Tom Bosley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tom Bosley
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Bosley in September 1960
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| Born |
Thomas Edward Bosley
October 1, 1927 |
| Died | October 19, 2010 (aged 83) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | DePaul University |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1955–2010 |
| Television | Happy Days Murder, She Wrote Father Dowling Mysteries |
| Spouse(s) |
Jean Eliot
(m. 1962; died 1978)Patricia Carr
(m. 1980) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Tony Award |
| Signature | |
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Tom Bosley (born October 1, 1927, died October 19, 2010) was a well-known American actor. He was famous for playing friendly, fatherly characters. Many people remember him as Howard Cunningham, the dad on the popular TV show Happy Days (1974-1984). For this role, he was even nominated for an Emmy Award.
He also played Sheriff Amos Tupper in the mystery series Murder, She Wrote (1984-1988) and the main character in Father Dowling Mysteries (1989-1991). Tom Bosley was also a talented stage actor. He won a Tony Award for his role as Fiorello LaGuardia in the Broadway musical Fiorello! in 1960.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Tom Bosley was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Dora and Benjamin Bosley. Even though he often played characters like a Catholic priest or Protestant dads, Tom Bosley was actually Jewish.
He went to Lake View High School in Chicago. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy. In 1947, while studying at DePaul University, he started his acting career on stage. He performed in the play Our Town. He also acted with famous actor Paul Newman in 1949 and 1950.
A Career in Acting
Tom Bosley's acting career began in the mid-1950s. His first TV appearance was in 1955 in Alice in Wonderland.
Stage Successes
His big break on stage came in 1959. He played Fiorello H. La Guardia, a former New York City mayor, in the musical Fiorello!. This role earned him a special award called a Tony Award.
Years later, in 1994, he joined the Broadway cast of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. He played the character of Maurice. He also toured with the musical Show Boat.
First Film Roles
Tom Bosley's first movie role was in 1963 in Love with the Proper Stranger. He acted alongside Natalie Wood. Other movies he appeared in include The World of Henry Orient (1964) and Yours, Mine and Ours (1968). He also shared a personal story about the the Holocaust in a documentary called Paper Clips.
Tom Bosley was a guest star on many TV shows early in his career. These included Bonanza, Bewitched, Get Smart, and Mission: Impossible. He even appeared in an episode of Night Gallery that was directed by Steven Spielberg.
Becoming a Household Name
Tom Bosley became very famous for his role as Howard Cunningham on the TV show Happy Days. This show was about a family in the 1950s and 60s. He played the kind, understanding father of Richie and Joanie Cunningham.
After Happy Days, he continued to act in other popular TV shows. He was Sheriff Amos Tupper in Murder, She Wrote, a mystery series starring Angela Lansbury. He then played the main character, Father Frank Dowling, in Father Dowling Mysteries.
His later film roles included The Back-up Plan (2010) and Santa Buddies (2010). These were his last movies.
Voice Acting and Commercials
Tom Bosley had a unique, deep voice. This made him a great voice actor for cartoons and documentaries. He narrated the TV show That's Hollywood. He also hosted a radio drama series for kids called The General Mills Radio Adventure Theater.
He voiced Harry Boyle in the cartoon series Wait Till Your Father Gets Home. He was also the voice of David the Gnome in The World of David the Gnome.
Tom Bosley also appeared in many commercials. He was known for advertising Glad Sandwich and Garbage Bags in the 1970s and 80s. He also did radio commercials for the Saturn car company.
Lawsuit About Happy Days Earnings
In 2011, after Tom Bosley passed away, his family and four other actors from Happy Days filed a lawsuit. They sued CBS, the company that owned the show. The actors claimed they had not been paid their fair share from merchandise sales. This included items like comic books, T-shirts, and DVDs that featured their images.
Their contracts said they should get a percentage of the money from these sales. CBS said they owed the actors a smaller amount, but the actors believed they were owed much more. The lawsuit was settled in 2012. Each actor received a payment of $65,000. CBS also promised to follow the terms of their contracts in the future.
Later Life and Passing
Tom Bosley passed away on October 19, 2010. He was at a hospital in Rancho Mirage, California, near his home. He had been fighting lung cancer and had complications from a staph infection. He was survived by his wife, Patricia Carr, and his daughter, Amy Bosley Baer.
Images for kids
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Bosley as George W. Norris in the TV show Profiles in Courage, 1965
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Tom Bosley as Benjamin Franklin in 1979
See also
In Spanish: Tom Bosley para niños
