My dad Bill Brydon died this weekend at 94, after a couple of weeks in the hospital and a week at home in hospice that was mostly beautiful and occasionally brutal. Please read below for details on him, the funeral, and a place to donate in his memory.

Dad was a tour-de-force for the first half of his life: a larger-than-life actor with a booming voice and unforgettable presence. He was life-sized in an even more important second act: a remarkable dad, a kind and generous man with a deep interest in friends and family who, in turn, had great love and affection for him.

• For those I grew up with – a few commercials you might remember:
• For his family, an interview about his childhood evacuation during the war.
• For theater lovers, a 2021 interview about finding his career:

We’ll bury Dad in Montclair N.J. at 10 am on Saturday, November 30th, a couple days after Thanksgiving. We’ll follow with a lunch in NYC at one of my dad’s favorite spots, and (hopefully) spend the evening in NYC at the theater. We’re working on a group rate at a hotel near Times Square in NYC. Here are the key items:

MORNING FUNERAL
Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 10am Eastern
Mt Hebron Cemetery (973)-744-1380
851 Valley Road, Upper Montclair NJ 07043 (Directions)
Dad will be buried in the family plot in Montclair, next to his wife Tobi. Look for the theatrical gravestone. There will be a few short readings, please bring one if you are inspired. If you are looking for easy transportation, the Decamp 66 bus leaves from the Port Authority in NYC and goes to the cemetery. It’s also about a 45-minute Uber ride.

INTERMISSION
Saturday, November 30, 2024 Afternoon
Montclair, NJ
There’s no set agenda for midday and early afternoon. We’re planning to spend it in Montclair, visiting a few of dad’s favorite spots.

EARLY EVENING DINNER & THEATER
Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 5pm Eastern
The American Irish Historical Society
991 5th Avenue, NY, NY – across 5th Ave from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Directions)
Some of dad’s fondest acting memories came late in his career, acting with the Irish Rep. Please join us to see ‘The Dead’ by James Joyce, an immersive play that will include dinner. For more information, please see here.

LATE NIGHT NEW YORK
Saturday, November 30, 2024 Evening
To be determined

NEW YORK HOTEL OPTIONS
Here are three mid-priced hotel options in NYC, with good access to NJ for the funeral

• Arlo Midtown at 351 W 38th Street, New York, NY 10018
• The Maritime Hotel at 363 West 16th Street New York NY 10011
• The Crown Plaza at 320 West 36th Street, New York, New York

RSVP
If you remember Dad and can join us for any of these, please email me at memorial@abrydon.com. And please forward this to friends and family in case they don’t see this.

IN MEMORY OF
Mom and dad were long-time supporters of Julliard. If the spirit strikes you, please consider a tax-deductible gift or donation to the drama school.