F. Murray Abraham
Encyclopedia
Fahrid Murray Abraham is an American actor. He became known during the 1980s after winning the Academy Award for Best Actor
for his role as Antonio Salieri
in Amadeus
. He has appeared in many roles, both leading and supporting, in films such as All the President's Men
and Scarface
. He is also known for his television and theatre work.
, the son of Josephine (née Stello), a housewife
, and Fahrid Abraham, an auto mechanic
. His father was an Assyrian/Syriac Christian
who immigrated from Syria
during the 1920s famine
; his paternal grandfather was a chanter in the Syriac Orthodox Church
. His mother, one of 14 children, was Italian American
, and the daughter of an immigrant who worked in the coal mines
of Western Pennsylvania
. Abraham was raised in El Paso, Texas
, near the Mexican
border. He attended Vilas Grammar School, and graduated from El Paso High School
in 1958. He was a gang
member during his teenage years. He attended Texas Western College (later named University of Texas at El Paso
), where he was given the best actor award by Alpha Psi Omega
for his portrayal of the Indian
Nocona in Comanche Eagle during the 1959-60 season. He attended the University of Texas at Austin
, then studied acting under Uta Hagen
in New York City
. He began his acting career on the stage, debuting in a Los Angeles
production of Ray Bradbury
's The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit
.
comedy They Might Be Giants
(1971). Abraham can be seen as one of the undercover police officers along with Al Pacino
in Sidney Lumet
's Serpico
(1973), also as the bad guy in one 4th Season episode of Kojak, he played a cab driver in the theatrical version of The Prisoner of Second Avenue
(1975), a mechanic in the theatrical version of The Sunshine Boys
(1975) and in All the President's Men
(1976), as one of the police officers who arrests the Watergate burglars in the offices of the Democratic National Headquarters.
Until his acclaimed role in Amadeus
(1984), Abraham was perhaps best known to audiences as a talking bunch of grapes in a series of television commercials for Fruit of the Loom
underwear. He worked with Pacino again in the gangster film Scarface
in 1983, playing drug dealer Omar Suárez.
Abraham won the Academy Award for Best Actor
for his role as Antonio Salieri
in Amadeus
(1984).
Immediately after Amadeus, he appeared in The Name of the Rose
(1986), in which he played Bernardo Gui, nemesis to Sean Connery
's William of Baskerville. His director on the film, Jean-Jacques Annaud
, has described Abraham as an "egomaniac" on the set, who considered himself more important than Sean Connery, since Connery did not have an Oscar.
Since Amadeus, he has mainly focused on classical theatre, and has starred in many Shakespearean productions such as Othello
and Richard III
, as well as many other plays by the likes of Samuel Beckett
and Gilbert and Sullivan
. Also highlights the role Anton Chekhov
's Uncle Vanya
(for which he received an Obie Award
).
He is also known for his roles in Woody Allen
's Mighty Aphrodite
(1995), Ahdar Ru'afo in Star Trek: Insurrection
(1998), and Gus Van Sant
's Finding Forrester
(2000), where he once again played nemesis to Connery.
Abraham has focused on stage work throughout his career, giving notable performances as Pozzo in Mike Nichols
's production of Waiting for Godot
, Malvolio in Twelfth Night for the New York Shakespeare Festival
, and Shylock
in The Merchant of Venice
, for the Off Broadway Theatre For A New Audience (TFANA) in March 2007, which was performed at the Duke Theatre in New York and also at The Swan Theatre, part of the Royal Shakespeare Company
. He reprised this role in February 2011, when he replaced Al Pacino
in the Public Theater's production. In the 1997/98 Broadway season he starred in the new chamber musical Triumph of Love
opposite Betty Buckley
, based on Mariveaux's classic comedy. The production did not find a large audience, running 85 performances (after its pre-opening preview period).
Abraham most recently made a guest appearance on the popular television series Saving Grace
, on which he played an angel, Matthew and the Law & Order: Criminal Intent
, on which he played Dr. Theodore Nichols, father of Det. Zach Nichols. Additionally, Abraham has worked as the primary narrator for the PBS series Nature
for many years.
". According to film critic Leonard Maltin
, professional failure following an early success is referred to in Hollywood circles as the "F. Murray Abraham syndrome". Abraham rejects this notion and once told an interviewer:
In the same interview, Abraham said:
.
, he was awarded the "Premio per gli Italiani nel Mondo". This is a prize distributed by the Marzio Tremaglia foundation and the Italian government to Italian emigrants and their descendants who have distinguished themselves abroad.
