Dabney Coleman, 9 To 5 And Tootsie Actor, Dead At 92
Dabney Coleman, the actor who perfected the misogynistic trope in films like "9 to 5" and "Tootsie," has died at 92. Coleman's daughter Quincy shared the sad news with The Hollywood Reporter, saying, "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."
Coleman was born January 3, 1932, in Austin, Texas. He attended the Virginia Military Institute in 1949, and also studied law at the University of Texas, where he met his first wife, Ann Harrell, whom he married in 1957, according to the Los Angeles Times. Prior to this, his studies were sidelined in 1953 when he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. However, he was stationed in Europe.
After encouragement from one of his wife's friends, actor Zachary Scott, Coleman was inspired to drop out of college and study acting instead. Coleman later studied acting at the Neighborhood Playschool School of Theater in New York, which began his nearly 60-year career as a character actor known for playing unlikable people on both the big and small screens.
Dabney Coleman's most notable roles were in popular '80s films
Dabney Coleman studied under famed acting coach Sandford Meisner. His official career began with small roles on television shows in the early '60s, but he earned his first movie role in 1965's "The Slender Thread" thanks to actor Sydney Pollack. In 2012, he revealed to AV Club that the legendary film director was one of his teachers at the Neighborhood Playschool School of Theater in New York.
"He was my teacher at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, and we had become fast friends after that," Coleman said to the outlet. "The idea at that time, when I got out of school, was that I said, 'I want to be in every movie you make.' And he said, 'Okay,' and we got off to a pretty good start." Coleman's breakout role came in 1976 when he was cast as a despicable politician in the sitcom "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman." Coleman called the role a defining moment in his career. "That's kind of where it all started, as far as people's belief that I could do comedy, particularly that negative, caustic, cynical kind of guy," he told AV Club. "I was pretty good at doing that kind of humor. So that was a huge turning point."
Coleman also appeared in a handful of blockbuster '80s movies, most notably playing the no-good, demanding boss in "9 to 5," starring Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda. He also starred in "Tootsie" with Dustin Hoffman and "WarGames" with Matthew Broderick.
Dabney Coleman's children all became musicians
Dabney Coleman continued acting throughout the 2000s, winning Screen Actors Guild Awards two years in a row for his role as Commodore Louis Kaestner on "Boardwalk Empire" in 2010 and 2011. He also guest-starred on "NCIS" and "Yellowstone" in 2019.
Aside from his career, Coleman leaves behind a legacy that includes two ex-wives and several children. He was married to Ann Harrell from 1957 to 1959. He married Jean Hale in 1961 and the couple moved to Los Angeles. They divorced in 1984 and Coleman never remarried. Coleman told AARP that his children, including Quincy Coleman, all became musicians rather than actors. "They grew up listening to different kinds of music that I played for them constantly — classical, country, and western," he said. "For some reason, they're all attuned to jazz. I'm not a big jazz fan myself, but they all have a definite ear for that. They're all very good musicians."
In 2014, Coleman received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. "The charismatic Dabney Coleman has a well-deserved reputation as one of Hollywood's finest actors. He constantly delivers characters with diverse and poignant roles," said Hollywood Chamber President/CEO Leron Gubler in a statement at the time.