Peter Scolari

Peter Thomas Scolari (September 12, 1955 – October 22, 2021)<ref name=SCHUDEL>Template:Cite news</ref> was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Henry Desmond in the ABC sitcom Bosom Buddies (1980–1982) and Michael Harris on the CBS sitcom Newhart (1984–1990), the latter of which earned him three consecutive nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series from 1987 to 1989.

Scolari had roles as Wayne Szalinski in the Disney sitcom Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show (1997–2000) and as Tad Horvath in the HBO series Girls (2012–2017), the latter of which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. He had recurring roles as Gillian B. Loeb in the superhero crime series Gotham (2015) and Bishop Thomas Marx in the supernatural series Evil (2019–2021).

He acted in the films The Rosebud Beach Hotel (1984), Corporate Affairs (1990), That Thing You Do! (1996), and The Polar Express (2004). On stage, he portrayed Yogi Berra in the play Bronx Bombers (2014) and acted in the Larry Gelbart's Sly Fox (2004), Eric Simonson's Magic/Bird (2012), and Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy (2013). He also acted in replacement roles in the musicals Hairspray in 2003 and Wicked in 2016.

Early life and education

Scolari was born in New Rochelle, New York, to Arthur and Barbara (née Fay) Scolari, and was raised in Scarsdale along with an older sister and two younger brothers.<ref name=KNUTZEN>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=BRENNAN>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=CASPER>Template:Cite news</ref> His father was of Italian descent and played semi-professional baseball before becoming a lawyer.<ref name=KNUTZEN/> His mother was a singer prior to meeting Scolari's father and later worked with the Alcohol Rehabilitation arm of the Tidewater Psychiatric Institute in Virginia Beach, Virginia.<ref name=KNUTZEN/><ref name=CASPER/> In an interview with the Toronto Star Scolari said that his father was a psychologically abusive, "rageful man", and that his mother struggled with alcoholism.<ref name=OUZOUNIAN>Template:Cite news</ref> Scolari added that his parents "stayed together for the kids and also because they were hopelessly in love with each other, but they were totally incompatible."<ref name=OUZOUNIAN/>

At the age of 13 Scolari did some animation voice acting work and performed in plays while attending Edgemont High School in Scarsdale, where he also participated in football, baseball and track.<ref name=BRENNAN/> At 16 years of age he starred as Finch in a high school production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and came to the realization that he wanted to be an actor professionally.<ref name=GENZLINGER>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1972, he enrolled at Occidental College in Los Angeles as a theater arts major, but left a year later and returned to New York after his father died.<ref name=KNUTZEN/><ref name=BRENNAN/> He joined the Colonnades Theatre Lab, a repertory theatre in Manhattan, working with actors such as Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Jeff Goldblum and Michael O'Keefe.<ref name=KNUTZEN/><ref name=OUZOUNIAN/> Scolari was also working on a degree in comparative literature at City College of New York.<ref name=KNUTZEN/> During this time, Scolari appeared in multiple off-Broadway plays and met Finnish actor Paavo Tammim, who taught him to juggle.<ref name=TERRY>Template:Cite news</ref> He also studied mime and learned to ride a unicycle.<ref name=KNUTZEN/><ref name=BURTONTERRY>Template:Cite news</ref> His performance in a 1974 production of "Reflections" received a rave review from The New York Times.<ref name=CASPER/> In 1979 he returned to Los Angeles.<ref name=TERRY/>