In 2009 he was recognized by The Alumni Association of The College of New York City with John H. Finley Award in recognition of exemplary dedicated service to the City of New York.
In 2010 Abraham was the recipient of The Sir John Gielgud Award (Theatre) for that year.
It is also Honorary doctor
from the Rider College in Lawrenceville
, in Mercer County
, New Jersey
, United States
.
episode "Homer Simpson in: "Kidney Trouble"", Homer rushes home to see Abraham on Inside the Actors Studio
and does not stop for a bathroom break, consequently costing his father his kidney
s.
In the season six episode of Monk
"Mr. Monk and His Biggest Fan." Abraham is an object of obsession of the character Marci Maven.
In January 2010, Abraham was the on-the-scene hero of a real-life crime scene at the Classic Stage Company in New York, when he traded blows with a thief in the dressing room area during a public rehearsal.
Academy Award for Best Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for his role as Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
in Amadeus
Amadeus (film)
Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the...
. He has appeared in many roles, both leading and supporting, in films such as All the President's Men
All the President's Men (film)
All the President's Men is a 1976 Academy Award-winning political thriller film based on the 1974 non-fiction book of the same name by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two journalists investigating the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post...
and Scarface
Scarface (1983 film)
Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana...
. He is also known for his television and theatre work.
Early life
Abraham was born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, the son of Josephine (née Stello), a housewife
Housewife
Housewife is a term used to describe a married woman with household responsibilities who is not employed outside the home. Merriam Webster describes a housewife as a married woman who is in charge of her household...
, and Fahrid Abraham, an auto mechanic
Auto mechanic
An auto mechanic is a mechanic with a variety of car makes or either in a specific area or in a specific make of car. In repairing cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and quickly...
. His father was an Assyrian/Syriac Christian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
who immigrated from Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
during the 1920s famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
; his paternal grandfather was a chanter in the Syriac Orthodox Church
Syriac Orthodox Church
The Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
. His mother, one of 14 children, was Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
, and the daughter of an immigrant who worked in the coal mines
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
of Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
. Abraham was raised in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, near the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
border. He attended Vilas Grammar School, and graduated from El Paso High School
El Paso High School
El Paso High School is the oldest operating high school in El Paso, Texas and is part of the El Paso Independent School District. It serves the West-Central section of the city, roughly west of the Franklin Mountains and north of Interstate 10 to the vicinity of Executive Center Boulevard...
in 1958. He was a gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
member during his teenage years. He attended Texas Western College (later named University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
), where he was given the best actor award by Alpha Psi Omega
Alpha Psi Omega
Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society is an American recognition honor society recognizing participants in collegiate theatre. The Alpha Cast was founded at Fairmont State College on August 12, 1925 by professor Paul F...
for his portrayal of the Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
Nocona in Comanche Eagle during the 1959-60 season. He attended the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, then studied acting under Uta Hagen
Uta Hagen
Uta Thyra Hagen was a German-born American actress and drama teacher. She originated the role of Martha in the 1963 Broadway premiere of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He began his acting career on the stage, debuting in a Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
production of Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
's The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit and Other Plays
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit and Other Plays is a collection of three plays by Ray Bradbury: The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, The Veldt, and To the Chicago Abyss. All are adaptations of his short stories by the same names. The play The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit was adapted into a film in 1998 by...
.
Career
Abraham made his screen debut as an usher in the George C. ScottGeorge C. Scott
George Campbell Scott was an American stage and film actor, director and producer. He was best known for his stage work, as well as his portrayal of General George S. Patton in the film Patton, and as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick's Dr...
comedy They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants (film)
They Might Be Giants is a 1971 film based on the play of the same name starring George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward. Occasionally cited mistakenly as a Broadway play, it never in fact opened in the USA...
(1971). Abraham can be seen as one of the undercover police officers along with Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
in Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his credit. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , Network and The Verdict...
's Serpico
Serpico
Serpico is a 1973 American crime film directed by Sidney Lumet. It is based on the true story of New York City policeman Frank Serpico, who went undercover to expose the corruption of his fellow officers, after being pushed to the brink at first by their distrust and later by the threats and...
(1973), also as the bad guy in one 4th Season episode of Kojak, he played a cab driver in the theatrical version of The Prisoner of Second Avenue
The Prisoner of Second Avenue
The Prisoner of Second Avenue is an American black comedy play by Neil Simon, later made into a film released in 1975.The play ran on Broadway from November 1971 until September 1973, with Peter Falk and Lee Grant starring as Mel and Edna Edison, and Vincent Gardenia as Mel's brother Harry. The...
