Peter Scolari, Bosom Buddies and Newhart Actor, Dead at 66
Emmy-winning actor Peter Scolari, known for his work on Bosom Buddies and Newhart, died Friday at the age of 66 following a battle with cancer, TVLine has confirmed.
After appearing on series like the short-lived ABC sitcom Goodtime Girls, Scolari’s long TV career truly began with ABC’s Bosom Buddies (1980-82), where he co-starred as Henry Desmond (aka Hildegarde) opposite Tom Hanks’ Kip Wilson (aka Buffy). Two years after Bosom Buddies ended, Scolari followed that up with an Emmy-nominated turn as TV producer Michael Harris on Newhart, which earned him three consecutive nods for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Scolari ultimately took home Emmy gold for his guest role on HBO’s Girls, playing Tad Horvath, the father of Lena Dunham’s Hannah. “The shyest extrovert, the most dramatic comedian, the most humble icon,” Dunham wrote to describe her TV dad on Instagram. “You had lived enough life to know that a TV show was just a TV show, but also to appreciate just what it meant to be allowed to play pretend for a living — and you never let us forget that this job was a privilege.”
His considerable résumé also included appearances on Ally McBeal, White Collar, Reba, The West Wing, ER, Blue Bloods and Gotham, among many others. Most recently, he recurred on the CBS-turned-Paramount+ horror drama Evil, portraying Bishop Thomas Marx in multiple Season 1 and Season 2 episodes. (His last appearance, in the installment “I Is for IRS,” just occurred on Sept. 26; read co-creator Robert King’s tribute here.)
The actor was also a veteran of the stage, appearing in Broadway shows such as Wicked, Hairspray and the play Sly Fox. The 2013 Nora Ephron play Lucky Guy reunited Scolari with Hanks, who starred as journalist Mike McAlary.
oh no! I loved Michael and Stephanie on Newhart. I had no idea he was sick. RIP.
Me too! They were great together.
They need to put his Honey I shrunk the kids on disney+
???Rick Moranis was the dad in that series, not Peter Scolari.
Oops. Sorry. I never knew there was a TV series at all.
Peter Scolari played Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis’ role in the 1989 movie and two sequels) in the syndicated TV series (1997-2000) based on the 1989 movie. The movie started a “Honey,…” franchise, which continued with “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid” (1992) and “Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves” (1997).
Maybe they will next month.
I think people my age probably know him best as Wayne on the TV edition of Honey I Shrunk the Kids (an amazing adaptation…) RIP
It kind of warms my heart that others are talking fondly about this show while remembering him. Was even thinking about it the other day. I’m 34. It’s def what I always associate him with when he pops up in something else. Even built my own LEGO versions of his inventions, house, and family when I was 11 or so
Shocking news today… this tragic death and the Alec Baldwin on set shooting.
He was always a warm and welcome presence on TV. I was pleased that he got some good roles and that Emmy late in his career. And as noted, that Honey I Shrunk the Kids show should certainly be on Disney + already!
Bosom Buddies was a great show. Great actor. RIP
This is such shocking news. I’m so sorry for his family and loved ones. Man, eff cancer in the ear with a raw scraped off corn cob.
Sad to hear. He and Tom Hanks just popped off the TV screen on Bosom Buddies when I watched it in the early 1980s. They were both unknowns but had great chemistry and were so funny.
He was on almost every episode of Evil’s second season, which just finished airing (although I don’t know how long ago they shot it), so I’m shocked to find out he was battling cancer. May he rest in peace.
This makes me so sad. He was always a favorite. Though Tom Hanks became the breakout on Bosom Buddies, I always preferred “Henry.” And I loved him on Newhart. RIP.
This is so sad. Great actor.
I am saddened to hear this. RIP.
What?!? Oh man, I loved him as Henry/Hildegarde on Bosom Buddies (and loved to hate him as Michael on Newhart). RIP…
Oh, my gosh. What a shock – so sad to hear this news. I really liked him on “Evil”, and he was great on “Bosom Buddies”, too, of course. His resume was impressive.
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May he rest in peace.
RIP, Peter. I Liked him on “Bosom Buddies” and “Newhart”.
So sad! I loved him back to his Bosom Buddies days, with Tom Hanks. I always thought he should have gotten more attention/better roles for his work on that show . Didn’t know he was sick, condolences to his family, RIP.
No, so sad to hear this. He was so good on Bosom Buddies and Newhart. I had no idea he was even sick. Deepest condolences to his family and friends. Geeze 2021 is getting to be almost as bad as 2020 with losses.
Never got into Bosom Buddies but always thought the clips that I saw looked funny. Odd coincidence that there was a plot point on Ghosts last night related to watching the Newhart show.
RIP Peter
This makes me so sad. Newhart was one of those shows that my whole family watched together every week. And I’ve really enjoyed seeing Peter recently in Evil.
So sorry to hear this news. I loved Peter on Bosum Buddies and on Newhart as well as his appearances on Gotham. RIP. You will be missed.
Very sad news. He was of those actors I enjoyed in every role I saw him in. RIP
Very sad day. One of those underrated actors who ALWAYS brought his best to whatever he was in. I’ve been a fan since Bosom Buddies, and I always got excited when he showed up in any show I was watching. We all lost a Buddy today…
Rest in peae
So sad. Always put a smile on my face when he showed up on a show.
RIP & condolences to his family.
That is so weird! Just saw Peter Scolari on a repeat of Touched By An Angel this morning and was thinking of him before I left for work.
RIP Peter Scolari