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Gary Beach

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Gary Beach
Born(1947-10-10)October 10, 1947
Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
DiedJuly 17, 2018(2018-07-17) (aged 70)
Palm Springs, California, U.S.
EducationOld Dominion University
University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA)
OccupationActor
Years active1969–2018
SpouseJeffrey Barnett
AwardsTony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
2001 The Producers

Gary Beach (October 10, 1947 – July 17, 2018) was an American actor of stage, film and television. His roles included Roger De Bris in both the stage and film productions of The Producers, which won him a Tony Award, and Lumiere in the stage musical version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award.

Early life

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Beach was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and graduated from Groveton High School. He went on to graduate from the North Carolina School of the Arts, the same school as his Beauty and the Beast co-star Terrence Mann.[1]

Career

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Beach's television credits included both the 2003 and 2009 Kennedy Center Honors, Queer as Folk, Murder, She Wrote, Cheers, Sisters, Arli$$, and Saved by the Bell, as well as "Recording the Producers", a documentary for PBS.[2] Beach also lent his voice to Fox's Family Guy in the now infamous banned-from-television episode "Partial Terms of Endearment" (available on DVD).

In 1994, Beach originated the comical role of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, a performance that earned him a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. In 2001, he originated the stage role of Roger DeBris in The Producers for which he won the Tony Award for Featured Actor in a Musical. In 2004, he starred as Albin in the Broadway revival of La Cage aux Folles, earning him his third Tony nomination, this time for Leading Actor. After starring in the 2005 film version of The Producers, Beach returned to his stage role as Roger DeBris while the movie was in release, becoming the first artist to play the same part on Broadway and in movie theaters at the same time. In 2006, Beach played the role of Thénardier in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables, a role he had originated in the Los Angeles production. Previously, he performed in the chorus for the 1989 Les Misérables: Complete Symphonic Recording. In March 2008, Beach joined the United States national tour cast of Monty Python's Spamalot in the lead role of King Arthur.[3]

Beach's other Broadway credits included Annie, Doonesbury, The Moony Shapiro Songbook, Broadway Bash, Sweet Adeline (Encores), Something's Afoot and 1776. He toured nationally with the James Kirkwood comedy Legends! starring Mary Martin and Carol Channing. In addition to his Broadway credits, Beach was well known for his Summer stock theatre performances. In later years he frequently returned to Sacramento as a Music Circus favorite in shows such as Guys and Dolls, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and Spamalot.

Personal life

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Beach and his husband, Jeffrey Barnett,[4][5] resided in Palm Springs, California where Beach died on July 17, 2018, at the age of 70. On July 20th, 2018 at 6:45 pm, Disney presented a tribute to Beach on the marquee of the New Amsterdam Theatre.[6]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
1994 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Musical Beauty and the Beast Nominated
2001 The Producers Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Won
2004 Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical La Cage aux Folles Nominated

Stage productions

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National tours
  • 1776 - Dr. Josiah Bartlett / Edward Rutledge
  • Annie - Rooster Hannigan
  • A Christmas Carol - Fred Anderson
  • Legends (with Mary Martin and Carol Channing) - Martin Klemmer
  • Les Misérables - Thénardier
  • Beauty and the Beast - Lumiere
  • The Producers - Roger De Bris
  • Spamalot - King Arthur

References

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  1. ^ Hetrick, Adam (July 18, 2018). "Tony Winner Gary Beach, Star of Broadway's The Producers and Beauty and the Beast Dies at 70". Playbill.
  2. ^ Kennedy, Mark (July 19, 2018). "Gary Beach, actor who won Tony for 'The Producers,' dies at 70". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  3. ^ "Gary Beach is New King Arthur in 'Spamalot' Tour" Broadway World. Retrieved 2013-11-23.
  4. ^ Haun, Harry (November 10, 2006). "PLAYBILL ON OPENING NIGHT: Les Misérables — Here Hugo Again". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2013-11-11.
  5. ^ Wong, Wayman (June 1, 2005). "THE LEADING MEN: The Tony Rewards". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2012-09-28.
  6. ^ Rosky, Nicole (July 20, 2018). "New Amsterdam Theatre Marquee Will Tribute the Late Gary Beach". BroadwayWorld.
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