(1975), a mechanic in the theatrical version of The Sunshine Boys
The Sunshine Boys
The Sunshine Boys is a play by Neil Simon that was produced on Broadway in 1972 and later adapted for film and television.-Plot:The play focuses on aging Al Lewis and Willy Clark, a one-time vaudevillian team known as "Lewis and Clark" who, over the course of forty-odd years, not only grew to hate...
(1975) and in All the President's Men
All the President's Men (film)
All the President's Men is a 1976 Academy Award-winning political thriller film based on the 1974 non-fiction book of the same name by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two journalists investigating the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post...
(1976), as one of the police officers who arrests the Watergate burglars in the offices of the Democratic National Headquarters.
Until his acclaimed role in Amadeus
Amadeus (film)
Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the...
(1984), Abraham was perhaps best known to audiences as a talking bunch of grapes in a series of television commercials for Fruit of the Loom
Fruit of the Loom
Fruit of the Loom is an American company which manufactures clothing, particularly underwear. The company's world headquarters is in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is currently a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.-Company profile:...
underwear. He worked with Pacino again in the gangster film Scarface
Scarface (1983 film)
Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana...
in 1983, playing drug dealer Omar Suárez.
Abraham won the Academy Award for Best Actor
Academy Award for Best Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for his role as Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
in Amadeus
Amadeus (film)
Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the...
(1984).
Immediately after Amadeus, he appeared in The Name of the Rose
The Name of the Rose (film)
The Name of the Rose is a 1986 film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, based on the book of the same name by Umberto Eco. Sean Connery is the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and Christian Slater is his apprentice Adso of Melk, who are called upon to solve a deadly mystery in a medieval...
(1986), in which he played Bernardo Gui, nemesis to Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
's William of Baskerville. His director on the film, Jean-Jacques Annaud
Jean-Jacques Annaud
Jean-Jacques Annaud is a French film director, film producer and screenwriter.- Biography :Annaud was born in Juvisy-sur-Orge, Essonne...
, has described Abraham as an "egomaniac" on the set, who considered himself more important than Sean Connery, since Connery did not have an Oscar.
Since Amadeus, he has mainly focused on classical theatre, and has starred in many Shakespearean productions such as Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
and Richard III
Richard III (play)
Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
, as well as many other plays by the likes of Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
and Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
. Also highlights the role Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
's Uncle Vanya
Uncle Vanya
Uncle Vanya is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897 and received its Moscow première in 1899 in a production by the Moscow Art Theatre, under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski....
(for which he received an Obie Award
Obie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...
).
He is also known for his roles in Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
's Mighty Aphrodite
Mighty Aphrodite
Mighty Aphrodite is a 1995 romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The screenplay was inspired by the mythological tale of Pygmalion....
(1995), Ahdar Ru'afo in Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek: Insurrection is a 1998 American science fiction film directed by Jonathan Frakes, written by Michael Piller , and with music composed by Jerry Goldsmith. It is the ninth film in the Star Trek franchise, and the third to feature the cast from the television series Star Trek: The Next...
(1998), and Gus Van Sant
Gus Van Sant
Gus Green Van Sant, Jr. is an American director, screenwriter, painter, photographer, musician, and author. He is a two time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director for his 1997 film Good Will Hunting and his 2008 film Milk, both of which were also nominated for Best Picture, and won the...
's Finding Forrester
Finding Forrester
EnglishFinding Forrester is a 2000 American drama film written by Mike Rich and directed by Gus Van Sant. A black American teenager, Jamal Wallace , is invited into a prestigious private high school. By chance, Jamal befriends a reclusive writer, William Forrester , through whom he refines his...
(2000), where he once again played nemesis to Connery.
Abraham has focused on stage work throughout his career, giving notable performances as Pozzo in Mike Nichols
Mike Nichols
Mike Nichols is a German-born American television, stage and film director, writer, producer and comedian. He began his career in the 1950s as one half of the comedy duo Nichols and May, along with Elaine May. In 1968 he won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film The Graduate...
's production of Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's...
, Malvolio in Twelfth Night for the New York Shakespeare Festival
New York Shakespeare Festival
New York Shakespeare Festival is the previous name of the New York City theatrical producing organization now known as the Public Theater. The Festival produced shows at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, as part of its free Shakespeare in the Park series, at the Public Theatre near Astor Place...
, and Shylock
Shylock
Shylock is a fictional character in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.-In the play:In The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is a Jewish moneylender who lends money to his Christian rival, Antonio, setting the security at a pound of Antonio's flesh...
in The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic...
