contributed to the show's blend of rapid-fire dialogue and family dynamics, making Richard a fan-favorite character known for his intellectual pursuits and subtle humor. He briefly returned as Richard in archival footage for the 2016 Netflix revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Herrmann made additional guest appearances on programs such as MAS*H, Law & Order, and The Good Wife, often in authoritative or historical roles that leveraged his resonant voice and patrician presence.[26]Voice work and narration
Herrmann frequently provided narration for documentary films and television series, leveraging his resonant baritone voice to deliver authoritative and engaging commentary. He served as the primary narrator for numerous History Channel productions, including the 2000 documentary Horror in the East, which examined wartime atrocities in the Pacific theater, and the multi-volume Presidents series chronicling American chief executives.[29][30] In 1994, he previewed the launch of The History Channel itself in promotional segments, establishing his association with historical programming.[31] In collaboration with filmmaker Ken Burns, Herrmann voiced Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 2014 PBS miniseries The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, reprising elements of his earlier on-screen portrayal of the president.[32] His final professional engagement was narrating the 2015 PBS miniseries Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, a three-part adaptation of Siddhartha Mukherjee's book; Herrmann collapsed during recording sessions but completed the work despite his own terminal brain cancer diagnosis, which he disclosed to the production team.[33][34][35] Herrmann was a prolific audiobook narrator, credited with over 300 titles spanning history, biography, and fiction. He received multiple Audie Awards from the Audio Publishers Association, including recognition for works like the 2004 John Cheever Audio Collection, a finalist for Audiobook of the Year, as well as 22 Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine for exceptional performances.[36][37][38] Notable narrations included Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, emphasizing themes of endurance, and The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, capturing the 1936 Olympic rowing team's underdog triumph.[39] He also voiced historical figures in audiobooks, such as biographies of Albert Einstein, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Posthumously, Herrmann was inducted into Audible's Narrator Hall of Fame in 2017 for his enduring contributions to the medium.[40] Though his voice work extended to occasional animated and commercial projects, Herrmann's strengths lay predominantly in narration rather than character voicing, with credits including additional voices in the 2005 Adult Swim series Tom Goes to the Mayor.[41]Awards and recognition
Theater awards
Herrmann earned the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Frank Gardner in the Broadway revival of George Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession, which opened on April 23, 1976, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.[42] He received a Drama Desk Award nomination in the same category for this performance.[19] In 1983, Herrmann was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as Brook in David Hare's Plenty, which premiered on January 20 at the Plymouth Theatre.[43] For his performance as Mr. Crawford in the 1996 Broadway production of Psychopathia Sexualis, Herrmann garnered a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play.[42]| Year | Award | Category | Production | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actor in a Play | Mrs. Warren's Profession | Winner[42] |
| 1976 | Drama Desk Award | Featured Actor in a Play | Mrs. Warren's Profession | Nominee[19] |
| 1983 | Tony Award | Best Actor in a Play | Plenty | Nominee[43] |
| 1997 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Psychopathia Sexualis | Nominee[42] |
| 1997 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Psychopathia Sexualis | Nominee[42] |
Television and film accolades
Herrmann earned one Primetime Emmy Award out of five nominations for his television work. He won Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1999 for portraying Anderson Pearson in The Practice.[2][44] His Emmy nominations also included Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special in 1976 for Eleanor and Franklin, the same category in 1977 for Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years, Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series in 1986 for St. Elsewhere, and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1987 for St. Elsewhere.[45][44] In film, Herrmann's accolades were more limited, primarily consisting of ensemble recognition rather than individual honors. He received a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 3rd Screen Actors Guild Awards in 1996, shared with the ensemble of Nixon.[46]| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | The Practice | Won[44] |
| 1976 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special | Eleanor and Franklin | Nominated[45] |
| 1977 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special | Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years | Nominated[45] |
| 1986 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series | St. Elsewhere | Nominated[44] |
| 1987 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | St. Elsewhere | Nominated[44] |
| 1996 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Nixon | Nominated[46] |