Jack Bittner; Shakespearean Actor, Opera Singer

Jack Bittner, 76, a stage actor and opera baritone known for his work in more than 40 productions of Shakespeare plays. Born in Omaha and educated in drama at the University of Nebraska and the Dramatic Workshop of the New School in New York, Bittner made his Broadway debut in 1942 as a monk in “Nathan the Wise.” In the 1950s, he appeared regularly at the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Conn., and won praise for his work in “Hamlet,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “The Winter’s Tale.” On June 26 in New York of a heart attack.