- published: 04 Sep 2013
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Robert Patrick "Bob" Gunton, Jr. (born November 15, 1945) is an American actor. He is known for playing strict, authoritarian characters, with his best known roles as Warden Samuel Norton in the 1994 prison film The Shawshank Redemption, Chief George Earle in 1993's Demolition Man, and President Juan Peron in the original Broadway production of Evita for which he received a Tony Award nomination.
Gunton was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Rose Marie (née Banouetz) and Robert Patrick Gunton, Sr., a labor union executive. He attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, the Paulist Seminary St Peter's College, in Baltimore, Maryland and the University of California, Irvine.
Gunton played the role of Juan Peron in the original Broadway production of Evita, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance. He later starred in the title role of a 1989 Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd and received a second Tony nomination for his portrayal. Additional Broadway credits include Working, King of Hearts, The Music Women, How I Got That Story, and Big River.