‘9 to 5’ and ‘Tootsie’ star Dabney Coleman dead at 92
Dabney Coleman, most famous for his role on “9 to 5,” has died at the age of 92.
The Hollywood icon’s daughter, Quincy Coleman, told Page Six he “took his last earthly breath peacefully and exquisitely” at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., on Thursday.
“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 said in the statement. “As he lived, he moved through this final act of his life with elegance, excellence and mastery.”
She continued, “A teacher, a hero, and a king, Dabney Coleman is a gift and blessing in life and in death as his spirit will shine through his work, his loved ones and his legacy…eternally.”
Dabney’s cause of death is unclear.
The Texas native started working in the entertainment industry in the ’60s. However, it wasn’t until a decade later that he finally got his big break after landing the role as Merle Jeeter on “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.”
“[‘Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman’] was a huge turning point. That was the turning point in my career,” he told the A.V. Club in 2012.
“That’s kind of where it all started, as far as people’s belief that I could do comedy, particularly that negative, caustic, cynical kind of guy. I was pretty good at doing that kind of humor,” he explained.
“So that was a huge turning point, and it was a lot of fun. In my opinion, it’s probably the best thing I ever did.”
In 1980, Dabney cemented his ability to play world-class jerks after getting cast as Franklin Hart Jr. in “9 to 5.”
The dad of four played a diabolical boss overseeing characters played by Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton, whom he had nothing but praise for.
“All of ’em were well-established,” he told the outlet. “To varying degrees, but all extremely successful already. Almost icons in their fields, if you want to break it down like that.”
He continued, “And here’s this guy coming off of ‘Mary Hartman,’ which is not too shabby, but it was late-night TV. Anyway, what I’m alluding to is that all three of them went out of their way to make me feel equal. There’s no other way to put it. Status-wise and talent-wise, they all made me feel extremely secure and were very supportive.”
Some of Dabney’s other notable roles include Ron Carlisle in “Tootsie,” Nelson Fox in “You’ve Got Mail” and Bill Bittinger in “Buffalo Bill.”
He had nearly 180 acting credits throughout his decades-long career, with his last performance being in 2019 for an episode of “Yellowstone.”
Dabney was nominated for six Emmy awards, winning once for his work in 1987’s “Sworn to Silence.”
He was also nominated for three Golden Globes, taking home the hardware in 1988 for his performance in “The Slap Maxwell Story.”
Dabney, who was not married at the time of his death, is survived by his four children — Meghan, Kelly, Randy and Quincy — and five grandchildren.
