Much-loved American TV actor dies
Source: Agencies |
October 21, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FOR more than a decade viewers could turn on their TVs and find Howard Cunningham in his armchair, reading the newspaper and providing a fatherly voice of reason to young Richie Cunningham and his friends on the American sitcom "Happy Days."
Tom Bosley made the role famous during the long-running show, earning a place as one of the most memorable fathers in TV history.
Bosley died on Tuesday at the age of 83 after suffering heart failure at a hospital near his Florida home in the United States. Bosley's agent, Sheryl Abrams, said he was also battling lung cancer.
His death brought back fond memories of the nostalgic show, which ran from 1974 to 1984. On Saturday, American TV viewers lost another surrogate parent, Barbara Billingsley, who played June Cleaver in "Leave It To Beaver."
Bosley initially turned down the?offer for a co-starring role in "Happy Days."
"After rereading the pilot script," he recalled in a 1986 interview, "I changed my mind because of a scene between Howard Cunningham and Richie. The father/son situation was written so movingly."
TV Guide in the US ranked Bosley's Howard Cunningham character at No. 9 on its list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads Of All Time" in 2004.
"Tom's insight, talent, strength of character and comic timing made him a vital central figure in the 'Happy Days' experience. Tom led by example and made us all laugh," said a statement from Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham.
"My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he maintained throughout his full and rewarding life. I miss him already," Howard said.
Born in Chicago in 1927, Bosley served in the US navy before returning to his hometown to study at DePaul University. He enrolled at the Radio Institute of Chicago and began appearing in radio dramas.
Bosley married dancer Jean Eliot in 1962 and the couple had one child, Amy. Two years after his wife's death in 1978, Bosley married actress-producer Patricia Carr, who had three daughters from a previous marriage.
Tom Bosley made the role famous during the long-running show, earning a place as one of the most memorable fathers in TV history.
Bosley died on Tuesday at the age of 83 after suffering heart failure at a hospital near his Florida home in the United States. Bosley's agent, Sheryl Abrams, said he was also battling lung cancer.
His death brought back fond memories of the nostalgic show, which ran from 1974 to 1984. On Saturday, American TV viewers lost another surrogate parent, Barbara Billingsley, who played June Cleaver in "Leave It To Beaver."
Bosley initially turned down the?offer for a co-starring role in "Happy Days."
"After rereading the pilot script," he recalled in a 1986 interview, "I changed my mind because of a scene between Howard Cunningham and Richie. The father/son situation was written so movingly."
TV Guide in the US ranked Bosley's Howard Cunningham character at No. 9 on its list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads Of All Time" in 2004.
"Tom's insight, talent, strength of character and comic timing made him a vital central figure in the 'Happy Days' experience. Tom led by example and made us all laugh," said a statement from Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham.
"My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he maintained throughout his full and rewarding life. I miss him already," Howard said.
Born in Chicago in 1927, Bosley served in the US navy before returning to his hometown to study at DePaul University. He enrolled at the Radio Institute of Chicago and began appearing in radio dramas.
Bosley married dancer Jean Eliot in 1962 and the couple had one child, Amy. Two years after his wife's death in 1978, Bosley married actress-producer Patricia Carr, who had three daughters from a previous marriage.
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