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Dabney Coleman

Cast & creator

Dabney Coleman

1932-01-03 (died at 92) Austin, Texas, USAIMDb

Best known for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NCIS

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).

Also known as: Dabney Wharton Coleman

Movies

93

film credits

Series

106

television credits

Career

199

1944–2026 · acting roles

Credit score

6.5

average across scored titles

Signature credits

Known for

Ordered by popularity

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Self · 1962

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Frank Hager · 1999

NCIS

NCIS

John Sydney · 2003

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

Self - Host · 1975

Columbo

Columbo

Hugh Creighton · 1971

Across film & television

Filmography (199)

Search filmography

Showing 199 of 199 credits

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Self

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Frank Hager

NCIS

NCIS

John Sydney

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

Self - Host

Columbo

Columbo

Hugh Creighton

Columbo

Columbo

Detective Murray

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

John Dutton Sr.

Bonanza

Bonanza

Clyde

Bonanza

Bonanza

Ivar Peterson

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

Van Milner

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

Self - Nominee

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

Floyd

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

Sergeant Keith

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

Officer George Graham

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

Steve

Mannix

Mannix

Ralph Stoner

Mannix

Mannix

Howard Graham

Ironside

Ironside

Daniel Leary

Quincy, M.E.

Quincy, M.E.

Dr. Burt Travers

Quincy, M.E.

Quincy, M.E.

Officer Peter O'Neil

Cannon

Cannon

Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare

Dr. David Kirkson

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

Sergeant Harry King

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

Stanley Rivkin

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

Tom Esterow

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

Sgt. Lou Snyder

The Donna Reed Show

The Donna Reed Show

Rallye Master

Naked City

Naked City

Resident

The Guardian

The Guardian

Burton Fallin

Ray Donovan

Ray Donovan

Mr. Price

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Congressman Phil Whitman

Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire

Commodore Louis Kaestner

I Dream of Jeannie

I Dream of Jeannie

George Webb

I Dream of Jeannie

I Dream of Jeannie

Captain Yardley

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Ira Barker

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Allen Clarke

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Stanley Leonard

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Sam Langlin

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Ty Williams

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Mr. Jamison

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Barnes

Ben Casey

Ben Casey

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

Merle Jeeter

Barnaby Jones

Barnaby Jones

George Clark

Barnaby Jones

Barnaby Jones

Ted Sayers

Barnaby Jones

Barnaby Jones

Brad Adamson

Barnaby Jones

Barnaby Jones

Paul Cleveland

Medical Center

Medical Center

The Streets of San Francisco

The Streets of San Francisco

George Todd

The Streets of San Francisco

The Streets of San Francisco

Andrew Horvath, Sr.

Run for Your Life

Run for Your Life

Fred Palmer

You've Got Mail

You've Got Mail

Nelson Fox

Recess

Recess

Principal Peter Prickly (voice)

Kojak

Kojak

Alex Linden

The Outer Limits

The Outer Limits

Dr. Williams

The Outer Limits

The Outer Limits

James Custer

The Outer Limits

The Outer Limits

Lt. Rupert Lawrence Howard (uncredited)

That Girl

That Girl

That Girl

That Girl

Dr. Leon Bessemer

The Invaders

The Invaders

Capt. Mitchell Ross

The Invaders

The Invaders

John Carter

Pound Puppies

Pound Puppies

Mayor (voice)

Kraft Suspense Theatre

Kraft Suspense Theatre

William Gunther

Kraft Suspense Theatre

Kraft Suspense Theatre

Alvin Piper

Switch

Switch

C.C. Owens

Police Story

Police Story

Judd, for the Defense

Judd, for the Defense

The Mod Squad

The Mod Squad

John

Hazel

Hazel

Les Swanton

12 O'Clock High

12 O'Clock High

Captain Wilson

12 O'Clock High

12 O'Clock High

Captain Robbins

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

Monsieur Fox (voice)

Room 222

Room 222

The Magic School Bus

The Magic School Bus

Horace Scope (voice)

Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law

Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law

Frank Wellmam

McMillan & Wife

McMillan & Wife

Hansen

McMillan & Wife

McMillan & Wife

Walter Jennings

For the People

For the People

Donald

The Flying Nun

The Flying Nun

Sub. Captain

Arrest and Trial

Arrest and Trial

Wayne Holton

Petrocelli

Petrocelli

Willy Morgan

The Zeta Project

The Zeta Project

Nanny and the Professor

Nanny and the Professor

Detective Robinson

The Bold Ones: The New Doctors

The Bold Ones: The New Doctors

Dr. Goldstone

Then Came Bronson

Then Came Bronson

Dr. Ron Carlisle

The Manhunter

The Manhunter

Dan August

Dan August

Rick Bessett

Stuart Little

Stuart Little

Dr. Beechwood

Please Don't Eat the Daisies

Please Don't Eat the Daisies

Clark

Medical Story

Medical Story

Blair

WarGames

WarGames

McKittrick

Madman of the People

Madman of the People

Jack 'Madman' Buckner

Banyon

Banyon

Ralph Hubbard

Kraft Mystery Theatre

Kraft Mystery Theatre

Nine to Five

Nine to Five

Franklin M. Hart Jr.

