Rip Torn, Tony-Nominated Broadway Vet & Emmy Winner of The Larry Sanders Show, Dies at 88

Rip Torn, one of the leading stage actors of his generation and an Emmy winner for his portrayal of the devious producer Artie on HBO's The Larry Sanders Show, died on July 9 at his home in Lakeville, CT. He was 88.

Torn's remarkable career on stage and screen spanned seven decades, ranging from an early career of dark, threatening roles to iconic comedic performances later in life.

Torn appeared on Broadway ten times, with his debut in Elia Kazan's staging of Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth (1959), alongside Paul Newman and Geraldine Page, whom he would later marry. He earned a 1960 Tony nomination and won a Theatre World Award for his turn as Tom Jr., a role he re-created in the 1962 film adaptation.

In addition to his work onstage, he had a celebrated career in film: The Cincinnati Kid (1965), Payday (1973) and Cross Creek (1983), for which he received an Oscar nomination. But his career had fits and starts until he displayed his talent for comedy as the defense attorney Bob Diamond in Albert Brooks' film Defending Your Life (1991).

Garry Shandling saw Torn in Defending Your Life and cast him in the role he became most widely known for: talk show producer Artie on The Larry Sanders Show (1992). Torn earned six consecutive Emmy nominations for the role, winning as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1996.

That show and that role led to a late-life resurgence, with almost 200 film and TV credits to his name by the time of his death.

Torn was married to actress Ann Wedgeworth with whom he had a daughter, Danae Torn. He later married actress Geraldine Page, and they had one daughter, Angelica Page, and twin sons, Tony and Jon Torn. He had two children with actress Amy Wright: Katie and Claire Torn.

He is also survived by his sister Patricia Alexander and his four grandchildren: Elijah, Tana, Emeris and Hannah.