, for the Off Broadway Theatre For A New Audience (TFANA) in March 2007, which was performed at the Duke Theatre in New York and also at The Swan Theatre, part of the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
. He reprised this role in February 2011, when he replaced Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
in the Public Theater's production. In the 1997/98 Broadway season he starred in the new chamber musical Triumph of Love
Triumph of Love
Triumph of Love is a musical with a book by James Magruder, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, and music by Jeffrey Stock.Resembling a chamber musical more than a traditional book musical, it is based on the 1732 Pierre de Marivaux commedia dell'arte play Le Triomphe de l'Amour and centers on Spartan...
opposite Betty Buckley
Betty Buckley
Betty Lynn Buckley is an American theater, film and television actress and singer. She is a Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee.-Early life:...
, based on Mariveaux's classic comedy. The production did not find a large audience, running 85 performances (after its pre-opening preview period).
Abraham most recently made a guest appearance on the popular television series Saving Grace
Saving Grace (TV series)
Saving Grace is an American television crime drama series which premiered on TNT on July 23, 2007 and ran until June 21, 2010. The show stars Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter in her first television series, as well as Leon Rippy, Kenny Johnson, Laura San Giacomo, Bailey Chase, Bokeem Woodbine,...
, on which he played an angel, Matthew and the Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
, on which he played Dr. Theodore Nichols, father of Det. Zach Nichols. Additionally, Abraham has worked as the primary narrator for the PBS series Nature
Nature (TV series)
Nature is a wildlife television program produced by Thirteen/WNET New York. It has been distributed to United States public television stations by the PBS television service since its debut on October 10, 1982. Some episodes may appear in syndication on many PBS member stations around the U.S. and...
for many years.
Oscar jinx
Abraham's relatively low-profile film career subsequent to his Academy Award has been widely considered an example of the "Oscar jinxJinx
A jinx, in popular superstition and folklore, is:* A type of curse placed on a person that makes them prey to many minor misfortunes and other forms of bad luck;...
". According to film critic Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
, professional failure following an early success is referred to in Hollywood circles as the "F. Murray Abraham syndrome". Abraham rejects this notion and once told an interviewer:
The Oscar is the single most important event of my career. I have dined with kings, shared equal billing with my idols, lectured at Harvard and ColumbiaColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. If this is a jinx, I'll take two.
In the same interview, Abraham said:
Even though I won the Oscar, I can still take the subway in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and nobody recognizes me. Some actors might find that disconcerting, but I find it refreshing.
Personal life
Abraham has been married to Kate Hannan since 1962; they have two children. He taught Theater at Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants (film) They Might Be Giants is a 1971 film based on the play of the same name starring George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward. Occasionally cited mistakenly as a Broadway play, it never in fact opened in the USA... |
Clyde the Usher | |
| 1973 | Serpico Serpico Serpico is a 1973 American crime film directed by Sidney Lumet. It is based on the true story of New York City policeman Frank Serpico, who went undercover to expose the corruption of his fellow officers, after being pushed to the brink at first by their distrust and later by the threats and... |
Serpico's partner | Uncredited |
| 1975 | The Prisoner of Second Avenue The Prisoner of Second Avenue The Prisoner of Second Avenue is an American black comedy play by Neil Simon, later made into a film released in 1975.The play ran on Broadway from November 1971 until September 1973, with Peter Falk and Lee Grant starring as Mel and Edna Edison, and Vincent Gardenia as Mel's brother Harry. The... |
Taxi Driver | |
| 1975 | The Sunshine Boys The Sunshine Boys The Sunshine Boys is a play by Neil Simon that was produced on Broadway in 1972 and later adapted for film and television.-Plot:The play focuses on aging Al Lewis and Willy Clark, a one-time vaudevillian team known as "Lewis and Clark" who, over the course of forty-odd years, not only grew to hate... |
Car Mechanic | |
| 1976 | All the President's Men All the President's Men (film) All the President's Men is a 1976 Academy Award-winning political thriller film based on the 1974 non-fiction book of the same name by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two journalists investigating the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post... |
