Joseph A Hardy

Joseph "Joe" Hardy (1929 to 2024), a Renaissance man of Broadway and Hollywood, knew how to meld his wealth of life experiences with his sure sense of the theatrical. Joe won the 1970 Tony for Best Director of Child's Play with Ken Howard and Fritz Weaver, introduced Lily Tomlin in her first TV special, Lily (1973), and directed Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in Play It Again Sam (1969). He worked with Stephen Sondheim on an early draft of Follies, won the 1967 Drama Desk Award for the original You Are A Good Man Charlie Brown, and directed Lynn Redgrave in her one-woman show Nightingale (2006). He directed the first-ever stage adaptation of a movie musical, Gigi.

Joe was raised on a cattle ranch in New Mexico. After graduating from the Yale School of Drama, he won a Fulbright to study in Paris before serving in Korea in the army. He was known for his remarkable gift of making a company out of the cast of every production he directed or produced: Romantic Comedy in 1979 with Anthony Perkins and Mia Farrow; Knott's Landing with Michelle Lee, Alec Baldwin, and Julie Harris; and Night of the Iguana (1976) with Richard Chamberlain, Dorothy McGuire, and Sylvia Miles. His 1974 TV film Great Expectations with Michael York, Sarah Miles, and James Mason was entered into the 1975 Moscow International Film Festival.

Joe was the executive producer of several soap operas, including General Hospital, Ryan's Hope, and Loving. At the same time, he directed noteworthy productions of Richard II, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Crucible, Ring Round the Moon, and Himself and Nora. He was an Associate Artist at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego and a regular director at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.

Joe spent much of the 1990s living and working in France. Returning to New York City in the late 1990s, he continued directing at the Old Globe Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the Charlotte Rep.

Joe moved to the Actors Fund Home in 2020 and passed away on June 6, 2024. He requested that no service or memorial be held. He leaves behind his sister, Caroline Rackley of New Mexico, and many friends and colleagues who were enriched by his ever-strong opinions and sharp wit.