Peter Scolari’s Death Mourned by ‘Bosom Buddies’ Fans and More on Social Media

Peter Scolari, the beloved actor who starred alongside Tom Hanks in Bosom Buddies and won an Emmy for Girls, died on Friday. He was 66. Scolari’s death came after a two-year battle with cancer, his Wright Entertainment manager Ellen Lubin Sanitsky told Variety. After the news broke, many of his fans and his colleagues shared their condolences on social media.

Scolari was born in New Rochelle, New York, and began acting in the late 1970s. He scored his first major television role as Henry Desmond in Bosom Buddies, the 1980-1982 ABC sitcom co-starring Tom Hanks. The two played single men working in creative advertising in the short-lived series. His next big role came as Michael Harris in Bob Newhart’s 1982-1990 series Newhart. Scolari played Michael Harris, the producer of Dick Loudon’s (Newhart) TV show. The role earned Scolari his first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

“I knew that Peter was sick, but his death still comes as a great shock. We were friends and colleagues for over 40 years,” Newhart said in a statement to Variety. “Julia [Duffy] and Peter, as a vacuous couple (Michael and Stephanie), were an essential part of the success of Newhart. In life, he was a fantastic person, and it was a joy to work together. He will be sorely missed and his passing at 66 is much too early.”

Scolari had over 100 credits to his name, and he finally won an Emmy in 2016 for Girls, in which he played Lena Dunham’s on-screen father. Although he was fighting cancer, Scolari continued acting until his last days, appearing in Fosse/Verdon, Blue Bloods, and Lisey’s Story recently. He also had a recurring role on the CBS/Paramount+ series Evil.

Scolari is survived by his wife, Tacy Shayne, and children Nicholas, Joseph, Keaton, and Cali. “The only thing that matched his love for his family and his passion for acting was his love of being in service to others,” Shayne said in a statement released by Scolari’s manager. Scroll on to see how fans and Hollywood remembered Scolari’s life and work. 

He ‘couldn’t have been cooler’

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“Peter Scolari was kind enough to appear in our Bosom Buddies episode of The Greatest Event in TV History, and of course couldn’t have been cooler and more generous with his time. I was honored to borrow his role of Henry, even for just a minute,” Adam Scott wrote.

‘A wonderful career’

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“RIP dear Peter Scolari. I was lucky enough to work with you and learn from you onstage and screen. A sweet funny cool dude,” Jackie Hoffman wrote. “I hope you get gigs wherever you are.”

‘He was funny, talented, and caring’

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“I don’t have the words to describe what a good man Peter Scolari was, besides being a tremendous talent he was always willing to reach out a hand and help others. He had many gifts in his life and he always shared them freely,” comedian Noel Casler wrote. “Rest Easy, Peter.”

‘One of the best’

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“What a wonderful actor he was! So sad to hear of the loss of the versatile Peter Scolari. I never had the chance to work with him, but I’m grateful for a lifetime of his brilliant performances,” Mark Hamill wrote. 

‘So grateful to have grown up with his work’

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“Sad to see the news that Peter Scolari lost his battle with cancer,” Harvey Fierstein wrote. “There wasn’t a sweeter man on the planet. We performed together in HAIRSPRAY for a time and he was always a total delight. Farewell, dear Peter.”

‘Peter was beloved on our set’

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“Peter was beloved on our set by the cast, the crew, and the writers not only because he was mensch and a giving actor, but because he took what otherwise was the straight man part and turned it into a comic pleasure,” Evil creators Robert and Michelle King said in a statement to Variety. “He always found different ways to phrase things or find odd pauses in the middle of sentences. You could see him molding the lines looking for the laughs. Watching his dailies was always a thrill because you saw his craft in action. He worked with us right up until April 27th, and he was great in every episode. We are going to miss him dreadfully.”