Dabney Coleman
Born
January 3, 1932 (age 92)
Died
May 16, 2024
Birthplace
Austin, Texas, USA

Dabney Coleman

Dabney Wharton Coleman (January 3, 1932 – May 16, 2024) was an American actor. Coleman's best known films include 9 to 5 (1980), On Golden Pond (1981), Tootsie (1982), WarGames (1983), Cloak & Dagger (1984), The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), You've Got Mail (1998), Inspector Gadget (1999), Recess: School's Out (2001), Moonlight Mile (2002), and Rules Don't Apply (2016).

Coleman's television roles included the title characters of Buffalo Bill (1983–1984) and The Slap Maxwell Story (1987–1988), as well as Burton Fallin on The Guardian (2001–2004), the voice of Principal Peter Prickly on Recess (1997–2001), and Louis "The Commodore" Kaestner on Boardwalk Empire (2010–2011). He won one Primetime Emmy Award from six nominations and one Golden Globe Award from three nominations.

Coleman was a character actor with roles in well over 60 films and television programs to his credit. He trained with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City from 1958 to 1960.

Coleman made his Broadway debut in the short-lived A Call on Kuprin in 1961. In a 1964 episode of Kraft Suspense Theatre titled "The Threatening Eye", Coleman played private investigator William Gunther. Two years later, he played Dr. Leon Bessemer with Bonnie Scott as his wife Judy, neighbors and friends of the protagonist in Season 1 of That Girl, episode 3, "Never Change a Diaper on Opening Night". Noted for his moustache which he grew in 1973, he appeared in the sitcom wearing horn-rimmed glasses and with no facial hair. Other early roles in his career included a U.S. Olympic skiing team coach in Downhill Racer (1969), a high-ranking fire chief in The Towering Inferno (1974), and a wealthy Westerner in Bite the Bullet (1975). He portrayed an FBI agent in Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan (1975).

