Dabney Coleman was a character actor best known for playing despicable men in “9 to 5” and “Tootsie.”
- Died: May 16, 2024 (Who else died on May 16?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Santa Monica, California at the age of 92.
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Early career
Coleman’s early career included many small roles on television and in film, and his breakout role finally came in his 40s. He was cast as Merle Jeeter on the groundbreaking soap opera parody, “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.” Jeeter was a con man who eventually became mayor of the show’s fictional town of Fernwood. A role that was intended to last a week became a fixture of the series.
“(Merle) was a comedian, a con man, so he deliberately changed his personality from time to time. And I ended up doing it for two years, and it made my career. From that part spawned everything,” Coleman told Variety in a 2014 interview.
9 to 5
Perhaps his most notable role in what became his comic villain mold was sexist boss Frank Hart, Jr. in “9 to 5” (1980). He served as the focus for the revenge fantasies of his employees played by Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton.
“That opened up the movies for me. The girls were so supportive of me and included me in everything,” Coleman recalled in an interview with Vulture in 2010.
Tootsie
“9 to 5” was a hit, and he soon found himself cast in “Tootsie” (1982) as a favor to director Sidney Pollack. Despite doubts during filming, the finished product ended up being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
“I said, ‘Sydney, this movie is not funny,'” Coleman told Variety. “‘I don’t even know why you’re doing it.’ … And it’s one of the greatest comedies of the last 50 years, there’s no question about it.”
Movies and TV
During the early ’80s Coleman also found himself in more serious supporting roles in films like “On Golden Pond” (1981), “War Games” (1983) and the children’s adventure movie “Cloak & Dagger” (1984).
Coleman returned to television as the lead in the sitcom “Buffalo Bill” (1983-84). His turn as a narcissistic talk show host was met with critical acclaim, including two Emmy nominations. The cast included future sitcom stars Max Wright and Meshach Taylor, as well as future Academy Award winner Geena Davis. However, NBC canceled the series after two seasons.
Typecast
Coleman won fans by playing the kind of characters that audiences loved to hate. At times smarmy, gruff or downright sleazy, he was beloved for being so convincingly unlikable. But his great success at the type led to typecasting.
TV writers and producers kept trying to make a successful show with “the Dabney Coleman Character.” Unfortunately, a similar fate would befall his three subsequent sitcoms, “The Slap Maxwell Story” (1987-88), “Drexell’s Class” (1991-92) and “Madman of the People” (1994-95).
“Writers write wrong for me sometimes,” Coleman told the New York Times in 1994. “They’re trying to be funny, usually. Trying to make a joke. And that’s not what I do, you know. It’s not jokes; it’s not words. It’s acting. It’s acting funny.”
Other roles and honors
Of course, there was more to Coleman than just acting funny on television. He won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in the TV movie “Sworn to Silence” (1987). His other movies included “On Golden Pond,” “War Games,” “Cloak and Dagger,” “The Muppets Take Manhattan,” “Dragnet,” and “You’ve Got Mail.”
Coleman’s many TV appearances included a recurring role on “That Girl” and guest spots on such shows as “Columbo,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Love Boat,” and “Diff’rent Strokes.” In his later years, Coleman had a recurring role in the period gangster drama “Boardwalk Empire” (2010-11) as Commodore Louis Kaestner. Most recently, he appeared in an episode of “Yellowstone,” playing the father of Kevin Costner’s character.
In 2014, Coleman was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in television.
In contrast to the selfish characters he often portrayed, Coleman actively supported several charities, including The Christian Children’s Fund, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and The Wounded Warrior Project.
Coleman on playing bad guys
“It’s fun playing those roles. You get to do outlandish things, things that you want to do, probably, in real life but you just don’t because you’re a civilized human being. I couldn’t imagine anyone not loving playing those parts.” –from a 2010 interview with Vulture
Tributes to Dabney Coleman
Full obituary: Los Angeles Times