Paul Leeper | |
| The Ritz The Ritz (film) The Ritz is a 1976 film directed by Richard Lester based on the play of the same name by Terrence McNally.Actress Rita Moreno who had won a Tony Award for her performance as Googie Gomez in the 1975 Broadway production, and many others of the original cast like Jack Weston, Jerry Stiller, and F... |
Chris | ||
| 1978 | The Big Fix The Big Fix The Big Fix is a 1978 film directed by Jeremy Kagan and based on the novel by Roger L. Simon, who also wrote the screenplay. It starred Richard Dreyfuss as private detective Moses Wine and co-starred Susan Anspach and John Lithgow... |
Eppis | |
| Madman | |||
| 1983 | Scarface Scarface (1983 film) Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana... |
Omar Suárez | |
| 1984 | Amadeus Amadeus (film) Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the... |
Antonio Salieri Antonio Salieri Antonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy.... |
Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor The Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor is an award given by the Kansas City Film Critics Circle to honor the best achievements in acting.-1960s:-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:-References:*... Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Actor |
| 1986 | The Name of the Rose The Name of the Rose (film) The Name of the Rose is a 1986 film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, based on the book of the same name by Umberto Eco. Sean Connery is the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and Christian Slater is his apprentice Adso of Melk, who are called upon to solve a deadly mystery in a medieval... |
Bernardo Gui | |
| 1988 | Russicum - I giorni del diavolo | aka The Third Solution | |
| 1989 | The Favorite The Favorite For the opera by Donizetti, see La favorite. For the stadium in Palermo, Italy, see La Favorita. For the Canadian early music ensemble, see La Favoritte... |
Abdul Hamid | aka Intimate Power |
| An Innocent Man An Innocent Man (film) An Innocent Man, is a 1989 crime thriller film directed by Peter Yates, and starring Tom Selleck. The film follows James Rainwood, an airline mechanic sent to prison when framed by crooked police officers.-Plot:... |
Virgil Cane | ||
| Slipstream Slipstream (1989 film) Slipstream is a 1989 post-apocalyptic science fiction adventure film. The plot has an emphasis on aviation and contains many common science-fiction themes, such as taking place in a dystopian future in which the landscape of the Earth itself has been changed and is windswept by storms of great power... |
Cornelius (at Museum) | ||
| Beyond the Stars Beyond the Stars Beyond the Stars is a 1989 drama film written and directed by David Saperstein and starred Martin Sheen, Christian Slater, Sharon Stone, Olivia d'Abo and F. Murray Abraham.... |
Dr. Harry Bertram, the Whale Man | ||
| Eye of the Widow Eye of the Widow Eye of the Widow is an 1988 French-American action film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen.It was written by Joshua Sauli and William Blake Herron as an adaptation of two Gérard de Villiers' novels of his SAS series about the Austrian secret agent Malko Linge. It stars Richard Young as Malko Linge... |
Kharoun | ||
| 1990 | The Bonfire of the Vanities The Bonfire of the Vanities (film) The Bonfire of the Vanities is a 1990 American film adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same name by Tom Wolfe. The film was directed by Brian De Palma and stars Tom Hanks as Sherman McCoy, Bruce Willis as Peter Fallow, Melanie Griffith as Maria Ruskin, and Kim Cattrall as Judy McCoy,... |
D.A. Abe Weiss | uncredited |
| La Batalla de los Tres Reyes | Osrain | aka Drums of Fire, English title | |
| Cadence Cadence (film) Cadence is a 1990 film directed by Martin Sheen, in which Charlie Sheen plays an inmate in a United States Army stockade in West Germany during the 1960s. Sheen plays alongside his father Martin Sheen and brother Ramon Estevez. The film is based on a novel by Gordon Weaver.-Plot:Pfc... |
Capt. Ramon Garcia | Uncredited | |
| 1991 | Mobsters Mobsters Mobsters is a 1991 crime-drama film detailing the creation of the The Commission. Set in New York City, taking place from 1917 to 1931, it is a semi-fictitious account of the rise of Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.-Plot:This highly dramatized... |
Arnold Rothstein Arnold Rothstein Arnold Rothstein , nicknamed "The Brain", was a New York businessman and gambler who became a famous kingpin of the Jewish mafia. Rothstein was also widely reputed to have been behind baseball's Black Sox Scandal, in which the 1919 World Series was fixed... |
|
| Money Money (film) Money is a 1991 drama film directed by Steven Hilliard Stern.-Plot:Frank Cimballi is a rich 21-year-old who goes to claim his inheritance only to find it has been embezzled by his father's former business partners... |
Will Scarlet | ||