Heartland

Heartland

Dr. Bart Jacobs

Midway

Midway

Captain Murray Arnold

Fernwood 2 Night

Fernwood 2 Night

Mayor Merle Jeeter

Inspector Gadget

Inspector Gadget

Chief Quimby

Forever Fernwood

Forever Fernwood

Recess: School's Out

Recess: School's Out

Principal Peter Prickly (voice)

The Beverly Hillbillies

The Beverly Hillbillies

Milburn Drysdale

The Towering Inferno

The Towering Inferno

Deputy Chief #1

Rules Don't Apply

Rules Don't Apply

Raymond Holliday

Buffalo Bill

Buffalo Bill

Bill Bittinger

Search

Tootsie

Tootsie

Ron Carlisle

E! True Hollywood Story

E! True Hollywood Story

Fresno

Fresno

Tyler Cane

Domino

Domino

Drake Bishop

The Man with One Red Shoe

The Man with One Red Shoe

Cooper

The Muppets Take Manhattan

The Muppets Take Manhattan

Martin Price

Courting Alex

Courting Alex

Jack Atwell

North Dallas Forty

North Dallas Forty

Emmett Hunter

On Golden Pond

On Golden Pond

Bill Ray

Sons and Daughters

Sons and Daughters

Amos & Andrew

Amos & Andrew

Chief of Police Cecil Tolliver

Dragnet

Dragnet

Jerry Caesar

Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan

Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan

Paul Mathison

Young Doctors in Love

Young Doctors in Love

Dr. Joseph Prang

The Slap Maxwell Story

The Slap Maxwell Story

Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade

Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade

Principal Prickly (voice)

Dolly Parton: An American Original – Special Edition of 20/20

Dolly Parton: An American Original – Special Edition of 20/20

Franklin M. Hart Jr (archive footage)

Drexell's Class

Cloak & Dagger

Cloak & Dagger

Jack Flack / Hal Osborne

This Property Is Condemned

This Property Is Condemned

Salesman

Diff'rent Strokes

Diff'rent Strokes

Moonlight Mile

Moonlight Mile

Mike Mulcahey

Recess: All Growed Down

Recess: All Growed Down

Principal Prickley (voice)

The Scalphunters

The Scalphunters

Jed

Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows

Grandpa

Baby M

Baby M

Gary Skoloff

Night of 100 Stars II

Night of 100 Stars II

Self

There Goes the Neighborhood

There Goes the Neighborhood

Jeffrey Babitt

Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street

Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street

Principal Peter Prickly

The Trouble with Girls

The Trouble with Girls

Harrison Wilby

Bite the Bullet

Bite the Bullet

Jack Parker

How to Beat the High Cost of Living

How to Beat the High Cost of Living

Jack Heintzel

Rolling Thunder

Rolling Thunder

Maxwell

Downhill Racer

Downhill Racer

Mayo

Still Working 9 to 5

Still Working 9 to 5

Self

Where the Heart Is

Where the Heart Is

Stewart McBain

The Slender Thread

The Slender Thread

Charlie

Short Time

Short Time

Burt Simpson

Nothing Personal

Nothing Personal

Dickerson

My Date with the President's Daughter

My Date with the President's Daughter

George Richmond

The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer

The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer

Dabney Coleman

The President's Plane Is Missing

The President's Plane Is Missing

Sen. Bert Haines

A Witch's Way of Love

A Witch's Way of Love

Joel

Apple Pie

Apple Pie

Fast Eddie Murtaugh

The Brotherhood of the Bell

The Brotherhood of the Bell

Agent Shepard

Melvin and Howard

Melvin and Howard

Judge Keith Hayes

Clifford

Clifford

Gerald Ellis

When She Was Bad...

When She Was Bad...

Jack Wilson

Modern Problems

Modern Problems

Mark Winslow

Meet the Applegates

Meet the Applegates

Aunt Bea

I Love My Wife

I Love My Wife

Frank Donnelly

Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood

Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood

Self

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson

Self

Plaza Suite

Plaza Suite

Jesse Kiplinger

Hot to Trot

Hot to Trot

Walter Sawyer

How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale

How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale

John Kennedy

Giving It Up

Giving It Up

Johnathan Gallant

In the Line of Duty: Kidnapped

In the Line of Duty: Kidnapped

Arthur Milo

The Making of Midway

The Making of Midway

Self (archive footage)

Target Earth

Target Earth

Senator Ben Arnold

Bad Ronald

Bad Ronald

Mr. Wood

Exiled

Exiled

Lieutenant Kevin Stolper

The Case of the Baltimore Girls

The Case of the Baltimore Girls

George Bates

The Other Side of the Mountain

The Other Side of the Mountain

Dave McCoy

Char·ac·ter

Char·ac·ter

Self

Dan August: The Jealousy Factor

Rick Bessett

Pray TV

Pray TV

Marvin Fleece

The Dove

The Dove

Charles Huntley

Kiss Me... Kill Me

Kiss Me... Kill Me

Capt. Logan

Dying Room Only

Dying Room Only

Bob Mitchell

Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story

Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story

Ed Sigel

Cinderella Liberty

Cinderella Liberty

Executive Officer

Maybe Baby

Maybe Baby

Hal

Savage

Savage

Ted Seligson

More Than Friends

More Than Friends

Joshua 'Josh' Harrington

Maneaters Are Loose!

Maneaters Are Loose!

McCallum

Never Forget

Never Forget

William Cox

Judicial Consent

Judicial Consent

Charles Mayron

Black Fist

Black Fist

Heineken

Callie & Son

Callie & Son

Randall Bordeaux

Moving Target

Moving Target

Morty Raskin

Kiss My Act

Kiss My Act

Henry

Viva Knievel!

Viva Knievel!

Ralph Thompson

Lincoln

Stephen A. Douglas (voice)

Devil's Food

Devil's Food

Seymour Kecker

Must Be Santa

Must Be Santa

Sworn to Silence

Sworn to Silence

Martin Costigan

Murrow

Murrow

William Paley

Taken

Ethan Grover

Hard Four

Hard Four

Spray Loomis

The Climb

The Climb

Mack

House of Evil

House of Evil

Returning Home

Returning Home

Al Stephenson