Peter Scolari

Peter Scolari
Scolari in 2010
Born	Peter Thomas Scolari (1955-09-12)September 12, 1955 New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
Died	October 22, 2021(2021-10-22) (aged 66) Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1978–2021
Spouses	Lisa Kretzchmar ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1983)​ Debra Steagal ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 1996)​ Cathy Trien ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2004)​ Tracy Shayne ​ ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	4

Peter Thomas Scolari (September 12, 1955 – October 22, 2021) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Michael Harris on Newhart (1984–1990), Henry Desmond on Bosom Buddies (1980–1982) and Wayne Szalinski on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1997–2000). Scolari received three Emmy nominations for his work on Newhart and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his recurring role as Tad Horvath on Girls in 2016.

Early life

Scolari was born in New Rochelle, New York, on September 12, 1955. He described his father as an abusive, "rageful man" and his mother as an alcoholic, and has said that their marriage was tumultuous. "They stayed together for the kids and also because they were hopelessly in love with each other, but they were totally incompatible," he said in an interview with the Toronto Star. Scolari was active in the Theatre Department of Occidental College in Eagle Rock, California in the 1970's. He left the school after two years to pursue his professional career.

Career

Television

Scolari's first ongoing role was in the short-lived 1980 sitcom Goodtime Girls as the juggling neighbor of the title characters. He and Tom Hanks were then cast in another sitcom, Bosom Buddies, as men who disguise themselves as women to live in an affordable apartment in a women's-only residence. After Bosom Buddies was canceled in 1982, Scolari joined the cast of Newhart in 1984, in which he played Michael Harris, a yuppie local TV producer. Scolari stayed with the series until its conclusion in 1990.

Following central roles in the unsuccessful series Family Album and Dweebs, Scolari spent three seasons playing inventor Wayne Szalinski, a role originated on film by Rick Moranis, in the TV adaptation of the Disney film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. He later had a recurring role as the father of Lena Dunham's character on HBO's Girls, for which he won an Emmy in 2016. He also portrayed Gotham City’s corrupt police commissioner Gillian B. Loeb in Fox’s superhero crime drama Gotham and Bishop Marx on Paramount's series Evil (2019–2021).

Broadway

Scolari appeared on Broadway in Wicked (as the Wizard of Oz), Sly Fox, Hairspray and Lucky Guy, which reunited him with his Bosom Buddies co-star Hanks. Scolari also appeared Off-Broadway in Old Man Joseph and His Family, The Exonerated, In the Wings, The Music Man and White's Lies.

In 1996, Scolari starred in a version of the stage musical Stop the World – I Want to Get Off, produced for the A&E television network.

In 2014, Scolari portrayed Yogi Berra in Bronx Bombers. His wife Tracy Shayne played Berra's wife Carmen.

Personal life

Scolari was married to Debra Steagal and later to actress Cathy Trien, with whom he had two children. He married his longtime girlfriend, actress Tracy Shayne, in June 2013.

A 2014 episode of Oprah: Where Are They Now? brought up Scolari's substance abuse and his struggle with bipolar disorder.

Scolari was an avid juggler and occasionally showcased his talents on television, including a performance during the 1982 Circus of the Stars and in talk-show appearances.

Death

Scolari died from leukemia in Manhattan on October 22, 2021, at age 66. He had been diagnosed with the disease two years earlier.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1978	Take Off	Kookie	Segment: "1950s"
1984	The Rosebud Beach Hotel	Elliot Garner
1986	Mr. Bill's Real Life Adventures	Mr. Bill	Short film
1990	Corporate Affairs	Simon Tanner
1993	Ticks	Charles Danson	Video
1994	Camp Nowhere	Donald Himmel
1996	That Thing You Do!	Troy Chesterfield
2002	Sorority Boys	Louis
2004	The Polar Express	Billy - Lonely Boy
2005	Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D	Pete Conrad	Voice, documentary short
2006	Mentor	Jonathan Parks
	Cathedral Pines	Father Mike McGary
2007	Suburban Girl	Mickey Lamm
	A Plumm Summer	Agent Hardigan
2012	Letting Go	Bill
2016	Dean	Patrick
2018	All You Can Eat	Dr. Zakreski
2020	Looks That Kill	Paul Richardson

