Richard Kiley, `Man Of LA Mancha' Star And Tony And Emmy Winner, Dies At 76

NEW YORK - Richard Kiley, who was Broadway's original "Man of La Mancha" and had countless other roles on TV, in movies and on the stage, died yesterday in Warwick, N.Y. He was 76.

It was in "La Mancha" that Mr. Kiley, singing "The Impossible Dream," had his biggest success. He won a Tony Award for his role as Don Quixote in the musical, which opened in 1965 and ran for more than five years. He returned to Broadway in revivals of the show in 1972 and 1977.

The actor also won a Tony for his performance in "Redhead," a Victorian murder-mystery musical that starred Gwen Verdon and was directed by Bob Fosse.

On television, Mr. Kiley won an Emmy for "The Thorn Birds," one of the most successful miniseries of all time. He also won Emmys for the TV series "A Year in the Life" and for "Picket Fences."

Among the movies in which he appeared were "The Blackboard Jungle," "The Little Prince," "Looking for Mr. Goodbar," "Endless Love" and "Patch Adams."

Mr. Kiley, who was born in Chicago, first gained notice in New York in 1953, appearing in a revival of George Bernard Shaw's "Misalliance" and winning a Theater World Award, given to promising newcomers. Later that year, he played the caliph in "Kismet" and sang the show's hit song, "Stranger in Paradise."

Kiley starred with Diahann Carroll in 1962 in "No Strings," the only Broadway musical for which Richard Rodgers wrote the music and lyrics.

Kiley also appeared on Broadway in an adaptation of Allen Drury's "Advise and Consent" in 1960 and Alan Ayckbourn's comedy "Absurd Person Singular" in 1974. He starred in a praised 1987 revival of Arthur Miller's "All My Sons."

Kiley's first marriage, to Mary Bell Wood, ended in divorce. They had six children. In 1968, he married Pat Ferrier, a dancer he had met in "Redhead."

Funeral services will be private.