Peter Scolari, Emmy-Winning ‘Bosom Buddies’ Actor, Dies at 66
The actor had a lifelong friendship with Tom Hanks after 'Bosom Buddies' and was also known for 'Newhart' and 'Girls,' among numerous other credits.
He was not on the list.
Peter Scolari, who starred opposite lifelong friend Tom Hanks in the early 1980s sitcom Bosom Buddies, died Friday. He was 66.
Scolari, an Emmy winner whose credits also included Newhart and HBO’s Girls, had been living with cancer for the past two years.
A native of New Rochelle, New York, Scolari landed his first major acting role in the short-lived 1980 ABC comedy Goodtime Girls. Later that year, he and a then-unknown Hanks starred in Bosom Buddies, playing two guys who disguise themselves as women to live in an affordable, all-female apartment building (also starring Donna Dixon and .
The show, also on ABC, lasted just two seasons, but it sparked a 40-plus year friendship between the two actors. Scolari and Hanks would work together several times over the ensuing decades, with Scolari appearing in his friend’s directorial debut, That Thing You Do!, and the Hanks-produced HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon. The two both did voice work on 2003’s The Polar Express.
Following the 1982 cancellation of Bosom Buddies, Scolari joined Newhart in 1984 and remained with the show until its conclusion in 1990. He became close friends with and a frequent golf partner of star Bob Newhart during the show’s run, and they remained close afterward.
“I knew that Peter was sick, but his death still comes as a
great shock,” Newhart said in a statement. “We were friends and colleagues for
over 40 years. Julia Duffy and Peter, as a vacuous couple (Michael and
Stephanie), were an essential part of the success of Newhart. In life, he was a
fantastic person, and it was a joy to work together. He will be sorely missed
and his passing at 66 is much too early.” He is the third main cast member to die from the series. Mary Frann and Tom Poston have already passed.
Scolari was nominated for three Emmys for his role on Newhart. Twenty-seven years after his third nomination for that show, he won a guest acting Emmy for playing Hannah’s (Lena Dunham) father on Girls.
Dunham, who created the series, wrote on Instagram that Scolari was a generous and loving castmate: “Becky Ann Baker and I loved every second of playing your family and I couldn’t have been raised up by a better TV ‘papa.’ Thank you, Scolari, for every chat between set ups, every hug onscreen and off and every ‘Oh, Jeez.’ We will miss you so much.”
In recent years, Scolari has recurred on the CBS turned Paramount+ drama Evil and appeared on series including Fox’s Gotham, FX’s Fosse/Verdon and Lisey’s Story at Apple TV+.
Evil co-creator Robert King, wrote on Twitter Friday that Scolari “was one of the funniest — sneakily funny — actors we’ve worked with. He always took a nothing scene and found different ways to twist it, and throw in odd pauses that made it jump. … He was just wonderful.”
“Beyond everything else, Peter Scolari was a mensch, a hard worker, a thoughtful actor, always a pleasure on a set,” King added.
Scolari also had an extensive list of stage credits, playing roles in Wicked, Hairspray and the play Lucky Guy — which marked another reunion with Hanks — on Broadway.
Scolari is survived by his wife, Tracy Shayne, and children Nicholas, Joseph, Keaton and Cali. He was previously married to Debra Steagal and Cathy Trien.
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1978 Take Off Kookie Segment: "1950s"
1984 The Rosebud Beach Hotel Elliot Garner
1986 Mr. Bill's Real Life Adventures Mr. Bill Short film
1990 Corporate Affairs Simon Tanner
1993 Ticks Charles Danson Video
1994 Camp Nowhere Donald Himmel
1996 That Thing You Do! Troy Chesterfield
2002 Sorority Boys Louis
2004 The Polar Express Billy - Lonely Boy
2005 Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D Pete Conrad (voice) Documentary short
2006 Mentor Jonathan Parks
2006 Cathedral Pines Father Mike McGary
2007 Suburban Girl Mickey Lamm
2007 A Plumm Summer Agent Hardigan
2012 Letting Go Bill
2016 Dean Patrick
2020 Looks That Kill Paul
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1979 Wally Brown Douglas Burdett Unknown episode
1979 Angie Kenny Episode: "The Thief"
1980 Goodtime Girls Benny Loman 13 episodes
1980–1982 Bosom Buddies Henry Desmond / Hildegarde 'Hilde' Desmond 37 episodes
1982 Circus of the Stars #7 Himself TV special
1982 Remington Steele Albie Fervitz Episode: "Steele Waters Run Deep"
1982 Missing Children: A Mother's Story Woody TV movie
1983 Carpool Robert Duff TV movie
1983 Happy Days Jake Episode: "May the Best Man Win"
1983 Baby Makes Five Eddie Riddle 5 episodes
1984 Amazons Dr. Jerry Menzies TV movie
1984 Finder of Lost Loves Ted Caton Episode: "A Gift"
1984–1990 Newhart Michael Harris 142 episodes
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (1987–1989)
1986 Hotel Tom Episode: "Shadows of Doubt: Part 1"
1986 Family Ties Paul Kenter Episode "Once in Love with Elyse"
1986 You Are the Jury Stephen Best Episode: "The State of Ohio vs. James Wolsky"
1986 The Love Boat Frank Hobbs Episode: "Dare Devil"
1986 The Love Boat Wellington David Rothmeyer 2 episodes
1986 Fresno Waiter TV movie
1987 Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery Chris Robinson TV movie
