Actor Dabney Coleman, best known for comedic roles in "9 to 5," "Tootsie," "The Muppets Take Manhattan" and many other 1980s hit films, has passed away at age 92.
Coleman died Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, his daughter told The Hollywood Reporter.
“My father crafted his time here on Earth with a curious mind, a generous heart and a soul on fire with passion, desire and humor that tickled the funny bone of humanity,” she told the entertainment news outlet. “As he lived, he moved through this final act of his life with elegance, excellence and mastery.”
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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Dabney Coleman, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda pose backstage at The Opening Night of Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" at The Ahmanson Theater on September 20, 2008 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic) ![]()
HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 06: (L-R) bottom President/CEO Leron Gubler, actor Dabney Coleman, Councilman Tom LaBonge, (L-R) Top Dennis Klein, Mark Rydell and guest honor Dabney Coleman with a Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 6, 2014 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images) ![]()
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON -- Pictured: (l-r) Actor Dabney Coleman during an interview with host Johnny Carson on April 25, 1991 -- (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images) ![]()
Pasadena, CA - 1983: Dabney Coleman appearing at the 1983 Emmy Awards / 35th Annual Emmy Awards, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. (Photo by Brigitte Wiltzer /American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images) ![]()
Actor Dabney Coleman poses for a portrait in New York City on April 26, 1990. (Photo by George Chinsee/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)
Coleman was born in Austin, Texas, in 1932. He attended the Virginia Military Academy and served in the U.S. Army before launching his acting career, first on Broadway and television and later on the silver screen.
In the 1980 smash hit "9 to 5," Coleman played Franklin Hart Jr., the sexist, bigoted boss to Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The film grossed over $100 million and is widely viewed as one of the funniest films of its era. It also cemented Parton, who had already achieved success as a country singer and musician, as a mainstream pop culture icon.
In 1987, Coleman won an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor for his work on the ABC television movie "Sworn to Silence." He was also nominated for playing the title roles on TV’s "Buffalo Bill" and "The Slap Maxwell Story," according to his IMDB profile.
Other starring and co-starring roles included "WarGames" (1983), "Cloak & Dagger" (1984), "The Towering Inferno" (1974) and "You’ve Got Mail" (1998). Coleman received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 2014.
He is survived by four children and five grandchildren.