[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 52 (Monday, January 1, 2001)]
[Page 3184]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Death of Jason Robards

December 27, 2000

    Hillary and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jason 
Robards. An accomplished actor, Mr. Robards was a commanding presence on 
the big screen and a passionate force on the stage.
    Jason Robards' numerous accomplishments represent the esteem in 
which his colleagues and his fans held him. After winning two Oscars and 
a Tony award, Hillary and I had the privilege of honoring Jason's long 
career both in 1997 with a National Medal of Arts and again in 1999 with 
the Kennedy Center Honors award for his lifetime of contribution to 
American arts and culture. Mr. Robards was also a hero in his pre-acting 
days. Surviving the attack on Pearl Harbor, he earned the Navy Cross--
the second-highest naval decoration.
    Mr. Robards will be missed by all of us who cherished him and his 
work. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Lois, and their six 
children.