Len Cariou facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Len Cariou
OC OM
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Cariou in September 2009
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| Born |
Leonard Joseph Cariou
September 30, 1939 Saint Boniface, Manitoba, Canada
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| Alma mater | St. Paul's College |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse(s) |
Heather Summerhayes
(m. 1985) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical |
Leonard Joseph Cariou (born September 30, 1939) is a famous Canadian actor, singer, and stage director. He is best known for playing the lead role of Sweeney Todd in the original Broadway musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 1979. His amazing performance in that show won him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, which is one of the highest honors in theatre.
Many people also know him from the popular TV show Blue Bloods, where he played Henry Reagan from 2010 to 2024. Cariou has also appeared in many movies, including Thirteen Days (2000), Prisoners (2013), and Spotlight (2015). For his role as President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the movie Into the Storm, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
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Early Life
Leonard Joseph Cariou was born in Saint Boniface, a part of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His father's family was French, and his mother's family was Irish. While in high school, he discovered his love for acting. He directed and starred in many of the school plays. After high school, he continued his studies at St. Paul's College.
Career
Success on the Stage
Cariou began his acting career in 1959. He was a founding member of the Manitoba Theatre Centre. He learned his craft by performing at the famous Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario. There, he played classic roles like Prospero in The Tempest and the title role in Coriolanus.
In 1968, Cariou made his debut on Broadway, the center of American theatre in New York City. His first big starring role was in the musical Applause in 1970. This performance earned him his first Tony Award nomination. He received another Tony nomination in 1973 for the musical A Little Night Music.
His greatest stage success came in 1979. He starred as the title character in the dark and thrilling musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He acted alongside the legendary Angela Lansbury. For this role, he won both the Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Movies and Television
Besides his work in theatre, Cariou has had a long career in film and television. He appeared in the movie version of A Little Night Music (1977) with Elizabeth Taylor. He also acted in movies like The Four Seasons (1981), About Schmidt (2002), and Flags of Our Fathers (2006).
On television, he had a memorable recurring role on Murder, She Wrote from 1985 to 1992. He played Michael Hagarty, a charming secret agent and friend of Angela Lansbury's character, Jessica Fletcher.
From 2010 to 2024, Cariou played Henry Reagan on the CBS drama Blue Bloods. As the retired police commissioner and patriarch of a family of police officers, he became a familiar face to millions of viewers every week. He also earned an Emmy nomination for playing President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the HBO movie Into the Storm (2009).
Honors and Awards
Len Cariou is a highly respected actor. In 2004, he was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame, a great honor for any stage actor.
For his contributions to Canadian culture, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2018. This is one of the highest honors a Canadian citizen can receive. He has also received honorary degrees from the University of Windsor and the University of Winnipeg.
Throughout his career, he has won many awards for his performances. Here are some of his most important ones:
- 1970: Theatre World Award for Applause and Henry V
- 1977: Canadian Film Award for Best Actor in One Man
- 1979: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for Sweeney Todd
- 1979: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for Sweeney Todd
- 2002: Touring Broadway Award for Best Actor in a Play for Copenhagen
Personal Life
Since 1985, Len Cariou has been married to author Heather Summerhayes. He has one daughter from a previous marriage.