Movies

Rules Don't Apply
Rules Don't Apply
2016 ★ 5.7
Raymond Holliday
Hard Four
Hard Four
2007 ★ 4.4
Spray Loomis
Domino
Domino
2005 ★ 5.9
Drake Bishop
Recess: All Growed Down
Recess: All Growed Down
2003 ★ 6.5
Principal Prickley (voice)
Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade
Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade
2003 ★ 6.5
Principal Prickly (voice)
Where the Red Fern Grows
Where the Red Fern Grows
2003 ★ 5.9
Grandpa
Moonlight Mile
Moonlight Mile
2002 ★ 6.3
Mike Mulcahey
The Climb
The Climb
2002 ★ 5.7
Mack
Kiss My Act
Kiss My Act
2001 ★ 5.5
Henry
Recess: School's Out
Recess: School's Out
2001 ★ 6.6
Principal Peter Prickly (voice)
How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale
How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale
2000 ★ 3.4
John Kennedy
Stuart Little
Stuart Little
1999 ★ 6.1
Dr. Beechwood
Must Be Santa
Must Be Santa
1999 ★ 3.5
Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget
1999 ★ 4.5
Chief Quimby
Giving It Up
Giving It Up
1999 ★ 3.9
Johnathan Gallant
Taken
Taken
1999 ★ 4.0
Ethan Grover
You've Got Mail
You've Got Mail
1998 ★ 6.7
Nelson Fox
Exiled
Exiled
1998 ★ 5.8
Lieutenant Kevin Stolper
My Date with the President's Daughter
My Date with the President's Daughter
1998 ★ 6.9
President George Richmond
Target Earth
Target Earth
1998 ★ 4.2
Senator Ben Arnold
A Witch's Way of Love
A Witch's Way of Love
1997 ★ 5.2
Joel
Devil's Food
Devil's Food
1996
Seymour Kecker
In the Line of Duty: Kidnapped
In the Line of Duty: Kidnapped
1995 ★ 4.3
Arthur Milo
Judicial Consent
Judicial Consent
1994 ★ 5.1
Charles Mayron
Clifford
Clifford
1994 ★ 5.1
Gerald Ellis
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies
1993 ★ 6.3
Milburn Drysdale
Amos & Andrew
Amos & Andrew
1993 ★ 5.4
Chief of Police Cecil Tolliver
Lincoln
Lincoln
1992 ★ 6.8
Stephen A. Douglas (voice)
There Goes the Neighborhood
There Goes the Neighborhood
1992 ★ 5.3
Jeffrey Babitt
Never Forget
Never Forget
1991 ★ 4.2
William Cox
Meet the Applegates
Meet the Applegates
1990 ★ 5.4
Aunt Bea
Short Time
Short Time
1990 ★ 6.4
Burt Simpson
Where the Heart Is
Where the Heart Is
1990 ★ 6.1
Stewart McBain
Maybe Baby
Maybe Baby
1988 ★ 4.5
Hal
Hot to Trot
Hot to Trot
1988 ★ 5.2
Walter Sawyer
Plaza Suite
Plaza Suite
1987 ★ 6.0
Jesse Kiplinger
Dragnet
Dragnet
1987 ★ 6.0
Jerry Caesar
Sworn to Silence
Sworn to Silence
1987 ★ 6.0
Martin Costigan
Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story
Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story
1987
Ed Sigel
The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
1986 ★ 6.2
Dabney Coleman
Murrow
Murrow
1986 ★ 5.0
William Paley
The Man with One Red Shoe
The Man with One Red Shoe