Career

1978–1990: Bosom Buddies and Newhart

Credited under pseudonym Barney Tramble, Scolari's first film role was in the 1978 X rated film Take Off.<ref name=ROCK>Template:Cite news</ref> He played a teenager named Kookie and his performance did not involve nudity.<ref name=ROCK/> Scolari was signed to do an NBC pilot in 1979 titled The Further Adventures Of Wally Brown, a show that did not get picked up.<ref name=KNUTZEN/> He starred in the short-lived 1980 sitcom Goodtime Girls as Benny, the juggling neighbor of the title characters.<ref name=KNUTZEN/> His big break came when he was cast with Tom Hanks in the 1980 sitcom, Bosom Buddies.<ref name=KNUTZEN/> Scolari and Hanks play a couple of advertising copywriters who disguise themselves as women in order to live in an affordable New York apartment – a women's-only residence called the Susan B. Anthony Hotel.<ref name=SCHUDEL/> A different actor had initially been cast alongside Hanks, but things didn't work out.<ref name=GENZLINGER/> Scolari happened to be playing a guest role on an adjacent sound stage and was auditioned for the role.<ref name=GENZLINGER/> The show's pilot was shot a few days later.<ref name=GENZLINGER/> Scolari played Henry Desmond, whose female pseudonym was Hildegard, and Hanks played Kip Wilson, who went by the name Buffy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bosom Buddies started out with good ratings, but failed to hold the public's interest and was canceled after two seasons and 37 episodes. His next starring role was in the 1983 sitcom Baby Makes Five, which was cancelled after only five episodes.<ref name=KNUTZEN/>

He starred in the 1984 comedy film The Rosebud Beach Hotel, about a couple – played by Scolari and Colleen Camp – who turn their hotel into a brothel, by hiring sex workers to work as bellhops.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> That same year Scolari joined the cast of Newhart as Michael Harris, a preppily-dressed, wannabe yuppie, and local TV producer of the fictional talk show "Vermont Today".<ref name=GENZLINGER/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Harris was a recurring character in the show's second season and the character was so popular with audiences that executive producer Barry Kemp signed Scolari to be a regular cast member in the show's following season, before it was even confirmed that there would be a third season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His role earned Scolari three Emmy nominations for best supporting actor in a comedy and remained with the show until its conclusion in 1990.<ref name=GENZLINGER/> During this time, Scolari also got to showcase his vaudevillian talents during three episodes of the annual television special, Circus of the Stars, including juggling with knives and fire, as well as juggling on a tightrope.<ref name=TERRY/> Scolari once again worked with Hanks on his directorial debut, That Thing You Do! about a fictional 1960s rock band called the Wonders.<ref name=THATTHING>Template:Cite news</ref> Scolari plays the role of Troy Chesterfield, the host of a variety show on which the Wonders appear.<ref name=THATTHING/>

1991–2011: Established roles

In 1993, Scolari starred in the series Family Album about a couple who move with their children back to their hometown of Philadelphia to be closer to their aging parents.<ref name=BECK>Template:Cite news</ref> Actress Gina Hecht was initially selected to play the wife of Scolari's character, but was replaced by Pamela Reed just two days before the show's pilot was shot.<ref name=BECK/> Scolari told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in 1993 that he and Reed had "instant rapport", however the show lasted one season.<ref name=BECK/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Two years later he starred in the series Dweebs, which centers around the employees of a software firm.<ref name=ENDRST>Template:Cite news</ref> Scolari plays Warren Mosbey, the company's eccentric, socially-inept, tech-genius owner.<ref name=ENDRST/> The show was cancelled after one season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1996, Scolari also starred as Littlechap in a version of the stage musical Stop the World – I Want to Get Off, produced for the A&E television network.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Scolari appeared in such off-Broadway productions as Old Man Joseph and His Family, The Exonerated, In the Wings, It Must Be Him and White's Lies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Scolari starred in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show over the show's three seasons.<ref name=GENZLINGER/> Scolari plays inventor Wayne Szalinski, the role originally played by Rick Moranis in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids series of films.<ref name=GENZLINGER/> During the show's run, he also played astronaut Pete Conrad in the 1998 miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, co-produced by Hanks, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Scolari appeared on Broadway in the musical Hairspray, as Wilbur Turnblad.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Scolari and Hanks also provided voices in the 2004 animated film The Polar Express.<ref name=GENZLINGER/>

