Dabney Coleman
Known for: Acting
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).
Filmography
Series
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Frank Hager
1999
Series
NCIS
Army Corporal John Sydney
2003
Series
Yellowstone
John Dutton Sr.
2018
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
1975
Series
Columbo
Hugh Creighton
1971
Series
Columbo
Detective Murray
1971
Series
The Fugitive
Floyd
1963
Series
The Fugitive
Sergeant Keith
1963
Series
The Fugitive
Officer George Graham
1963
Series
The Fugitive
Steve
1963
Series
The Love Boat
Van Milner
1977
Series
Bonanza
Clyde
1959
Series
Bonanza
Ivar Peterson
1959
Series
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Congressman Phil Whitman
1970
Series
Ironside
Daniel Leary
1967
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee
1944
Series
Boardwalk Empire
Commodore Louis Kaestner
2010
Series
The Donna Reed Show
Rallye Master
1958
Series
Mannix
Ralph Stoner
1967
Series
Mannix
Howard Graham
1967
Series
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Tom Esterow
1962
Series
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Sgt. Lou Snyder
1962
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Sergeant Harry King
1963
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Stanley Rivkin
1963
Series
Ray Donovan
Mr. Price
2013
Series
Quincy, M.E.
Dr. Burt Travers
1976
Series
Quincy, M.E.
Officer Peter O'Neil
1976
Series
Dr. Kildare
Dr. David Kirkson
1961
Series
The Flying Nun
Sub. Captain
1967
Series
I Dream of Jeannie
George Webb
1965
Series
I Dream of Jeannie
Captain Yardley
1965
Series
Cannon
1971
Series
The Guardian
Burton Fallin
2001
Series
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Merle Jeeter
1976
Series
Naked City
Resident
1958
Series
Recess
Principal Peter Prickly (voice)
1997
Series
Ben Casey
1961
Series
Barnaby Jones
George Clark
1973
Series
Barnaby Jones
Ted Sayers
1973
Series
Barnaby Jones
Brad Adamson
1973
Series
Barnaby Jones
Paul Cleveland
1973
Series
The F.B.I.
Ira Barker
1965
Series
The F.B.I.
Allen Clarke
1965
Series
The F.B.I.
Stanley Leonard
1965
Series
The F.B.I.
Sam Langlin
1965
Series
The F.B.I.
Ty Williams
1965
Series
The F.B.I.
Mr. Jamison
1965
Series
The F.B.I.
Barnes
1965
Series
Pound Puppies
Mayor (voice)
2010
Series
Medical Center
1969
Series
The Outer Limits
Dr. Williams
1963
Series
The Outer Limits
James Custer
1963
Series
The Outer Limits
Lt. Rupert Lawrence Howard (uncredited)
1963
Series
Run for Your Life
Fred Palmer
1965
Series
The Invaders
Capt. Mitchell Ross
1967
Series
The Invaders
John Carter
1967
Series
Room 222
1969
Series
Kraft Suspense Theatre
William Gunther
1963
Series
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Alvin Piper
1963
Series
Kojak
Alex Linden
1973
Series
That Girl
1966
Series
That Girl
Dr. Leon Bessemer
1966
Series
The Magic School Bus
Horace Scope (voice)
1994
Series
Hazel
Les Swanton
1961
Series
The Streets of San Francisco
George Todd
1972
Series
The Streets of San Francisco
Andrew Horvath, Sr.
1972
Series
12 O'Clock High
Captain Wilson
1964
Series
12 O'Clock High
Captain Robbins
1964
Film
You've Got Mail
Nelson Fox
1998
Series
Switch
C.C. Owens
1975
Series
McMillan & Wife
Hansen
1971
Series
McMillan & Wife
Walter Jennings
1971
Series
Police Story
1973
Series
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Monsieur Fox (voice)
1995
Series
Petrocelli
Willy Morgan
1974
Series
The Mod Squad
John
1968
Series
For the People
Donald
2018
Series
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
Frank Wellmam
1971
Series
Arrest and Trial
Wayne Holton
1963
Series
The Zeta Project
2001
Series
Judd, for the Defense
1967
Film
Stuart Little
Dr. Beechwood
1999
Film
WarGames
McKittrick
1983
Series
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
Dr. Goldstone
1969
Series
Then Came Bronson
Dr. Ron Carlisle
1969
Series
Nanny and the Professor
Detective Robinson
1970
Film
Midway
Captain Murray Arnold
1976
Film
Inspector Gadget
Chief Quimby
1999
Film
The Towering Inferno
Deputy Chief #1
1974
Series
The Manhunter
1974
Series
Search
1972
Series
Medical Story
Blair
1975
Film
Tootsie
Ron Carlisle
1982
Series
Dan August
Rick Bessett
1970
Series
Please Don't Eat the Daisies
Clark
1965
Film
Nine to Five
Franklin M. Hart Jr.