| By the Sword By the Sword (film) By the Sword is a 1991 film starring F. Murray Abrahamand Eric Roberts as world-class fencers. Directed by Jeremy Paul Kagan,this is the first feature film about fencing. Although some reviews of its 1993 U.S... |
Max Suba | ||
| 1993 | Last Action Hero Last Action Hero Last Action Hero is a 1993 American action-comedy-fantasy film directed and produced by John McTiernan. It is a satire of the action genre and its clichés, containing several parodies of action films in the form of films within the film.... |
As Himself (playing "Det. John Practice") | |
| Journey To The Center Of The Earth | Professor Harlech | aka Journey To The Inner World- | |
| Sweet Killing | Zargo | ||
| Through an Open Window Through an Open Window Through an Open Window is a 1993 American short film directed by Eric Mendelsohn. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival.... |
Narrator | (Short) | |
| National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon | Dr. Harold Leacher | ||
| 1994 | Nostradamus | Scalinger | |
| Surviving the Game Surviving the Game Surviving the Game is a 1994 action film directed by Ernest R. Dickerson, starring Ice-T, Rutger Hauer, and Gary Busey. It is loosely based on the short story "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell.-Plot:... |
Wolfe Sr. | ||
| L’Affaire Lucien Haslans | aka The Case | ||
| Jamila | Older Seit | ||
| Fresh | Chess Hustler | uncredited | |
| 1995 | Mighty Aphrodite Mighty Aphrodite Mighty Aphrodite is a 1995 romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. The screenplay was inspired by the mythological tale of Pygmalion.... |
Leader | |
| Dillinger and Capone | Al Capone | ||
| Baby Face Nelson | Al Capone | ||
| 1996 | Children of the Revolution | Joseph Stalin Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee... |
|
| 1996 | Dead Man's Walk Dead Man's Walk Dead Man's Walk is a 1995 novel by Larry McMurtry. It is the third book published in the Lonesome Dove series, but the first installment in terms of chronology. McMurtry wrote a fourth segment to the Lonesome Dove chronicle, Comanche Moon, which describes the events of the central characters' lives... |
Captain Caleb Cobb | |
| 1997 | Mimic Mimic (film) Mimic is an American science fiction horror film, with elements of a slasher film, released in 1997. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the script was inspired by a short story of the same name by Donald A. Wollheim. Mimic, whose U.S... |
Dr. Gates | |
| Eruption | President Mendoza | ||
| 1998 | Star Trek: Insurrection Star Trek: Insurrection Star Trek: Insurrection is a 1998 American science fiction film directed by Jonathan Frakes, written by Michael Piller , and with music composed by Jerry Goldsmith. It is the ninth film in the Star Trek franchise, and the third to feature the cast from the television series Star Trek: The Next... |
Ad’har Ru’afo | |
| 1999 | Excellent Cadavers | Tommaso Buscetta | |
| The All New Adventures of Laurel & Hardy in 'For Love or Mummy' | Prof. Covington | ||
| Muppets From Space Muppets from Space Muppets from Space is a 1999 science fiction comedy film and the sixth feature film to star The Muppets, and the first since the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson to have an original Muppet-focused plot. The film was directed by Tim Hill, produced by Jim Henson Pictures, and released to theaters... |
Noah | ||
| 2000 | Finding Forrester Finding Forrester EnglishFinding Forrester is a 2000 American drama film written by Mike Rich and directed by Gus Van Sant. A black American teenager, Jamal Wallace , is invited into a prestigious private high school. By chance, Jamal befriends a reclusive writer, William Forrester , through whom he refines his... |
Prof. Robert Crawford | |
| 2001 | Thir13en Ghosts | Cyrus Kristicos | |
| I Cavalieri che fecero l'impresa | Delfinello da Coverzano | aka The Knights of the Quest USA title | |
| 2002 | Joshua Joshua (2002 film) Joshua is a 2002 film based on the novel of the same name by Joseph F. Girzone. The movie was produced by Crusader Entertainment LLC and directed by Joseph Purdy.... |
Father Tardone | |
| Ticker | Airport Guru | aka The Hire: Ticker | |
| 2003 | My Father, Rua Alguem 5555 | Paul Minsky | aka Josef Mengele – My Father |
| Piazza delle cinque lune | Entita | aka Five Moons Plaza - English title | |
| Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites is a 2003 historical documentary that was produced for PBS. The documentary features original music by Erik Friedlander, and is narrated by an all-star voice-cast which includes F... |
Narrator | ||
| 2004 | The Bridge of San Luis Rey The Bridge of San Luis Rey (2004 film) The Bridge of San Luis Rey is a 2004 drama film directed by Mary McGuckian and featuring an ensemble cast of American and international actors. It is based on Thornton Wilder's novel of the same name. The film was released in 2004 in Spain and 2005 in the U.S. and abroad... |
Viceroy of Peru | |
| Peperoni ripieni e pesci in faccia | Jeffrey | aka Too Much Romance... It's Time for Stuffed Peppers – USA title | |
