Dabney Coleman tributes pour in: ‘The best at playing guys who were the worst’
Dabney Coleman: The actor was praised in tributes for his wide range of character portrayals during his four-decade career. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Dabney Coleman was noted for playing despicable, unscrupulous characters on film and television, but Hollywood reacted with love for the actor after his death on Thursday.
The six-time Emmy Award nominee, who won an Emmy for his role in 1987 drama “Sworn to Silence,” was 92. He also received acclaim for his role as the awful boss in “9 to 5,” and as an unethical host of a television talk show in the 1980s sitcom “Buffalo Bill.”
He played a prejudicial soap opera director in “Tootsie,” but was also Jane Fonda’s love interest in “On Golden Pond” (1981) and a flustered computer scientist in “WarGames” (1983), The New York Times reported.
Tributes flowed from co-workers and friends. Actor Ben Stiller, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, said that Coleman “literally created, or defined” an archetype as a character actor.
I’ve gone to Dan Tana’s restaurant regularly all my adult life. Dabney Coleman was always there, sitting in booth number one (appropriately), having his trademark steak,” Woods tweeted. “I had always loved him as an actor, and loved him more as we became friends. ##RIPDabneyColeman.”
Actor John Ales, who co-starred with Coleman in 16 episodes of “Madman of the People” during the mid-1990s, called the actor a likable bad guy.
“As a kid I don’t think I found any villain more likable than mean Dabney Coleman,” Ales tweeted. “We shared a birthday. Months after my dad passed away, Dabney played my dad for the 1st time. We had countless dinners together. He was a complicated, hilarious genius who was so sweet to my mom.”
Others also added their thoughts on social media:
Film critic Richard Roeper summed up Coleman’s appeal, tweeting that “he was the best at playing guys who were the worst.”
Dabney Coleman: Dabney Coleman arrives at AFI FEST 2016 at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Dabney Coleman: Dabney Coleman, left, appearing in a 1970 episode of "Dan August." (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Con)
Dabney Coleman: Dabney Coleman appearing in the 1973 Walt Disney Television movie, "The President's Plane Is Missing." (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Con)
Dabney Coleman: Dabney Coleman appearing on the ABC television movie "Egan" in 1973. (Walt Disney Television Photo Arc/Disney General Entertainment Con)
Dabney Coleman: Dabney Coleman and Dave Madden in a 1978 episode of "The Love Boat." (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Con)
Dabney Coleman: From left, Jack Gilford, Rue McClanahan, Dabney Coleman in a promotional photo for the 1978 ABC series "Apple Pie." (Walt Disney Television Photo Arc/Disney General Entertainment Con)
Dabney Coleman: Dabney Coleman, left, appears in an 1979 episode of "Diff'rent Strokes." (NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Dabney Coleman: Suzanne Somers and Donald Sutherland argue with Dabney Coleman in a scene from the 1980 film "Nothing Personal." (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Dabney Coleman: Dolly Parton confront Dabney Coleman in the 1980 movie, "9 to 5." (Apic/Getty Images)
Dabney Coleman: Dustin Hoffman, left, looks on as Dabney Coleman, center, and George Gaynes argue in a scene from the film "Tootsie" in 1982. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Dabney Coleman: Dabney Coleman with the cast of "Buffalo Bill" in 1983. (NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Dabney Coleman: Dabney Coleman, left, talks with John Wood about the NORAD defense computers in a scene for the MGM/UA movie "WarGames" circa 1983. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Dabney Coleman: Dolly Parton and Dabney Coleman in 1988. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Con)
Dabney Coleman: Dabney Coleman is flanked by actors Clarence Williams and Harry Dean Stanton outside Dan Tanas restaurant in West Hollywood, California, in 2002. (David Klein/Getty Images)
Courting Alex Dabney Coleman, right, ties to manipulate Josh Stamberg into turning down a partner position at another firm while Jenna Elfman watches during a 2006 episode of "Courting Alex."
without making him a counteroffer, in the CBS comedy series "Courting Alex." (CBS Photo Archive/CBS via Getty Images)
Dabney Coleman: Dolly Parton, Dabney Coleman, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. (R. Diamond/WireImage)