1980
Series
Madman of the People
Jack 'Madman' Buckner
1994
Film
The Beverly Hillbillies
Milburn Drysdale
1993
Series
Banyon
Ralph Hubbard
1972
Film
On Golden Pond
Bill Ray
1981
Series
Heartland
Dr. Bart Jacobs
2007
Film
Dragnet
Jerry Caesar
1987
Series
Fernwood 2 Night
Mayor Merle Jeeter
1977
Film
Rules Don't Apply
Raymond Holliday
2016
Film
Recess: School's Out
Principal Peter Prickly (voice)
2001
Film
The Muppets Take Manhattan
Martin Price
1984
Film
Amos & Andrew
Chief of Police Cecil Tolliver
1993
Film
Domino
Drake Bishop
2005
Film
The Man with One Red Shoe
Cooper
1985
Series
Kraft Mystery Theatre
1961
Series
Buffalo Bill
Bill Bittinger
1983
Series
Forever Fernwood
1977
Series
Fresno
Tyler Cane
1986
Series
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
Film
Bite the Bullet
Jack Parker
1975
Film
Downhill Racer
Mayo
1969
Film
Rolling Thunder
Maxwell
1977
Drexell's Class
1991
Film
This Property Is Condemned
Salesman
1966
Film
Cloak & Dagger
Jack Flack / Hal Osborne
1984
Series
Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan
Paul Mathison
1975
Film
Young Doctors in Love
Dr. Joseph Prang
1982
Series
Courting Alex
Jack Atwell
2006
Film
Clifford
Gerald Ellis
1994
Film
Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade
Principal Prickly (voice)
2003
Film
Short Time
Burt Simpson
1990
Film
Where the Red Fern Grows
Grandpa
2003
Film
Moonlight Mile
Mike Mulcahey
2002
Film
How to Beat the High Cost of Living
Jack Heintzel
1980
Film
Melvin and Howard
Judge Keith Hayes
1980
Film
Night of 100 Stars II
Self
1985
Film
The Trouble with Girls
Harrison Wilby
1969
Film
Hot to Trot
Walter Sawyer
1988
Film
Recess: All Growed Down
Principal Prickley (voice)
2003
Film
The Scalphunters
Jed
1968
Series
Sons and Daughters
1974
Film
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
Self
1987
Film
North Dallas Forty
Emmett Hunter
1979
Series
Baby M
Gary Skoloff
1988
Series
Diff'rent Strokes
1978
Film
Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street
Principal Peter Prickly
2001
Film
Bad Ronald
Mr. Wood
1974
Film
Modern Problems
Mark Winslow
1981
Film
The Slender Thread
Charlie
1965
Series
The Slap Maxwell Story
1987
Film
A Witch's Way of Love
Joel
1997
Film
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Self
1990
Film
Where the Heart Is
Stewart McBain
1990
Film
The Dove
Charles Huntley
1974
Film
My Date with the President's Daughter
President George Richmond
1998
Film
Cinderella Liberty
Executive Officer
1973
Film
Target Earth
Senator Ben Arnold
1998
Film
Callie & Son
Randall Bordeaux
1981
Film
The Other Side of the Mountain
Dave McCoy
1975
Film
When She Was Bad...
Jack Wilson
1979
Series
Apple Pie
Fast Eddie Murtaugh
1978
Film
Plaza Suite
Jesse Kiplinger
1987
Film
There Goes the Neighborhood
Jeffrey Babitt
1992
Film
The President's Plane Is Missing
Sen. Bert Haines
1973
Film
Exiled
Lieutenant Kevin Stolper
1998
Film
Giving It Up
Johnathan Gallant
1999
Film
Pray TV
Marvin Fleece
1980
Lincoln
Stephen A. Douglas (voice)
1992
Film
Kiss Me... Kill Me
Capt. Logan
1976
Film
Kiss My Act
Henry
2001
Film
Nothing Personal
Dickerson
1980
Film
Moving Target
1973
Film
Viva Knievel!
Ralph Thompson
1977
Film
Maybe Baby
Hal
1988
Film
Char·ac·ter
Self
2012
Film
I Love My Wife
Frank Donnelly
1970
Film
Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan
Paul Mathison
1975
Film
Still Working 9 to 5
Self
2022
Film
Savage!
Ted Seligson
1973
Film
Hard Four
Spray Loomis
2007
Film
Meet the Applegates
Aunt Bea
1990
Film
Dying Room Only
Bob Mitchell
1973
Film
The Brotherhood of the Bell
Agent Shepard
1970
Film
Judicial Consent
Charles Mayron
1994
Film
Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story
Ed Sigel
1987
Film
In the Line of Duty: Kidnapped
Arthur Milo
1995
Film
The Making of Midway
Self
2001
Film
Devil's Food
Seymour Kecker
1996
Film
Maneaters Are Loose!
McCallum
1978
Film
The Case of the Baltimore Girls
George Bates
1978
Film
Never Forget
William Cox
1991
Film
How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale
John Kennedy
2000
Film
The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
Dabney Coleman
1986
Film
More Than Friends
Joshua 'Josh' Harrington
1978
Film
Black Fist
Heineken
1977
Film
The Climb
Mack
2002
Dan August: The Jealousy Factor
Rick Bessett
1980
Film
Sworn to Silence
Martin Costigan
1987
Film
House of Evil
1974
Film
Returning Home
Al Stephenson
1975
Film
Murrow
William Paley
1986
Film
Must Be Santa
1999
Taken
Ethan Grover
1999