Dabney Coleman, Actor from 9 to 5 and Tootsie, Dead at 92
The Emmy-winning character actor appeared in more than 60 projects in his six-decade career
Dabney Coleman has passed away at the age of 92.
The legendary actor died peacefully on Thursday, May 16, at his Santa Monica home, as confirmed by his daughter Quincy Coleman in a heartfelt statement.
“My father crafted his time here on Earth with a curious mind, a generous heart and a soul on fire with passion, desire, and humor that tickled the funny bone of humanity,” Quincy shared. “He lived his final days with elegance, excellence, and mastery just as he lived his life.”
“A teacher, a hero, and a king, Dabney Coleman remains a gift and blessing in life and in death. His spirit will shine through his work, loved ones, and legacy eternally,” she added.
Coleman is survived by his sister, Beverly Coleman McCall; his children Meghan, Kelly, Randy, and Quincy; and his grandchildren Hale and Gabe Torrance, Luie Freundl, and Kai and Coleman Biancaniello.
Over more than six decades in Hollywood, Coleman contributed to over 60 film and TV projects, including classics like 9 to 5, Tootsie, and You’ve Got Mail. He was celebrated for his roles on TV shows such as Buffalo Bill and Boardwalk Empire, and he had a knack for playing memorable antagonists.
Coleman was born in Austin, Texas in 1932. Growing up, he was one of four children raised by a single mother after his father passed away. This experience shaped his portrayals of complex characters throughout his career.
In a 1984 interview, Coleman reflected on his early years and how they influenced his acting. “I was very small and felt the need to be more aggressive to compensate. Being a bit of a brat might have been a way to attract attention,” he said.
He attended the Virginia Military Institute and was drafted into the Army in 1953. Upon returning, he completed his college education at the University of Texas. Inspired by a meeting with an actor, he decided to pursue acting seriously.
From 1958 to 1960, Coleman trained with Sanford Meisner at New York City’s Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. His early TV roles included appearances on Naked City, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Fugitive, and I Dream of Jeannie among others. His early film work included roles in Cinderella Liberty and The Towering Inferno.
In 1973, Coleman grew his signature mustache, which he kept for the rest of his career. “Without the mustache, I looked too much like Richard Nixon,” he told Vulture in 2010, mentioning how the change positively impacted his career.
His career took a significant turn when he was cast in 1980’s 9 to 5 as Franklin Hart Jr., the tyrannical boss who faces off against characters played by Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton. “The girls were incredibly supportive and ensured I was included in everything,” Coleman remembered fondly.
Coleman and Tomlin reunited for the 1993 film The Beverly Hillbillies. She praised him for his humor, stating, “He makes me laugh. He can razz you so bad.”
In the 1982 film Tootsie, Coleman played yet another infuriating character. To his surprise, the film turned out much more successful than expected. “We really had no idea how good it was going to be,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2012.
Coleman also starred in the 1983-1984 sitcom Buffalo Bill, which he considered his favorite role, calling it “heaven on earth.”
Other notable film roles included The Muppets Take Manhattan, WarGames, Dragnet, and Hot to Trot. On TV, he starred in series like The Slap Maxwell Story, The Guardian, and Madman of the People. Starting in 1997, he voiced Principal Prickly in the animated series Recess and its four related films. He also made notable appearances on Columbo.
Frequently cast as unpleasant characters, audiences often mistakenly believed that reflected his real personality. “It isn’t me,” he explained to The New York Times in 1994. He clarified that while he might joke around in a similar manner, it wasn’t an accurate portrayal of his true self.
In 1998, he played the charming father to Tom Hanks’ character in You’ve Got Mail. Despite the role revolving around emails, Coleman humorously admitted he “wasn’t even familiar with computers” at the time.
Coleman joined the cast of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire in 2010 and appeared on Yellowstone in 2023 as John Dutton Jr.
Coleman was nominated for six Emmys, winning one in 1987 for the TV film Sworn to Silence. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014.
In addition to acting, he was once considered the best celebrity tennis player in Hollywood.
Coleman’s first marriage was to Ann Courtney Harrell in 1957, and they had a daughter named Meghan before divorcing in 1959. He later married actress Jean Hale in 1961, and they had three children: Kelly, Randy, and Quincy, before divorcing in 1984.
