Roy Cohn

Roy Marcus Cohn (February 20, 1927 – August 2, 1986) was an American lawyer who came to prominence during the investigations by Senator Joseph McCarthy into Communism in the government and especially during the Army-McCarthy Hearings. While widely unpopular during his lifetime, he nonetheless wielded tremendous political power at times. Cohn, a member of the Democratic Party, was known to be relentlessly homophobic, and fought against human and civil rights for most of his career. This continued even after he was outed as a homosexual. He died of AIDS in 1986.

Fictional portrayals

A dramatic, controversial man in life, Cohn inspired many dramatic fictional portrayals after his death. Probably the most famous is his role in Angels in America, in which the (fictionalized) Cohn is portrayed as an amoral, power-hungry hypocrite who vigorously denies his sexuality, haunted by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg as he lies dying. In the 2003 HBO version of Kushner's play, Cohn is played by Al Pacino.

Related Topics:
Ghost - Ethel Rosenberg - 2003 - HBO - Al Pacino

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Cohn has also been portrayed by James Woods in the 1992 biopic Citizen Cohn, and by Joe Pantoliano in Robert Kennedy and His Times.

Related Topics:
James Woods - 1992 - Biopic - Joe Pantoliano

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