Len Cariou
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What to Watch in March: WICKED: FOR GOOD, AMERICAN CLASSIC, and Other Theater Highlights (Mar 2, 2026)
Exclusive: Laura Linney Wants You To Do Community Theater (Feb 27, 2026)
BIO
Len Cariou made his stage debut in Damn Yankees at Rainbow Stage in Winnipeg in 1959 and was a founding member of the Manitoba Theatre Centre. He trained and performed at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in the 1960s and returned in 1981 in leading roles including Prospero, Coriolanus, Brutus, and Petruchio. During the 1960s, he was a leading actor and associate director at the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, appearing in productions such as As You Like It, The House of Atreus, Henry V, Oedipus the King, and King Lear.
Cariou made his Broadway debut in The House of Atreus (1968) and starred opposite Lauren Bacall in Applause (1970), earning a Tony Award nomination and the Theatre World Award. He received a second Tony nomination for A Little Night Music (1973) and reprised his role in the film adaptation (1977). He won the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for originating the title role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979).
His film credits include One Man (1977), The Four Seasons (1981), Thirteen Days (2000), About Schmidt (2002), Secret Window (2004), Boynton Beach Club (2005), Flags of Our Fathers (2006), 1408 (2007), The Onion Movie (2008), Into the Storm (2009), Spotlight (2015), and Death Wish (2018).
Cariou appeared frequently on Broadway in productions including Dance a Little Closer (1983), Up from Paradise (1983), Teddy & Alice (1987), Ziegfeld (1988), Night Watch, Cold Storage, The Speed of Darkness, The Dinner Party, and Proof. His Off-Broadway work includes Master Class, Papa, and Mountain. He appeared in regional productions across North America, including Macbeth, King Lear, Frost/Nixon, and All My Sons (2009).
His television credits include recurring roles on Murder, She Wrote (1985–1992), Brotherhood (2006–2007), Damages (2010), and Blue Bloods (2010–2025), as well as appearances on The West Wing, Law & Order, The Practice, The Outer Limits, North of 60 (1993), Star Trek: Voyager (1997), and Wallander: The Troubled Man (2013). He earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the HBO film Into the Storm (2009).
Cariou narrated Major League Baseball World Series films from 1992 to 1997, narrated The Johnstown Flood (1989), and recorded numerous audiobooks.
Photos
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STAGE CREDITS
Productions
Writing
Movies
[ 1977 ] Frederick Egerman
[ 1978 ] Larry
[ 1981 ] Nick Callan
[ 1988 ] Phil Terragrossa
[ 1994 ] Dr. Lionel Higgs, Dr. Ezekial Higgs
[ 1995 ] Henry Taylor
[ 1996 ] Secretary of Defense Charles White
[ 2000 ] Dean Acheson
[ 2002 ] Ray Nichols
[ 2004 ] Sheriff Dave Newsome
[ 2005 ] Jack
[ 2005 ] Stedman Comstock
[ 2006 ] Mr. Beech
[ 2007 ] Mike's Father
[ 2008 ] Norm Archer
[ 2013 ] Father Patrick Dunn
[ 2015 ] Cardinal Law
[ 2018 ] Ben
[ 2018 ] Uncle Hank
TV Shows
Henry Reagan
Judd Fitzgerald
Edgar Beezley, Mac Geller, Captain Allard Bunker
Michael Hagarty, Monsignore O'Shaugnessy
Doc Wells, Father Anton Jonascu
[ 2010-2024 ] Henry Reagan
Awards and Nominations
winner
Len Cariou
Len Cariou, Harry Townsend's Last Stand
Len CariouCopenhagen
Len CariouDinner Party
Len Cariou , Speed of Darkness
winner
Len Cariou, Sweeney Todd
Len Cariou, Sweeney Todd
Len Cariou , A Little Night Music
winner
Len CariouHenry V
winner
Len Cariou, Applause
Len Cariou, Applause
Videos
Video: Kevin Kline Takes Center Stage in First Trailer for Theater Series AMERICAN CLASSIC
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-02-05 11:23:13
Video: Watch Lea Salonga Perform 'Love Who You Love' at BROADWAY BACKWARDS
by Blair Ingenthron - 2023-06-25 15:23:04
Video: Josh Groban Reveals What's Really Inside the SWEENEY TODD Meat Pies on COLBERT
by Michael Major - 2023-04-18 13:05:42
Video: SWEENEY TODD Opening Night Brings Out Lin-Manuel Miranda, Len Cariou And More!