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1979	Wally Brown	Douglas Burdett	Unknown episode
	Angie	Kenny	Episode: "The Thief"
1980	Goodtime Girls	Benny Loman	13 episodes
1980–1982	Bosom Buddies	Henry Desmond / Hildegarde 'Hilde' Desmond	37 episodes
1982	Circus of the Stars #7	Himself	TV special
	Remington Steele	Albie Fervitz	Episode: "Steele Waters Run Deep"
	Missing Children: A Mother's Story	Woody	Television film
1983	Carpool	Robert Duff
	Happy Days	Jake	Episode: "May the Best Man Win"
	Baby Makes Five	Eddie Riddle	5 episodes
1984	Amazons	Dr. Jerry Menzies	Television film
	Finder of Lost Loves	Ted Caton	Episode: "A Gift"
	Steambath	Paul	Episode: "Tandy's Legacy"
1984–1990	Newhart	Michael Harris	142 episodes Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (1987–1989)
1986	Hotel	Tom	Episode: "Shadows of Doubt: Part 1"
	Family Ties	Paul Kenter	Episode "Once in Love with Elyse"
	You Are the Jury	Stephen Best	Episode: "The State of Ohio vs. James Wolsky"
	The Love Boat	Frank Hobbs, Wellington David Rothmeyer	3 episodes
	Fresno	Waiter	Television film
1987	Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery	Chris Robinson
	The New Mike Hammer	Andy Shales	Episode: "Green Blizzard"
	Harry Anderson's Sideshow	performer
1988	The Twilight Zone	Delos of Atlantis / Leonard Randall	Episode: "The Trance"
1989	CBS Summer Playhouse	Morgan	Episode: "Microchips"
	Trying Time	Howard LaMotta	Episode: "Death and Taxes"
	The Ryan White Story	David Day	Television film
1990	Encyclopedia Brown	Bandini	Episode: "The Case of the Incredible Culpepper"
	World's Greatest Magicians... At the Magic Castle	Unknown	Television film
1991	Danger Team	Police Officer Shields
	Fire: Trapped on the 37th Floor	Paul DeWitt
	Perfect Harmony	Derek Sanders
	Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin	David Katz
1992	The House on Sycamore Street	Dr. Zachary 'Zach' Drummond
1992	Nurses	George Myrock	Episode: "Our Fred"
1992–1995	Batman: The Animated Series	John Hamner, Gunther Hardwicke / Shark	Voice, 2 episodes
1993	Fallen Angels	Clerk	Episode: "I'll Be Waiting"
1993–1995	The Mommies	Ken Ballantine	2 episodes
1993	Family Album	Jonathan Lerner	6 episodes
1993–1994	Animaniacs	Wilford B. Wolf, Driver	Voice, 2 episodes
1994	Burke's Law	Johnny Lake	Episode: "Who Killed the Host at the Roast?"
1994	Empty Nest	Dieter Dietz	Episode: "Brotherly Shove"
1994	Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman	Stuart Hofferman	Episode: "The Source"
1994, 2001	Touched by an Angel	Charles Hibbard, Tim Albright	2 episodes
1994–1995	Dave's World	Fred, Kenny's Boss	2 episodes
1995	A Whole New Ballgame	Glenn	2 episodes
	Dweebs	Warren Mosbey	10 episodes
	Can't Hurry Love	Colin	Episode: "Three Blind Dates"
1995–1996	Gargoyles	Preston Vogel	Voice, 5 episodes
1996	The Home Court	Kenyon Stanton	Episode: "Syd & Sensibility"
	The Drew Carey Show	Councilman Kemp	Episode: "What the Zoning Inspector Saw"
	Stop the World, I Want to Get Off	Littlechap	Television film
	Talk to Me	Howard Grant
	For Hope	Date #2 (uncredited)
1997	Duckman	Brad	Voice, episode: "From Brad to Worse"
	The Nanny	Leslie Tilbert	Episode: "The Bank Robbery"
	George & Leo	Dr. Michael Harris	Episode: "The Cameo Episode"
1997–1998	Pinky and the Brain	Weird Guy, Mr. Perfect	Voice, 2 episodes
1997–2000	Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show	Wayne Szalinski / Various	66 episodes
1998	From the Earth to the Moon	Pete Conrad	Episode: "Can We Do This?"
	Hey Arnold!	Doug	Voice, episode: "Stinky Goes Hollywood/Olga Gets Engaged"
2000	The Ultimate Christmas Present	Edwin Hadley	Television film
2001	Ally McBeal	Hooley	Episode: "Nine One One"
2002	Reba	Parker Reynolds	Episode: "The Story of a Divorce"
	The King of Queens	Ron	Episode: "No Orleans"
	ER	Kyle Evans	Episode: "Bygones"
	The West Wing	Antares C.E.O. Jake Kimball	Episode: "Enemies Foreign and Domestic"
	What I Like About You	Dad	Episode: "Pilot"
	What's New, Scooby-Doo?	Prof. Higginso	Voice, episode: "Scooby-Doo Christmas"
2003	Sabrina, the Teenage Witch	Ringmaster	Episode: "Cirque du Sabrina"
2005	Listen Up	Andrew McKillop	2 episodes
2006	Big Love	Seminary Teacher	Episode: "Affair"
	American Dad!	Himself / Limo Driver	Voice, episode: "Roger n' Me"
2011	Batman: The Brave and the Bold	Ray Palmer / Atom	Episode: "Sword of the Atom!"
2012–2017	Girls	Tad Horvath	Recurring role, 21 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (2016) Nominated — Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series (2012)
2013	White Collar	Zimmer the Keymaster	Episode: "Brass Tacks"
2015	Gotham	Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb	5 episodes
	Chopped	Himself	Episode: "Tournament of Stars: Actors"
2016	Madoff	Peter Madoff	4 episodes
2017	Odd Mom Out	Lawyer	Episode: "Jury Doody"
	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Dr. Dennis Barkley	Episode: "Unintended Consequences"
2018	The Good Fight	Greg	Episode: "Day 436"
	Murphy Brown	Fred Noonan	Episode: "The Wheels on the Dog Go Round and Round"
2019	Fosse/Verdon	Mel	2 episodes
2019–2021	Evil	Bishop Thomas Marx	Recurring role, 9 episodes
2020	Blue Bloods	Captain Higgins	Episode: "Careful What You Wish For"
2021	Lisey's Story	Dave Debusher	2 episodes

External links

• Peter Scolari at IMDb
• Peter Scolari discography at Discogs
• Peter Scolari at the Internet Broadway Database
• Peter Scolari at Rotten Tomatoes