Ray Reinhardt obit

Actor Ray Reinhardt, a fixture of ACT's famed repertory company, dies at 96

 

He was not on the list.

In the early days of American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, repertory could be a footrace. Actors would spill out the stage door of the Geary Theater, dash two blocks uphill to the Marines Memorial and change costumes - and characters - along the way. Later that night, they might make the run in reverse.

That grueling commute suited Ray Reinhardt, an actor for whom no part was too small - or too big. In his 25 or so years as a company member, Reinhardt took on some of theater's greatest roles, from Cyrano in "Cyrano de Bergerac" to Caesar in "Julius Caesar" to Stanley Kowalski in "A Streetcar Named Desire."

He was equally comfortable in character roles and was particularly suited to period plays and whodunits.

"Ray was generous on the stage and always keenly interested in what everyone else was doing," said Annette Bening, the Hollywood star who got her start as a young actress with ACT in its frenetically creative 1980s era.

Bening played Emily Webb and Reinhardt played her father in a memorable production of "Our Town." By then, Reinhardt "was definitely one of the most recognizable members of the company," Bening said by phone from her home in Los Angeles, "but he never tried to dominate a scene."

The pace of production at ACT could be grueling. In its first season in San Francisco, after moving west from Pittsburgh, ACT mounted 16 separate productions in rotation while touring to 13 cities. But by the time Carey Perloff arrived as artistic director in 1992, the schedule had shrunk, and the system of in-house company actors had been eliminated.

But the old faces were still recognizable, whether they appeared on stage or screen. In Reinhardt's case, it was often on TV in supporting roles opposite Jack Lord in "Hawaii Five-O," James Arness in "Gunsmoke" and Herschel Bernardi in "Arnie."

"Ray had sparkling eyes and a great sense of language, and he always withheld enough to keep you guessing," Perloff said during an interview this week on her way to a rehearsal at Playmakers in Chapel Hill, N.C. "He was so charming and good-looking,'' she said. "Lovely Ray. What a great run he had."

The run ended Aug. 5 when Reinhardt died at his home in Oakland, according to his partner of two decades, Lois Hansen. He was 96.

Right up until the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, he was still an actor for hire, a job he had wanted since he was an eighth-grader growing up in the Bronx. He had done a reading from Shakespeare, to which the teacher responded, "Reinhardt, I say to you, become an actor" - a line he never forgot, according to Hansen.

Over the course of his long career, Reinhardt may have faced no greater onstage challenge than during a dress rehearsal for Tennessee Williams' "This Is (an Entertainment)," which premiered at ACT in 1976. Thinking he had heard his cue, Reinhardt ran onto the stage too soon - with Williams himself seated in the audience. Reinhardt managed to rescue the scene with some quick ad-libbing, according to retired stage manager James Haire, who was at the rehearsal that night.

Williams laughed at Reinhardt's improvised line, and they started a bit of banter that Williams liked so much he returned to his hotel and wrote it into the play. Reinhardt arrived on cue and delivered those lines on opening night and every night of the run.

"The essence of what he did is what everyone did, which is to try and disappear into the role," Bening said. "Ray tackled that challenge in a uniquely energetic and quizzical way."

Raymond Harald Reinhardt was born March 28, 1930, in New York City. His parents, Max and Carola Reinhardt, were immigrants from Germany. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School, an all-boys public school in the Bronx, graduating in 1948.

Drafted into the U.S. Army, he unexpectedly got his first break as an actor. He'd taken a few acting classes in New York, which qualified him for an arts program offered as part of Army basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. His first role was in a production of "Golden Boy" when he was 21.

After his discharge, he used the G.I. Bill to pursue a formal education in theater at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Upon returning to the U.S., he landed roles with regional theater companies in Boston, Phoenix and Washington, D.C., before landing a role in a Broadway production of "Tiny Alice," starring Sir John Gielgud.

Producer Bill Ball, who was then putting together a repertory company, caught a performance and asked Reinhardt to join. That was the start of ACT, which began in Pittsburgh in 1965 and came west two years later.

The repertory schedule of 16 plays lasted only a few seasons. In 1970, the lineup was dropped to eight, and the commute between the Marines Memorial and the Geary ended. The company was also reduced from a high of 36 actors to 16, performing and teaching under an annually renewed contract.

The actors spread out to Berkeley Rep, San Jose Rep and all the smaller houses.

Robert Hurwitt, the longtime theater critic for both the San Francisco Examiner and the Chronicle, caught Reinhardt in a supporting role in a 2005 performance of "The Price" at Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley. Hurwitt was so impressed he led the review with Reinhardt's entrance.

"Ray Reinhardt twinkles with the antic glee of an ancient vaudevillian as the used furniture dealer Gregory Solomon in Arthur Miller's 'The Price,'" Hurwitt wrote. "Arriving in a tempest of coughs and wheezes, he quietly takes control, clandestinely appraising his client as carefully as the furniture piled high in the room."

