“Newhart” and “Bosom Buddies” star Peter Scolari is dead at age 66. His manager, Ellen Lubin Sanitsky at Wright Entertainment, told Variety that Scolari died Friday morning after a two-year battle with cancer.
Scolari first rose to fame for his role as Henry Desmond opposite Tom Hanks on the short-lived ‘80s sitcom “Bosom Buddies.” He was nominated for an Emmy three times for his role as Michael Harris on Bob Newhart’s TV show “Newhart,” and won an Emmy for his portrayal of Ted Horvath on HBO’s “Girls” as the father of Hannah (Lena Dunham).
His credits also include “Evil,” “Gotham,” “The Polar Express,” “Camp Nowhere,” “Murphy Brown,” “Perfect Harmony,” “Encyclopedia Brown,” “That Thing You Do!” and playing Wayne Szalinski in the ‘90s TV series adaptation of “Honey! I Shrunk the Kids.”
One of his final roles was as the father of Brandon Flynn’s character in “Looks That Kill,” an American High movie written and directed by Kellen Moore, which was released by Gravitas Ventures in June 2020.
Variety reports Scolari also appeared on Broadway many times, including in “Hairpsray,” “Wicked” and opposite Hanks in 2013′s “Lucky Guy.”
Survivors include his wife, Tracy Shayne, and four children.
