Peter Scolari
A versatile character actor who brought warmth and neurotic humor to every role, from sitcom sidekick to Broadway star.
1955–2021 (age 66)·American actor·Birthday: September 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Peter Scolari's career was a masterclass in reliable, nuanced support. He broke out opposite Tom Hanks in the cross-dressing sitcom 'Bosom Buddies,' but found his defining role as the endlessly frazzled, sycophantic producer Michael Harris on 'Newhart.' That performance, full of perfectly timed desperation, earned him three Emmy nominations. Scolari never stopped working, shifting seamlessly between television guest spots, stage work—including a Tony-nominated turn in 'Hairspray'—and a late-career highlight as Tad Horvath on 'Girls,' which finally won him an Emmy. He approached every part, big or small, with a grounded humanity, making him one of those actors audiences felt they knew personally.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Peter was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Peter Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Peter's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2021Died at 66
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
Key Achievements
- Received three consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role on the CBS sitcom 'Newhart.'
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Tad Horvath on HBO's 'Girls.'
- Earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for playing Wilbur Turnblad in 'Hairspray' on Broadway.
- Starred as Henry Desmond in the cult classic sitcom 'Bosom Buddies' alongside Tom Hanks early in both their careers.
Did You Know?
He and Tom Hanks remained close friends for life after meeting on 'Bosom Buddies.'
He was a frequent collaborator with Bob Newhart, also appearing on 'Bob' and 'The Bob Newhart Show' 19th Anniversary Special.
He performed the voice of the father, Hiram Flaversham, in the animated film 'The Great Mouse Detective.'
He publicly discussed his diagnosis with and treatment for lymphoma in 2015.
“Just tell me what Bob wants, and I'll make it happen for him.”
