Legendary Broadway Actor, Who Battled Parkinson's For Over 20 Years, Dead at 77
- - Legendary Broadway Actor, Who Battled Parkinson's For Over 20 Years, Dead at 77
Nina DerwinSeptember 27, 2025 at 8:58 AM
0
The Great White Way has lost one of its most beloved stars.
John Christopher Jones, the iconic Broadway actor best known for his performances in productions including Hurlyburly, The Goodbye Girl, The Iceman Cometh, and Beauty and the Beast, has died at the age of 77.
On September 20, Jones' wife, MaryBeth Coudal, took to social media to announce his passing, writing that he "passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family." She also shared that Jones died from complications of Parkinson's Disease.
Jones was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2003, which Coudal described as "a challenge for more than 22 years; although he never allowed his diminishing abilities to dampen his extraordinary creative output and unwavering enthusiasm for the theater."
John Christopher Jones with his wife, MaryBeth Coudal, in 2004.
Over the course of his career, Jones appeared in over a dozen Broadway productions, and he performed various role in over 25 Shakespeare plays for theater companies including New York at the Classic Stage Company, New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, and Lincoln Center, among others.
The Broadway star was a versatile talent, and he acted in various films and television projects, even as recently as a stint on Evil in 2024 despite the challenges of living with Parkinson's.
In a 2021 interview, Jones shared that the transition from stage to screen was exactly what he needed in order to keep working. "I’ve had a hard time learning lines for a while now, but the best thing about TV is that if you mess up, you can do it again.”
Even when his physical limitations prevented him from stepping onto a stage or a set, Jones never stopped creating. At the time of his death, he was working on his memoir, entitled "Carion Comfort," according to Coudal. Only time will tell if the book is to be released posthumously.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