Reinhardt could steal a scene simply by being in it, and he could also make a fellow actor laugh right before going on - an antic he usually limited to rehearsal.

"It was good training for keeping you in character, because Ray was very mischievous," said Joy Carlin, who played Linda, the long-suffering wife of Willy Loman, opposite Reinhardt in a 1993 San Jose Repertory Theatre revival of "Death of a Salesman."

By then, Carlin was well acquainted with his antics. The two had first appeared together in ACT's "The Tavern" in 1971. Their final performance together came 46 years later, in a reading of Mark Twain's "The Diary of Adam and Eve" during ACT's 50th anniversary celebration in 2017.

"He was wonderful to work with and a very dear friend," said Carlin, 94.

During the ACT years, Reinhardt lived mostly in a house in Parnassus Heights, where he attempted as normal a family life as a career in theater would allow. He was married and divorced twice, with three daughters, Shanti Reinhardt, Lisa Reinhardt and Sarah Forbes.

"Aside from his children, Ray's greatest joy was playing in a repertory company because he got to play the whole gamut of roles," said Hansen, a freelance stage manager who was with him for 20 years, based in an apartment across the street from Lake Merritt. The East Bay was also where most of the acting work migrated. ACT lives on at the Geary Theater, but the famed master of fine arts program in acting closed down in 2022.  

"Ray knew he was part of this extraordinary company where people were actually able to make a living as regional theater actors," said Bening, who went through the graduate program. "It might have been the last one in America."

(1979) He played Bilbo Baggins in the National Public Radio production of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series.

(April 10 to May 5, 1963) He played Iago in William Shakespeare's play, "Othello," at The Arena Stage Theatre in Washignton D.C. with Brock Peters (Othello); Inga Swenson (Desdemona); Rene Auberjonois; Robert Prosky; Jonathan Farwell; J. Robert Deitz; Kendall Clark; Tom Toner; Alan Oppenheimer; Theron Potter; Bella Jarrett; Harry Bergman; Kelly Jean Peters and Kathleen Carothers in the cast. Robert Green was set designer. Marianna Elliott was costume designer. Rod Colbin was fencing choreographer. Alan Schneider was director.

(February 26 to March 22, 1964) He acted in Ronald Millar's adaptation of C.P. Snow's novel, "The Affair," at The Arena Stage Theatre in Washington D.C. with Ned Beatty, Robert Prosky, Rene Auberjonois, J. Robert Dietz, Ronny Cox, Louis Edmonds, Bella Jarrett, Harry Bergman, George Ebeling, Tom Brannum, Tom Toner, Robert Van Hooten, James Kenny, Pamela Ritchard, Anthony Zerbe, Peter Tatistcheff and Jonathan Farwell in the cast. Laurence E. Bahler was set designer. Marianna Elliott was costume designer. Mel Shapiro was director.

(1965) He performed in the original production of Edward Albee's play, "Tiny Alice," on Broadway in New York City. He also performed at the Phoenix Theatre including William Shakespeare's plays, "Hamlet," "Henry IV, played Iago in "Othello;" Sean O'Casey's play, "The Plough and the Stars;" and played Mack the Knife in Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's play, "The Threepenny Opera," at the Arena Stage in Washington D.C. He played Sir Toby Belch in William Shakespeare's play, "Twelfth Night;" Peterbonon in "Thieves' Carnival;" Mr. Webb in Thornton Wilder's play, "Our Town;" First Voice in Dylan Thomas' play, "Under Milkwood;" Astrov in Anton Chekhov's play, "Uncle Vanya;" Mangiacavallo in Tennessee Williams' play, "The Rose Tattoo" and Stanley Kowalski in "A Streetcar Named Desire."

(1965 to 1966 season) He acted in Edward Albee's play, "Tiny Alice," in an American Conservatory Theatre production in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with De Ann Mears in the cast. William Ball was artistic director and director.

(1965 to 1966 season) He played Mangiacavallo in Tennessee Williams' play, "The Rose Tattoo," in an American Conservatory Theatre production in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. William Francisco was director. William Ball was artistic director.

(1965 to 1966 season) He played the First Voice in Dylan Thomas' play, "Under Milkwood," in an American Conservatory Theatre production in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with De Ann Mears in the cast. William Ball was director and artistic director.