1985 ★ 5.7
Cooper
The Muppets Take Manhattan
The Muppets Take Manhattan
1984 ★ 6.6
Martin Price
Cloak & Dagger
Cloak & Dagger
1984 ★ 6.3
Jack Flack / Hal Osborne
WarGames
WarGames
1983 ★ 7.1
McKittrick
Tootsie
Tootsie
1982 ★ 7.2
Ron Carlisle
Young Doctors in Love
Young Doctors in Love
1982 ★ 5.2
Dr. Joseph Prang
Modern Problems
Modern Problems
1981 ★ 5.3
Mark Winslow
On Golden Pond
On Golden Pond
1981 ★ 7.2
Bill Ray
Callie & Son
Callie & Son
1981 ★ 6.7
Randall Bordeaux
Dan August: The Jealousy Factor
Dan August: The Jealousy Factor
1980 ★ 2.0
Rick Bessett
Nine to Five
Nine to Five
1980 ★ 6.9
Franklin M. Hart Jr.
Melvin and Howard
Melvin and Howard
1980 ★ 6.4
Judge Keith Hayes
How to Beat the High Cost of Living
How to Beat the High Cost of Living
1980 ★ 5.0
Jack Heintzel
Pray TV
Pray TV
1980 ★ 4.8
Marvin Fleece
Nothing Personal
Nothing Personal
1980 ★ 5.3
Dickerson
When She Was Bad...
When She Was Bad...
1979 ★ 5.0
Jack Wilson
North Dallas Forty
North Dallas Forty
1979 ★ 6.6
Emmett Hunter
More Than Friends
More Than Friends
1978
Joshua 'Josh' Harrington
Maneaters Are Loose!
Maneaters Are Loose!
1978
McCallum
The Case of the Baltimore Girls
The Case of the Baltimore Girls
1978
George Bates
Rolling Thunder
Rolling Thunder
1977 ★ 6.8
Maxwell
Black Fist
Black Fist
1977 ★ 4.0
Heineken
Viva Knievel!
Viva Knievel!
1977 ★ 3.6
Ralph Thompson
Midway
Midway
1976 ★ 6.6
Captain Murray Arnold
Kiss Me... Kill Me
Kiss Me... Kill Me
1976 ★ 7.0
Capt. Logan
The Other Side of the Mountain
The Other Side of the Mountain
1975 ★ 6.3
Dave McCoy
Bite the Bullet
Bite the Bullet
1975 ★ 6.4
Jack Parker
Returning Home
Returning Home
1975 ★ 5.0
Al Stephenson
Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan
Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan
1975 ★ 5.0
Paul Mathison
The Towering Inferno
The Towering Inferno
1974 ★ 7.0
Deputy Chief #1
Bad Ronald
Bad Ronald
1974 ★ 6.2
Mr. Wood
The Dove
The Dove
1974 ★ 6.3
Charles Huntley
House of Evil
House of Evil
1974 ★ 6.0
Cinderella Liberty
Cinderella Liberty
1973 ★ 6.6
Executive Officer
The President's Plane Is Missing
The President's Plane Is Missing
1973 ★ 6.2
Sen. Bert Haines
Dying Room Only
Dying Room Only
1973 ★ 6.6
Bob Mitchell
Moving Target
Moving Target
1973
Savage
Savage
1973 ★ 5.7
Ted Seligson
I Love My Wife
I Love My Wife
1970 ★ 2.0
Frank Donnelly
The Brotherhood of the Bell
The Brotherhood of the Bell
1970 ★ 5.5
Agent Shepard
Downhill Racer
Downhill Racer
1969 ★ 5.8
Mayo
The Trouble with Girls
The Trouble with Girls
1969 ★ 4.7
Harrison Wilby
The Scalphunters
The Scalphunters
1968 ★ 6.4
Jed
This Property Is Condemned
This Property Is Condemned
1966 ★ 6.4
Salesman
The Slender Thread
The Slender Thread
1965 ★ 7.1
Charlie

