Sad sad day around here. Peter Boyle, one of the most prolific character actors in movies today has passed away as a result of multiple myeloma and heart disease. The great man was only 71.
Many people will think of things like “Everyone Loves Raymond” or “Joe” or “Young Frankenstein” when they think of Boyle, but my personal favorite memories of the man were his spots in Johnny Dangerously, The Shadow (which we’ve been talking a lot about around here recently) and The Dream Team. The guy had so much pure power which lent himself to being perfect for comedy. This man will be missed. Yahoo News has a great story about the guy which sums him up perfectly… it’s how he got the role on Everyone Loves Raymond:
When Boyle tried out for the role opposite series star Ray Romano’s Ray Barone, however, he was kept waiting for his audition and he was not happy. “He came in all hot and angry,” recalled the show’s creator, Phil Rosenthal, “and I hired him because I was afraid of him.” But Rosenthal also noted: “I knew right away that he had a comic presence.”
Great story! I thought for sure we’s have this gem with us for another 15-20 years… how sad for us all that we don’t. Our warmed condolences go out to the friends and family of Peter Boyle. Thanks for so many memories.