| Another Way of Seeing Things | Narrator | ||
| 2006 | L’Inchiesta The Inquiry (film) L'inchiesta is a 2006 historical drama film set in AD 35 in the Roman Empire. The story follows a fictional Roman general named Titus Valerius Taurus, a veteran of campaigns in Germania, who is sent to Judaea by the emperor Tiberius to investigate the possibility of the divinity of the recently... |
Nathan | aka The Inquiry – English title |
| Quiet Flows the Don | Pantaley | ||
| Il Mercante di pietre | Shahid | aka The Stone Merchant – English title | |
| A House Divided | Grandfather Wahid | ||
| 2007 | Carnera: The Walking Mountain | Leon See | |
| Come le formiche | Ruggero | aka Wine and Kisses – English title | |
| Blood Monkey | Professor Hamilton | ||
| 2008 | Shark Swarm Shark Swarm Shark Swarm is a film created by RHI Entertainment as part of the Maneater film series. It premiered on the Sci Fi Channel on May 25, 2008. Directed by James A. Contner and written by Matthew Chernov and David Rosiak, the film stars Daryl Hannah, John Schneider and Armand Assante... (TV) |
Bill Girdler | |
| 2009 | Perestroika | Professor Gross | |
| Barbarossa | Siniscalco Barozzi | ||
| 2010 | I Looked in Obituaries | Braque | post-production |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama... |
Dr. Theodore Nichols | Episode: "Three-In-One Law & Order: Criminal Intent (season 9) The ninth season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent premiered on March 30, 2010 and ended on July 6, 2010 on the USA Network.After the two-part season premiere, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, & Eric Bogosian departed from the show, Bogosian's character The ninth season of Law & Order: Criminal... " |
|
| 2011 | Goltzius and the Pelican Company Goltzius and the Pelican Company Goltzius and the Pelican Company is an upcoming film about Hendrik Goltzius, a late 16th century Dutch printer and engraver of erotic prints. He seduces the Margrave of Alsace into paying for a printing press to make and publish illustrated books. Goltzius promises him an extraordinary book of... |
The Margrave of Alsace | |
| Louie Louie (TV series) Louie is an American comedy television series on the FX network that began airing in 2010. It is written, directed, edited and produced by the show's creator, stand-up comedian Louis C.K., who stars as a fictionalized version of himself, a comedian and newly divorced father raising his two... |
John |
Theatre credits
- Angels in AmericaAngels in AmericaAngels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes is the 1993 Pulitzer Prize winning play in two parts by American playwright Tony Kushner. It has been made into both a television miniseries and an opera by Peter Eötvös.-Characters:...
- The RitzThe Ritz (play)The Ritz is a play by Terrence McNally. Actress Rita Moreno won a Tony Award for her performance as Googie Gomez in the 1975 Broadway production, which she and many others of the original cast reprised in a 1976 film version directed by Richard Lester....
- Triumph of LoveTriumph of LoveTriumph of Love is a musical with a book by James Magruder, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, and music by Jeffrey Stock.Resembling a chamber musical more than a traditional book musical, it is based on the 1732 Pierre de Marivaux commedia dell'arte play Le Triomphe de l'Amour and centers on Spartan...
- Teibele and Her Demon
- OthelloOthelloThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
- Landscape of the BodyLandscape of the BodyLandscape Of The Body is a two-act play by John Guare, written in 1977.-Synopsis:The play is episodic and non-linear, as it travels back and forth in time. The plot centers around a woman named Betty, whose son, Bert, was recently murdered and decapitated in lower Manhattan. The first and last...
- Richard IIRichard II of EnglandRichard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
- King LearKing LearKing Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
- Much Ado About NothingMuch Ado About NothingMuch Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
- The FantasticksThe FantasticksThe Fantasticks is a 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones. It was produced by Lore Noto. It tells an allegorical story, loosely based on the play "The Romancers" by Edmond Rostand, concerning two neighboring fathers who trick their children, Luisa and Matt, into...
- Waiting for GodotWaiting for GodotWaiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's...
- MauritiusMauritius (play)Mauritius is a play on Broadway which opened on October 4, 2007 at the Biltmore Theatre and closed November 25, 2007. Written by Pulitzer Prize for Drama-nominee Theresa Rebeck, it is her Broadway debut. It is about two sisters who inherit a stamp collection which might be worth a fortune. Many of...
- Uncle VanyaUncle VanyaUncle Vanya is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897 and received its Moscow première in 1899 in a production by the Moscow Art Theatre, under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski....
