John Christopher Jones, a veteran Broadway actor who appeared in 16 productions over his career, died September 15, 2025, in New York City from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. He was 77 years old.
Jones’ friend Jeff Baron announced the actor’s death, which came more than two decades after his Parkinson’s diagnosis in March 2003. Despite the progressive neurological condition, Jones continued performing for over 20 years following his diagnosis.
His wife, MaryBeth Coudal, announced the death on social media, noting that Jones “never allowed his diminishing abilities to dampen his extraordinary creative output.” The couple married in 1995 and had three children together: Hayden, Catherine, and Charlotte “Char” Louise Jones, who is also an actress.
Born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, into what his wife described as a theatrical family, Jones studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in the early 1970s. He became a founding member of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts, and served as an associate director of the Depot Theater in upstate New York.
Jones made his Broadway debut in 1975 with Anthony Scully’s “Little Black Sheep,” returning two years later in Simon Gray’s “Otherwise Engaged,” directed by Harold Pinter. His extensive Broadway credits included David Rabe’s “Hurlyburly,” Jose Quintero’s revival of “The Iceman Cometh” starring Jason Robards, Neil Simon’s “The Goodbye Girl,” and Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” where he played Cogsworth.
Additional Broadway performances included Michael Frayn’s “Democracy,” George Bernard Shaw’s “Heartbreak House,” “Absurd Person Singular,” “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” “London Assurance,” “A Month in the Country,” “The Rise and Fall of Little Voice,” and “The Miser.”
Off-Broadway, Jones appeared in numerous productions, including Tony Kushner’s “Slavs,” David Henry Hwang’s “Golden Child,” Steve Martin’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” David Lindsay-Abaire’s “Fuddy Meers,” and Donald Margulies’ “Sight Unseen.” He regularly performed Shakespeare at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, Lincoln Center, and for the Classic Stage Company and Theatre for a New Audience.
Jones also pursued a successful second career as a translator, beginning 15 years before his death. His translation of Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” won the 2012 Lortel Award for Best Revival. He also translated other Chekhov works, including “A Month in the Country,” “The Seagull,” “Uncle Vanya,” “Three Sisters,” and “Platonov,” as well as Georg Büchner’s “Woyzeck” and “Leonce and Lena.”
His film career included roles in “Moonstruck” (1987), “Awakenings” (1990), “In & Out” (1997), “The Hurricane” (1999), and M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village” (2004). Television appearances spanned multiple series, including “The Sopranos,” “Law & Order,” “New Amsterdam,” “Evil,” “Ed,” “Amazing Stories,” and “Spenser: For Hire.”
Jones was also a series regular on two CBS sitcoms: “On Our Own” (1977-78), set at an advertising agency, and Barry Kemp’s “The Popcorn Kid” (1987), set in a movie theater. He made guest appearances on “As the World Turns” and other television programs throughout his career.
His determination to continue working despite his condition became the subject of the 2024 documentary “Me to Play,” directed by Jim Bernfield. The film chronicled Jones and fellow actor Dan Moran, who also battled Parkinson’s disease, as they prepared for an Off-Broadway production of Samuel Beckett’s “Endgame” at Classic Stage Company. Moran died in 2024.
The documentary highlighted the particular poignancy of performing “Endgame,” as Beckett wrote the play after his mother died from Parkinson’s disease. Jones spoke openly in the film about managing his medication schedule and the daily challenges of maintaining his mobility and function while continuing to perform.
At the time of his death, Jones was writing a memoir, according to his wife. He is survived by Coudal and their three children, as well as his sisters Shami and Jennifer, 18 nephews and nieces, and six great-nieces and great-nephews.
Jones’ career exemplified dedication to the theatrical arts, spanning multiple decades and encompassing Broadway, Off-Broadway, film, television, and literary translation. His willingness to continue performing while managing a progressive neurological condition demonstrated his commitment to his craft and served as an inspiration to fellow actors and theater professionals.