Topline
Emmy-Award winning actor Peter Scolari, best known for his roles as Tad Horvath in Girls and as Henry Desmond on Bosom Buddies with Tom Hanks, which shot him to fame, died at the age of 66 Friday, multiple news outlets report.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 10: Peter Scolari poses in the press room at the 2016 Creative Arts ... [+]
Key Facts
Scolari’s management company Ellen Lubin Sanitsky at Wright Entertainment confirmed to Deadline and Variety that the Emmy Award winner died in the morning after a two-year battle with cancer.
Scolari leaves behind his wife Tracy Shane, who he starred with in the 2014 Broadway show Bronx Bombers, and four children.
Tangent
Friends and colleagues took to social media to remember Scolari. His Girls co-star Lena Dunham wrote a tribute to the actor on Instagram, saying “I couldn’t have been raised up by a better TV ‘papa.’” Actor David Kaufman, who worked with Scolari on a show called The Grown Up, called him “a comedic genius.” Actor Harvey Fierstein, who starred with Scolari on the Broadway show Hairspray, said there “wasn’t a sweeter man on the planet.” Actor Michael Mckean said “we knew this was coming,” but also “that doesn’t make it easier.” Julia Duffy, Scolari’s co-star in Newhart said, there was “no better partner.”
Key Background
Scolari got his start in show business as Benny Loman, a friendly neighbor, on the 1980 show Goodtime Girls. He won attention for his roles on Bosom Buddies and as Michael Harris on Bob Newhart’s show Newhart, which ran from 1984 to 1990, and brought him Emmy nominations in 1987,1988 and 1989. He eventually won an Emmy for “Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series” in 2016 for his role playing Horvath in Girls. He also appeared on Broadway shows like Wicked, and Lucky Guy. He was known to have had a life-long friendship with Hanks after shooting Bosom Buddies together, and even starred with him on the Broadway show Magic/Bird.