TV Series

Yellowstone
Yellowstone
2018 ★ 8.3
John Dutton Sr.
1 Episode
For The People
For The People
2018 ★ 7.3
Donald
1 Episode
Ray Donovan
Ray Donovan
2013 ★ 7.5
Mr. Price
1 Episode
Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies
2010 ★ 5.2
Mayor (voice)
4 Episodes
Boardwalk Empire
Boardwalk Empire
2010 ★ 8.0
Commodore Louis Kaestner
24 Episodes
Heartland
Heartland
2007 ★ 6.5
Dr. Bart Jacobs
6 Episodes
Courting Alex
Courting Alex
2006 ★ 5.3
Jack Atwell
12 Episodes
NCIS
NCIS
2003 ★ 7.6
Army Corporal John Sydney
1 Episode
The Guardian
The Guardian
2001 ★ 6.9
Burton Fallin
67 Episodes
The Zeta Project
The Zeta Project
2001 ★ 7.5
1 Episode
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999 ★ 7.9
Frank Hager
1 Episode
Recess
Recess
1997 ★ 7.7
Principal Peter Prickly (voice)
5 Episodes
E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story
1996 ★ 8.1
1 Episode
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995 ★ 6.0
Monsieur Fox (voice)
1 Episode
Madman of the People
Madman of the People
1994 ★ 6.0
Jack 'Madman' Buckner
16 Episodes
The Magic School Bus
The Magic School Bus
1994 ★ 7.6
Horace Scope (voice)
1 Episode
Drexell's Class
Drexell's Class
1991 ★ 5.5
18 Episodes
Baby M
Baby M
1988 ★ 5.0
Gary Skoloff
2 Episodes
The Slap Maxwell Story
The Slap Maxwell Story
1987 ★ 3.0
22 Episodes
Fresno
Fresno
1986 ★ 6.4
Tyler Cane
5 Episodes
Buffalo Bill
Buffalo Bill
1983 ★ 6.3
Bill Bittinger
26 Episodes
Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes
1978 ★ 7.1
2 Episodes
Apple Pie
Apple Pie
1978 ★ 6.0
Fast Eddie Murtaugh
2 Episodes
Forever Fernwood
Forever Fernwood
1977 ★ 5.0
30 Episodes
The Love Boat
The Love Boat
1977 ★ 6.3
Van Milner
1 Episode
Fernwood 2 Night
Fernwood 2 Night
1977 ★ 5.7
Mayor Merle Jeeter
2 Episodes
Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E.
1976 ★ 7.5
Dr. Burt Travers
1 Episode
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
1976 ★ 7.1
Merle Jeeter
325 Episodes
Switch
Switch
1975 ★ 6.7
C.C. Owens
1 Episode
Medical Story
Medical Story
1975 ★ 3.0
1 Episode
Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters
1974
1 Episode
The Manhunter
The Manhunter
1974 ★ 5.0
1 Episode
Petrocelli
Petrocelli
1974 ★ 7.2
Willy Morgan
1 Episode
Kojak
Kojak
1973 ★ 7.0
Alex Linden
1 Episode
Police Story
Police Story
1973 ★ 6.9
2 Episodes
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones
1973 ★ 6.9
George Clark
1 Episode
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco
1972 ★ 7.0
George Todd
1 Episode
Banyon
Banyon
1972 ★ 7.0
Ralph Hubbard
1 Episode
Search
Search
1972 ★ 6.9
1 Episode
McMillan & Wife
McMillan & Wife
1971 ★ 6.9
Hansen
1 Episode
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1971 ★ 6.3
Frank Wellmam
1 Episode
Columbo
Columbo
1971 ★ 8.1
Hugh Creighton
1 Episode
Cannon
Cannon
1971 ★ 6.6
1 Episode
Dan August
Dan August
1970 ★ 6.8
Rick Bessett
1 Episode
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970 ★ 7.5
Congressman Phil Whitman
1 Episode
Nanny and the Professor
Nanny and the Professor
1970 ★ 6.0
Detective Robinson
1 Episode
Medical Center
Medical Center
1969 ★ 6.1
1 Episode
Then Came Bronson
Then Came Bronson
1969 ★ 4.8
Dr. Ron Carlisle
1 Episode
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
1969 ★ 4.0
Dr. Goldstone
1 Episode
Room 222
Room 222
1969 ★ 6.0
1 Episode
The Mod Squad
The Mod Squad
1968 ★ 6.2
John
1 Episode
Mannix
Mannix
1967 ★ 6.7
Ralph Stoner
1 Episode
Judd for the Defense
Judd for the Defense
1967 ★ 7.5
1 Episode
The Flying Nun
The Flying Nun
1967 ★ 6.3
Sub. Captain
1 Episode
Ironside
Ironside
1967 ★ 6.8
Daniel Leary
1 Episode
The Invaders
The Invaders
1967 ★ 6.8
Capt. Mitchell Ross
1 Episode
That Girl
That Girl
1966 ★ 6.1
8 Episodes
The F.B.I.
The F.B.I.
1965 ★ 5.4
Ira Barker
1 Episode
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie
1965 ★ 7.8
Lt. George Webb
1 Episode
Please Don't Eat the Daisies
Please Don't Eat the Daisies
1965 ★ 6.6
Clark
1 Episode
Run for Your Life
Run for Your Life
1965 ★ 7.2
Fred Palmer
1 Episode
12 O'Clock High
12 O'Clock High
1964 ★ 7.2
Captain Wilson
1 Episode
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963 ★ 5.3
William Gunther
1 Episode
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963 ★ 5.7
Sergeant Harry King
1 Episode
The Fugitive
The Fugitive
1963 ★ 7.2
Floyd
1 Episode
The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits
1963 ★ 7.8
Dr. Williams
1 Episode
Arrest and Trial
Arrest and Trial
1963 ★ 7.7
Wayne Holton
1 Episode
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962 ★ 7.9
Tom Esterow
1 Episode
Ben Casey
Ben Casey
1961 ★ 5.6
1 Episode
Hazel
Hazel
1961 ★ 6.8
Les Swanton
1 Episode
Dr. Kildare
Dr. Kildare
1961 ★ 5.5
Dr. David Kirkson
1 Episode
Kraft Mystery Theatre
Kraft Mystery Theatre
1961 ★ 6.0
1 Episode
Bonanza
Bonanza
1959 ★ 7.5
Clyde
1 Episode
Naked City
Naked City
1958 ★ 5.5
Resident
1 Episode
The Donna Reed Show
The Donna Reed Show
1958 ★ 6.2
Rallye Master
1 Episode