by A.A. Cristi - 2023-03-27 19:38:28
VIDEO: Watch Broadway Unite for the BROADWAY BACKWARDS Finale!
by Nicole Rosky - 2021-04-01 09:38:52
VIDEO: Get A First Look At HARRY TOWNSEND'S LAST STAND at New York City Center
by Alan Henry - 2019-12-03 15:37:54
TV: Len Cariou, Craig Bierko & More Explain What HARRY TOWNSEND'S LAST STAND Is All About
by Nicole Rosky - 2019-11-11 14:15:47
VIDEO: Lea Salonga Sings 'Not While I'm Around' From SWEENEY TODD
by Alan Henry - 2019-10-02 14:54:10
VIDEO: Lea Salonga, Jett Pangan Preview 'A Little Priest' from SWEENEY TODD
by Oliver Oliveros - 2019-09-25 15:54:28
VIDEO: On This Day, March 1- Broadway Attends The Tale Of SWEENEY TODD
by A.A. Cristi - 2019-03-01 16:22:01
TV: What Went on Backstage at Broadway Backwards? Go Behind the Scenes!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-04-03 15:26:45
VIDEO: On This Day, March 1- SWEENEY TODD Slashes His Way to Broadway
by A.A. Cristi - 2018-03-01 16:28:05
VIDEO: On This Day, November 3- Michael Cerveris and Patti LuPone Get Bloody in 2005's SWEENEY TODD
by A.A. Cristi - 2017-11-03 00:01:00
VIDEO: New Remixes of #BroadwayForOrlando's 'What The World Needs Now Is Love'
by Michael Dale - 2016-07-22 17:46:15
VIDEO: Theatre Community Shows Its Love, Taking On Stagedoor Manor's #BroadwayForOrlando Challenge
by Michael Dale - 2016-07-18 08:22:45
VIDEO: Stagedoor Manor Launches #BroadwayForOrlando Singing Challenge
by Michael Dale - 2016-07-15 10:16:58
News
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 3, 2026
Additional stars have joined the lineup of Broadway luminaries bringing to life LGBTQ+ stories through show tunes at Broadway Backwards, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
by Josh Sharpe - Mar 2, 2026
To mark the arrival of spring, there are plenty of new things for Broadway fans to watch, including the theater series American Classic, Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! and the streaming debuts of Wicked: For Good and Hamnet.
by Josh Sharpe - Feb 27, 2026
Laura Linney stars in American Classic, a new TV series that spotlights community and the power of live theater. The series premieres on MGM+ this Sunday, March 1.
by Josh Sharpe - Feb 5, 2026
Kevin Kline is returning to his stage roots in the first trailer for American Classic, the theater-themed comedy series starring the Tony and Academy Award-winner.
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 5, 2026
Lorna Dallas, one of cabaret's most acclaimed and cherished artists and the recipient of a 2020 Bistro Award for “Consummate Cabaret Artistry,” returns to Chelsea Table + Stage.
by Josh Sharpe - Jan 15, 2026
MGM+ has shared a first look at the theater-themed comedy series American Classic starring Kevin Kline, Laura Linney, and Jon Tenney. Newly announced cast members include Aaron Tveit, Tony Shalhoub, and Stephen Spinella. Check out photos from the show now.
by Stephen Mosher - Dec 18, 2025
This is one of the reasons we choose to be New Yorkers.