2012–2021: Resurgence with Girls

In 2012 he acted playing various roles including Pat Riley, Red Auerbach, Jerry Buss, Bob Woolf in the play Magic/Bird on Broadway. He later had a recurring role as Tad Horvath, the father of Lena Dunham's character on the HBO coming-of-age comedy-drama Girls from 2012 to 2017. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2016.<ref name=GENZLINGER/> In 2013, he returned to Broadway in the Nora Ephron's newspaper play Lucky Guy, which reunited him with his Bosom Buddies co-star Tom Hanks.<ref name=GENZLINGER/> He played Gotham City's corrupt police commissioner Gillian B. Loeb in Fox's superhero crime drama Gotham from 2014 to 2019.<ref name=SCHUDEL/> In 2014, he portrayed Yogi Berra in the Eric Simonson sports play Bronx Bombers on Broadway.<ref name=SCHUDEL/> His wife, Tracy Shayne, played Berra's wife Carmen.<ref name=SCHUDEL/> Scolari returned to Broadway in the musical Wicked, as a replacement playing the Wizard of Oz from 2016 to 2017.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He played the role of a show business manager in the 2019 biographical FX miniseries Fosse/Verdon, and played Bishop Marx on the series Evil, from 2019 until his death.<ref name=SCHUDEL/>

Personal life

Marriages and family

Scolari was married four times. His first marriage was to Brooklyn attorney Lisa Kretzchmar.<ref name=BRENNAN/> They divorced in 1983.<ref name=BRENNAN/> He married Debra Steagal, a costume designer he met while filming The Rosebud Beach Hotel in 1986, and they had two children.<ref name=SCHUDEL/><ref name=BRENNAN/> He later wed actress Cathy Trien, with whom he also had two children.<ref name=SCHUDEL/> In 2013 he married his longtime girlfriend, actress Tracy Shayne.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The couple remained together until Scolari's death.<ref name=GENZLINGER/>

Illness and death

Scolari's struggles with substance abuse and bipolar disorder were featured on a 2014 episode of Oprah: Where Are They Now?.<ref name=SCHUDEL/><ref>Template:Cite episode</ref> Scolari died from leukemia in Manhattan on October 22, 2021, at the age of 66.<ref name="nytobit">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He had been diagnosed with the disease two years earlier.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Acting credits

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1978	Take Off	Kookie	Segment: "1950s" (Credited as Barney Tramble)
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 the Lonely Boy	Motion capture only
2005	Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D	Pete Conrad	Voice; Documentary
2006	Mentor	Jonathan Parks
	Cathedral Pines	Father Mike McGary
2007	Suburban Girl	Mickey Lamm
	A Plumm Summer	Agent Hardigan
2012	Letting Go	Bill
2016	Dean	Patrick
2018	All You Can Eat	Dr. Zakreski
2020	Looks That Kill	Paul Richardson	Final film role