(1967 season) Lynne Arden; Rene Auberjonois; Ramon Bieri; Dion Chesse; Barbara Colby; Peter Donat; Jay Doyle; George Ede; Patricia Falkenhain; Harry Frazier; Ellen Geer, Will Geer; Robert Gerringer; David Grimm; Scott Hylands; Phillip Kerr; Ruth Kobart; Michael Learned; Barry MacGregor; DeAnn Mears; Judith Milhalyi; Josephine Nichols; William Paterson; Angela Paton; Charlene Polite; Marguerite Ray; Ken Ruta; John Schuck; Paul Shenar; Deborah Sussel; Patrick Tovatt; Ann Weldon and he were associates and journeyman actors at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, California. Mark Bramhall; David Dukes; Robert Ferro; Larry Ferguson; Terry Mace; Glenn Mazen; Kimo Perry; Herman Poppe; Kate Hawley; Karen Ingenthron; Carol Mayo Jenkins; Enid Kent; Barry Kraft; Dana Larson; Michael Lerner; James Ragan; Mary Ellen Ray; Mark Schell; Izetta Smith; Gil Turner; Don Watson and Kitty Winn were the acting fellows at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, California.

(January 21 to June 18, 1967) He played the First Voice in Dylan Thomas's play, "Under Milkwood," in The American Conservatory Theatre production at the Geary Theatre in San Francisco, California with De Ann Mears in the cast. They ran for 12 performances. William Ball was artistic director.

(January 21 to June 18, 1967) He acted in Edward Albee's play, "Tiny Alice," in an American Conservatory Theatre production at the Geary Theatre in San Francisco, California with De Ann Mears and Paul Shenar in the cast. William Ball was director and artistic director.

(January 21 to June 18, 1967) He played Mr. Webb in Thornton Wilder's play, "Our Town," in an American Conservatory Theatre production at the Geary Theatre in San Francisco, California. Edward Hastings was director. William Ball was artistic director.

(January 21 to June 18, 1967 season) He had seven roles at the American Contemporary Theatre in San Francisco, California.

(1967 to 1968 season) He played Sir Toby Belch, uncle to Olivia, in William Shakespeare's play, "Twelfth Night, or What You Will," at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, California with Paul Shenar (Orisino, Duke of Illyria); Philip Kerr (Orsino, Duke of Illyria); James Ragan (Orsino, Duke of Illyria; Valentine); Mark Schell (Curio; Antonio); Larry Ferguson (Curio; A Sea Captain, friend to Viola); Don Watson (Curio); Kimo Perry (Valentine); De Ann Mears (Viola, sister to Sebastian); Ellen Geer (Viola, sister to Sebastian); Dana Larson (Viola, sister to Sebastian); Patrick Tovatt (A Sea Captain, friend to Viola; Malvolio, steward to Olivia); Herman Poppe (A Sea Captain, friend to Viola; Sir Andrew Aguecheck; First Officer); Harry Frazier (Sir Toby Belch, uncle to Olivia); George Ede (Sir Toby Belch, uncle to Olivia; Antonio); Glen Mazen (Sir Andrew Aguecheck; Antonio); Peter Donat (Sir Andrew Aguecheck); David Grimm (Clown, servant to Olivia); Scott Hylands (Clown, servant to Olivia); David Dukes (Clown, servant to Olivia; Fabian); Carol Mayo Jenkins (Olivia); Deborah Sussel (Olivia); Kate Hawley (Olivia); Ken Ruta (Malvolio, steward to Olivia); Barry Kraft (Malvolio, steward to Olivia; Priest); John Schuck (Antonio); Mark Bramhall (Sebastian); Ray Laine (Sebastian); Michael Lerner (Fabian); Terry Mace (Fabian; Priest); Gil Turner (Priest; Second Officer) and Robert Feero (Second Officer) in the cast. William Ball was artistic director.

(1967 to 1968 season) He played Peterbonon in Jean Anouilh's play, "Thieves Carnival," in an American Conservatory Theatre production at the Geary and Marines Theatres in San Francisco, California. Jerome Kilty was director. William Ball was artistic director.

(1967 to 1968 season) He acted in Edward Albee's play, "Tiny Alice," in an American Conservatory Theatre production at the Geary and Marines Theatres in San Francisco, California with De Ann Mears in the cast. William Ball was artistic director and also director.

(1968) He played Claudius in William Shakespeare's play, "Hamlet," at The American Conservatory Theatre production in San Francisco, California with Paul Shenar and Izetta Smith in the cast. William Ball was director and artistic director.

(1967 to 1968 season) He played Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play, "A Streetcar Named Desire," in an American Conservatory Theatre production at the Geary and Marines Theatres in San Francisco, California with DeAnn Mears (Blanche Dubois) in the cast. William Ball was artistic director and director.

(1968 to 1969 season) He acted in Georges Feydeau's play, "A Flea in Her Ear,' at The American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, California with Michael O'Sullivan and Harry Frazier in the cast. Gower Champion was director. William Ball was artistic director.

(1970) He played Mangiacavallo in Tennessee Williams' play, "The Rose Tattoo," at the American Conservatory Theatre production (Short Season 22 weeks) in San Francisco, California. William Ball was artistic director. Louis Criss was director.

 

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