1987 The New Mike Hammer Andy Shales Episode: "Green Blizzard"
1987 Harry Anderson's Sideshow performer
1988 The Twilight Zone Delos of Atlantis / Leonard Randall Episode: "The Trance"
1989 CBS Summer Playhouse Morgan Episode: "Microchips"
1989 Trying Time Howard LaMotta Episode: "Death and Taxes"
1989 The Ryan White Story David Day TV movie
1990 Encyclopedia Brown Bandini Episode: "The Case of the Incredible Culpepper"
1990 World's Greatest Magicians... At the Magic Castle Unknown TV movie
1991 Danger Team Police Officer Shields TV movie
1991 Fire: Trapped on the 37th Floor Paul DeWitt TV movie
1991 Perfect Harmony Derek Sanders TV movie
1991 Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin David Katz TV movie
1992 The House on Sycamore Street Dr. Zachary 'Zach' Drummond TV movie
1992 Batman: The Animated Series John Hamner (voice) Episode: "Moon of the Wolf"
1992 Nurses George Myrock Episode: "Our Fred"
1993 Fallen Angels Clerk Episode: "I'll Be Waiting"
1993 The Mommies Ken Ballantine Episode: "Enter Ken"
1993 Family Album Jonathan Lerner 6 episodes
1993 Animaniacs Wilford B. Wolf (voice) Episode: "Moon Over Minerva"
1994 Burke's Law Johnny Lake Episode: "Who Killed the Host at the Roast?"
1994 Empty Nest Dieter Dietz Episode: "Brotherly Shove"
1994 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Stuart Hofferman Episode: "The Source"
1994 Touched by an Angel Charles Hibbard Episode: "The Heart of the Matter"
1994 Animaniacs The Driver (voice) Episode: "The Mindy 500"
1994 Dave's World Fred Episode: "Six Years Old and All Washed Up"
1995 Dave's World Kenny's Boss Episode: "Working Stiffs"
1995 The Mommies Ken Ballantine Episode: "I Do, I Do Again"
1995 A Whole New Ballgame Glenn 2 episodes
1995 Batman: The Animated Series The Shark / Gunther Hardwicke (voice) Episode: "The Terrible Trio"
1995 Dweebs Warren Mosbey 10 episodes
1995 Can't Hurry Love Colin Episode: "Three Blind Dates"
1995–1996 Gargoyles Preston Vogel (voice) 5 episodes
1996 The Home Court Kenyon Stanton Episode: "Syd & Sensibility"
1996 The Drew Carey Show Councilman Kemp Episode: "What the Zoning Inspector Saw"
1996 Stop the World, I Want to Get Off Littlechap TV movie
1996 Talk to Me Howard Grant TV movie
1996 For Hope Date #2 (uncredited) TV movie
1997 Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man Brad (voice) Episode: "From Brad to Worse"
1997 The Nanny Leslie Tilbert Episode: "The Bank Robbery"
1997 George & Leo Dr. Michael Harris Episode: "The Cameo Episode"
1997 Pinky and the Brain Weird Guy (voice) Episode: "Mice Don't Dance/Brain Drained"
1997–2000 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show Wayne Szalinski / Various 66 episodes
1998 Pinky and the Brain Mr. Perfect (voice) Episode: "The Family That Poits Together, Narfs Together"
1998 From the Earth to the Moon Pete Conrad Episode: "Can We Do This?"
1998 Hey Arnold! Doug (voice) Episode: "Stinky Goes Hollywood/Olga Gets Engaged"
2000 The Ultimate Christmas Present Edwin Hadley TV movie
2001 Touched by an Angel Tim Albright Episode: "Heaven's Portal"
2001 Ally McBeal Hooley Episode: "Nine One One"
2002 Reba Parker Reynolds Episode: "The Story of a Divorce"
2002 The King of Queens Ron Episode: "No Orleans"
2002 ER Kyle Evans Episode: "Bygones"
2002 The West Wing Antares C.E.O. Jake Kimball Episode: "Enemies Foreign and Domestic"
2002 What I Like About You Dad Episode: "Pilot"
2002 What's New, Scooby-Doo? Prof. Higginson (voice) Episode: "Scooby-Doo Christmas"
2003 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Ringmaster Episode: "Cirque du Sabrina"
2005 Listen Up! Andrew McKillop 2 episodes
2006 Big Love Seminary Teacher Episode: "Affair"
2006 American Dad! Himself / Limo Driver (voice) Episode: "Roger n' Me"
2011 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Ray Palmer / Atom (voice) Episode: "Sword of the Atom!"
2012–2017 Girls Tad Horvath Recurring role, 21 episodes
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (2016)
Nominated — Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series (2012)
2013 White Collar Zimmer the Keymaster Episode: "Brass Tacks"
2015 Gotham Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb 5 episodes
2015 Chopped Himself Episode: "Tournament of Stars: Actors"
2016 Madoff Peter Madoff 4 episodes
2017 Odd Mom Out Lawyer Episode: "Jury Doody"
2017 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Dennis Barkley Episode: "Unintended Consequences"
2018 The Good Fight Greg Episode: "Day 436"
2018 Murphy Brown Fred Noonan Episode: "The Wheels on the Dog Go Round and Round"
2019 Fosse/Verdon Mel 2 episodes
2019–2021 Evil Bishop Thomas Marx Recurring role, 9 episodes
2020 Blue Bloods Captain Higgins Episode: "Careful What You Wish For"
2021 Lisey's Story Dave Debusher 2 episodes
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