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1979	Wally Brown	Douglas Burdett	Unknown episode
	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
	Remington Steele	Albie Fervitz	Episode: "Steele Waters Run Deep"
	Missing Children: A Mother's Story	Woody	Television film
1983	Carpool	Robert Duff
	Happy Days	Jake	Episode: "May the Best Man Win"
	Baby Makes Five	Eddie Riddle	5 episodes
1984	Amazons	Dr. Jerry Menzies	Television film
	Finder of Lost Loves	Ted Caton	Episode: "A Gift"
	Steambath	Paul	Episode: "Tandy's Legacy"
1984–1990	Newhart	Michael Harris	142 episodes
1986	Hotel	Tom	Episode: "Shadows of Doubt: Part 1"
	Family Ties	Paul Kenter	Episode "Once in Love with Elyse"
	You Are the Jury	Stephen Best	Episode: "The State of Ohio vs. James Wolsky"
	Template:Sortname	Frank Hobbs Wellington David Rothmeyer	3 episodes
	Fresno	Waiter	Television film
1987	Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery	Chris Robinson
	The New Mike Hammer	Andy Shales	Episode: "Green Blizzard"
	Harry Anderson's Sideshow	performer
1988	Template:Sortname	Delos of Atlantis Leonard Randall	Episode: "The Trance"
1989	CBS Summer Playhouse	Morgan	Episode: "Microchips"
	Trying Time	Howard LaMotta	Episode: "Death and Taxes"
	Template:Sortname	David Day	Television film
1990	Encyclopedia Brown	Bandini	Episode: "The Case of the Incredible Culpepper"
	World's Greatest Magicians... At the Magic Castle	Unknown	Television film
1991	Danger Team	Police Officer Shields
	Fire: Trapped on the 37th Floor	Paul DeWitt
	Perfect Harmony	Derek Sanders
	Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin	David Katz
1992	Template:Sortname	Dr. Zachary 'Zach' Drummond
	Nurses	George Myrock	Episode: "Our Fred"
1992–1995	Batman: The Animated Series	John Hamner Gunther Hardwicke / Shark	citation	CitationClass=web }} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
1993	Fallen Angels	Clerk	Episode: "I'll Be Waiting"
1993–1995	Template:Sortname	Ken Ballantine	2 episodes
1993	Family Album	Jonathan Lerner	6 episodes
1993–1994	Animaniacs	Wilford Wolf, Driver	Voice, 2 episodes<ref name="btva" />
1994	Burke's Law	Johnny Lake	Episode: "Who Killed the Host at the Roast?"
	Empty Nest	Dieter Dietz	Episode: "Brotherly Shove"
	Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman	Stuart Hofferman	Episode: "The Source"
1994, 2001	Touched by an Angel	Charles Hibbard, Tim Albright	2 episodes
1994–1995	Dave's World	Fred, Kenny's Boss	2 episodes
1995	A Whole New Ballgame	Glenn	2 episodes
	Dweebs	Warren Mosbey	10 episodes
	Can't Hurry Love	Colin	Episode: "Three Blind Dates"
1995–1996	Gargoyles	Preston Vogel	Voice, 5 episodes<ref name="btva" />
1996	The Home Court	Kenyon Stanton	Episode: "Syd & Sensibility"
	Template:Sortname	Councilman Kemp	Episode: "What the Zoning Inspector Saw"
	Stop the World, I Want to Get Off	Littlechap	Television film
	Talk to Me	Howard Grant
	For Hope	Date #2 (uncredited)
1997	Duckman	Brad	Voice, episode: "From Brad to Worse"
	Template:Sortname	Leslie Tilbert	Episode: "The Bank Robbery"
	George & Leo	Dr. Michael Harris	Episode: "The Cameo Episode"
1997–1998	Pinky and the Brain	Weird Guy, Mr. Perfect	Voice, 2 episodes<ref name="btva" />
1997–2000	Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show	Wayne Szalinski / Various	66 episodes
1998	From the Earth to the Moon	Pete Conrad	Episode: "Can We Do This?"
	Hey Arnold!	Doug	Voice, episode: "Stinky Goes Hollywood/Olga Gets Engaged"<ref name="btva" />
2000	Template:Sortname	Edwin Hadley	Television film
2001	Ally McBeal	Hooley	Episode: "Nine One One"
2002	Reba	Parker Reynolds	Episode: "The Story of a Divorce"
	Template:Sortname	Ron	Episode: "No Orleans"
	ER	Kyle Evans	Episode: "Bygones"
	Template:Sortname	Antares C.E.O. Jake Kimball	Episode: "Enemies Foreign and Domestic"
	What I Like About You	Dad	Episode: "Pilot"
	What's New, Scooby-Doo?	Prof. Higginso	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"
	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!"<ref name="btva" />
2012–2017	Girls	Tad Horvath	Recurring role; 21 episodes
2013	White Collar	Zimmer the Keymaster	Episode: "Brass Tacks"
2015	Gotham	Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb	5 episodes
	Chopped	Himself	Episode: "Tournament of Stars: Actors"
2016	Madoff	Peter Madoff	4 episodes
2017	Odd Mom Out	Lawyer	Episode: "Jury Doody"
	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Dr. Dennis Barkley	Episode: "Unintended Consequences"
2018	The Good Fight	Greg	Episode: "Day 436"
	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

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Venue	Refs.
2003	Hairspray	Wilbur Turnblad (replacement)	Neil Simon Theatre, Broadway	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2004	Sly Fox	Chief of Police	Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2012	Magic/Bird	Pat Riley / Red Auerbach / Jerry Buss / Bob Woolf	Longacre Theatre, Broadway	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2013	Lucky Guy	Michael Daly	Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2014	Bronx Bombers	Yogi Berra	Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2016–2017	Wicked	The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (replacement)	Gershwin Theatre, Broadway	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result	Template:Abbr
1987	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series	Newhart	Template:Nom	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1988				Template:Nom	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1989				Template:Nom	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2012	Critics' Choice Television Award	Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series	Girls	Template:Nom	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2016	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series		Template:Won	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

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