by Rebecca Kaplan - Dec 15, 2025
Here are a few top picks to consider in NYC this week including the Bridges of Madison County original Broadway cast reunion, Jessica Vosk's annual holiday show SLEIGH, and more.
by Kevin Alvey - Nov 27, 2025
by Armando Urdiales - Nov 22, 2025
Tenuous scene changes, promising performances, and Stephen Sondheim's dazzling score are hallmarks of Opera in the Heights' season-opening production of A Little Night Music. While there are some areas for improvement in this evening's performance, this production is a music lover's dream, offering the chance to witness this score delivered with a truly classical voice.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 17, 2025
An Evening With Len Cariou is coming to The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Len Cariou is well known and beloved for his indelible performances in musicals and plays on and off Broadway, in classical theater, and in other media.
by Sharon Ellman - Oct 26, 2025
On October 24, STAGE TO SCREEN brought the music of the silver screen to life. What an amazing evening featuring the enchanting showtunes that we all know and love!
by Jose German Martinez Paneque - Oct 25, 2025
Según informa el Diario SUR, en la presentación de la temporada de GODSPELL del pasado 24 de octubre, Antonio Banderas anunció que ya trabaja en su próximo proyecto para el Teatro del Soho Caixabank de Málaga, una nueva producción de SWEENEY TODD.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 13, 2025
Len Cariou stars in Richard Vetere's ZAGŁADA. Get a first look at rehearsal photos for this gripping psychological crime thriller!
by Nicole Rosky - Oct 12, 2025
We're falling into fall with a great Broadway read! This season, Broadway's best have put pen to paper to turn out theatre page-turners of every kind. From theatre biographies to theatre fiction; theatre books for kids to theatre history; check out our collection of 25 new Broadway books for every theatre lover's Fall 2025 reading list.
by Team BWW - Oct 8, 2025
The Fall 2025 season has officially begun, and with it, comes new plays for theatre lovers of all kinds. Whether you live for intense dramas or would rather escape with zaney comedies, there's something for everyone both on and off-Broadway in October 2025.
by Stephi Wild - Sep 17, 2025
Following its award-winning 2024 production of Tuesdays with Morrie starring Len Cariou, Sea Dog Theater will present a 90th anniversary revival of Awake and Sing!
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 10, 2025
Tony Award winner Len Cariou will lead the cast of Richard Vetere’s new drama Zagłada, directed by Maja Wampuszyc, running October 16 through November 2, 2025 at the American Theatre of Actors (314 W. 54th Street, NYC).
by Genevieve Rafter Keddy - Sep 9, 2025
“Strokes of Genius: Hirschfeld at the Algonquin” will be on exhibition in the hotel’s legendary Oak Room, September 9 – 20, daily from noon – 7PM. BroadwayWorld got a preview of the exhibit and you can check out photos here!
by Sherry Shameer Cohen - Aug 27, 2025
As if wasn’t enough to for the Westport Country Playhouse to have a unique history, charm, and an ability to draw incredible talent to its stage (and backstage) and loyal audiences for 94 years, the gods of theater blessed it with Mark Shanahan as its artistic director.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Len Cariou has appeared on Broadway in 14 shows.
Len Cariou has not appeared in the West End.
John Willis Awards for Lifetime Achievement (Theatre World Awards) for , Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for Harry Townsend's Last Stand, Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for Copenhagen , Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for Dinner Party, Best Actor - Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Speed of Darkness, Outstanding Actor - Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Sweeney Todd, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for Sweeney Todd, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for A Little Night Music, Performance (Theatre World Awards) for Henry V, Performance (Theatre World Awards) for Applause and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for Applause.
Len Cariou has received several prestigious awards throughout his career. He won the John Willis Awards for Lifetime Achievement from the Theatre World Awards. He earned the Outstanding Actor in a Musical award from the Drama Desk Awards for his role in Sweeney Todd. Additionally, he received Theatre World Awards for his performances in Henry V and Applause.
Len Cariou has written 1 shows including Broadway and the Bard (Conceived by).
Videos