- Oedipus Rex
- Twelfth Night
- The Jew of MaltaThe Jew of MaltaThe Jew of Malta is a play by Christopher Marlowe, probably written in 1589 or 1590. Its plot is an original story of religious conflict, intrigue, and revenge, set against a backdrop of the struggle for supremacy between Spain and the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean that takes place on the...
- The Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic...
- A Life in the TheatreA Life in the TheatreA Life in the Theatre is a 1977 play by David Mamet.It focuses on the relationship between two actors, the play's only characters. One, Robert, is a stage veteran while John is a young, promising actor...
- Almost an EveningAlmost an Evening (play)Almost an Evening is a series of three one act plays written by Academy Award winner Ethan Coen and directed by Neil Pepe. It premiered Off-Broadway in January 2008 at the Atlantic Theater Company Stage 2 . After its initial run through February 10, 2008 it was transferred to the Bleecker Street...
- A Midsummer Night's DreamA Midsummer Night's DreamA Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
- LegendLegend (play)Legend is a play by Samuel A. Taylor. The Broadway production was directed by Robert Drivas and starred Elizabeth Ashley, F. Murray Abraham, and George Dzundza...
Theatre
- 1980: Drama Desk AwardDrama Desk AwardThe Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for Best Actor in a Play, for Teibele and Her Demon - Nominated - 1984: Obie AwardObie AwardThe Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...
for Best Performance, for Uncle VanyaUncle VanyaUncle Vanya is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897 and received its Moscow première in 1899 in a production by the Moscow Art Theatre, under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski....
- Won - 1992: Drama Desk Award for Best Actor in a Play, for A Life in the TheatreA Life in the TheatreA Life in the Theatre is a 1977 play by David Mamet.It focuses on the relationship between two actors, the play's only characters. One, Robert, is a stage veteran while John is a young, promising actor...
- Nominated - 2011: Obie Award for "sustained excellence of performance", for The Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic...
- Won
Film
- 1984: Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor, for AmadeusAmadeus (film)Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the...
- Won - 1985: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor (Tied with Albert FinneyAlbert FinneyAlbert Finney is an English actor. He achieved prominence in films in the early 1960s, and has maintained a successful career in theatre, film and television....
for Under the VolcanoUnder the VolcanoUnder the Volcano is a 1947 semi-autobiographical novel by English writer Malcolm Lowry . The novel tells the story of Geoffrey Firmin, an alcoholic British consul in the small Mexican town of Quauhnahuac , on the Day of the Dead.Surrounded by the helpless presences of his ex-wife, his...
(1984)), for Amadeus - Won - 1985: Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, for Amadeus - Won
- 1985: Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama, for Amadeus - Won
- 1985: Albert Schweitzer Award for Classic Film Acting, for Amadeus - Won
- 1986: BAFTA Award for Best Actor, for Amadeus - Nominated
Awards for lifetime achievement
In July 2004, during a ceremony in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he was awarded the "Premio per gli Italiani nel Mondo". This is a prize distributed by the Marzio Tremaglia foundation and the Italian government to Italian emigrants and their descendants who have distinguished themselves abroad.
In 2009 he was recognized by The Alumni Association of The College of New York City with John H. Finley Award in recognition of exemplary dedicated service to the City of New York.
In 2010 Abraham was the recipient of The Sir John Gielgud Award (Theatre) for that year.
It is also Honorary doctor
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from the Rider College in Lawrenceville
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP population was 3,887...
, in Mercer County
Mercer County, New Jersey
As of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In popular culture
In The SimpsonsThe Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Homer Simpson in: "Kidney Trouble"", Homer rushes home to see Abraham on Inside the Actors Studio
Inside the Actors Studio
Inside the Actors Studio is a series on the Bravo cable television channel, hosted by James Lipton. It is produced and directed by Jeff Wurtz; the executive producer is James Lipton. The program, which premiered in 1994, is distributed internationally by CABLEready and is broadcast in 125 countries...
and does not stop for a bathroom break, consequently costing his father his kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
s.
In the season six episode of Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
"Mr. Monk and His Biggest Fan." Abraham is an object of obsession of the character Marci Maven.
In January 2010, Abraham was the on-the-scene hero of a real-life crime scene at the Classic Stage Company in New York, when he traded blows with a thief in the dressing room area during a public rehearsal.
External links
- Yahoo! Movies Biography
- F. Murray Abraham at IMG ArtistsIMG ArtistsIMG Artists LLC is a top universal performing arts management corporation that was acquired by International Management Group in 1984. Chairman and CEO of IMG, Mark McCormack, bought out Hamlen/Landau, a small, New York based artist-management music agency, founded by Charles Hamlen and Edna...