BREAKING: Tom Bosley Passes Away At 83 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Pavan · 10-19-2010, 01:55 PM

BREAKING: We lost another TV legend. Tom Bosley of Happy Days has passed away at age 83. Stay tuned for our tribute and news of any tributes on TV.
http://twitter.com/SitcomsOnline/status/27853225027

We hope @HubTVNetwork does a primetime marathon of Happy Days in memory of the late great Tom Bosley. The best of Mr. C!
http://twitter.com/SitcomsOnline/status/27853429390

TV Theme Week continues tonight on @ABC_DWTS with a special pro dance to TV medleys! Hopefully it includes Happy Days and Leave it to Beaver, in memory of Tom and Barbara.
http://twitter.com/SitcomsOnline/status/27855038710

catlover79 · 10-19-2010, 01:59 PM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! That makes three:

Simon MacCorkindale

Barbara Billingsley

Tom Bosley

Not only did I love Mr. Bosley as Mr. C, I enjoyed his work as the doctor in the original Yours, Mine & Ours, the voice of David the Gnome, Father Dowling, "it's time to feed the kitties!" and of course, the pitchman for Glad trash bags. God bless you, Mr. Bosley. To quote your last line on Happy Days, "Thank you for being part of our family."

Cactus Jack · 10-19-2010, 02:04 PM

shotzette · 10-19-2010, 02:43 PM

So sad... I hope that his last days were pain and stress free and that he went quickly. He *was* the quintessential father figure of the 70s.

tiff7 · 10-19-2010, 02:44 PM

RIP Tom!

robyrob · 10-19-2010, 02:59 PM

R.I.P. Tom - you will be greatly missed

FonzFan · 10-19-2010, 03:04 PM

Goodbye Tom...you will be greatly missed.

Heidi Dawn · 10-19-2010, 03:09 PM

Tom. He had just celebrated his birthday on October 1.

Smartboy · 10-19-2010, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! That makes three:

Simon MacCorkindale

Barbara Billingsley

Tom Bosley

Not only did I love Mr. Bosley as Mr. C, I enjoyed his work as the doctor in the original Yours, Mine & Ours, the voice of David the Gnome, Father Dowling, "it's time to feed the kitties!" and of course, the pitchman for Glad trash bags. God bless you, Mr. Bosley. To quote your last line on Happy Days, "Thank you for being part of our family."

Who was Simon MacCorindale?

Tuffjesse · 10-19-2010, 03:44 PM

So sad. It hurts to see the people you grew up with pass away. "Happy Days" was my favorite show when I was a kid and Howard Cunningham was the ideal father. The "are you being frisky, Howard"? scenes between Tom Bosley and Marion Ross were priceless.

It seems almost fitting that we would lose this fine actor on a Tuesday, the day that "Happy Days" ruled the airwaves.

RIP, Mr. C!

Zoneboy · 10-19-2010, 04:42 PM

Link

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tom Bosley, whose long acting career was highlighted by his hugely popular role as the understanding father on television's nostalgic, top-rated 1970s comedy series "Happy Days," died Tuesday. He was 83.

Bosley died of heart failure at a hospital near his Palm Springs home. Bosley's agent, Sheryl Abrams, said he was also battling lung cancer.

TV Guide ranked Bosley's "Happy Days" character, Howard Cunningham, at No. 9 on its list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" in 2004. The show debuted in 1974 and ran for 11 seasons.

"Tom's insight, talent, strength of character and comic timing made him a vital central figure in the 'Happy Days' experience. A great father and husband, and a wonderful artist, Tom led by example, and made us all laugh while he was doing it," said a statement from Ron Howard, who played Bosley's son, Richie Cunningham.

"My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he always maintained throughout his full and rewarding life. I miss him already," Howard said.

"He was my husband for ll years and the father of the company in many ways," said Marion Ross, who played Marion Cunningham on the show. "He was so smart he could fix the end of a joke or a scene on the spot. We made a perfect couple. I played picolo to his tuba."

After "Happy Days" ended, Bosley went on to a recurring role in "Murder, She Wrote" as Sheriff Amos Tupper. He also was the crime-solving priest in television's "The Father Dowling Mysteries," which ran from 1989 to 1991.

When he was first offered the costarring role in "Happy Days," a series about teenage life in the 1950s, he turned it down.

"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, I fell in love with the project."

Propelled by the nation's nostalgia for the simple pleasures of the 1950s, "Happy Days," which debuted in 1974, slowly built to hit status, becoming television's top-rated series by its third season.

It made a star of Henry Winkler, who played hip-talking, motorcycle-riding hoodlum Arthur "Fonzi" Fonzarelli, helped launch the career of Howard and led to other television spinoffs.

Although "Happy Days" brought him his widest fame, Bosley had made his mark on Broadway 15 years before when he turned in a Tony Award-winning performance in the title role in "Fiorello!"

His Broadway triumph depicted the life of New York's colorful reformist mayor of the 1930s and '40s, Fiorello La Guardia. For two years, Bosley stopped the show every night when he sang in several languages, depicting La Guardia during the years the future mayor worked at New York's Ellis Island, aiding arriving immigrants.

The play won a Pulitzer Prize and Bosley received the Tony for best actor in a musical.

After failing to duplicate his success in "Fiorello!," Bosley moved to Hollywood in 1968. He would not return to Broadway until 1994 when he originated the role of Belle's father in Disney's production of "Beauty and the Beast."

In Hollywood, the rotund character actor found steady work appearing in the occasional movie and as a regular on weekly TV shows starring Debbie Reynolds, Dean Martin, Sandy Duncan and others.

During the 1990s, Bosley toured in "Beauty and the Beast" and "Show Boat," playing Captain Andy in the latter.

Bosley made only a handful of theatrical movies. Among them: "Love With the Proper Stranger," ''Divorce American Style," ''The Secret War of Henry Frigg," ''Yours, Mine and Ours."

Bosley capitalized on his fame from "Happy Days" to serve as a pitchman for GLAD trash bags along with other products.

Born in Chicago in 1927, Bosley served in the Navy before returning to his hometown to study at DePaul University. Intrigued with acting, 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.

McGillicuddy · 10-19-2010, 04:43 PM

Wow, first Mrs. Cleaver, now Mr. Cunningham. RIP Tom Bosley.

Pavan · 10-19-2010, 04:48 PM

In memory of the late Tom Bosley, Bio TV will air the Happy Days 30th Anniversary Reunion Special on Friday, Oct. 22 at 8AM & 2PM ET/PT

Stormtracker TF · 10-19-2010, 05:02 PM

Rest in peace, Tom Bosley. Mr. C was the best TV dad ever. He'll be missed greatly. Wow.

Zoneboy · 10-19-2010, 05:11 PM

It's sad that we have lost both actors that played Howard Cunningham in a span of only 5 weeks. Harold Gould, who originated the role in "Love and the Happy Days" from Love American Style and now Tom Bosley. My earliest memories of Tom are from the animated series Wait Till Your Father Gets Home.

Tom Bosley

10-19-2010, 01:55 PM	#1
Pavan SO News/Reviews Director Administrator Forum Superstar Join Date: Feb 17, 2000 Location: Linden, NJ (Where Hal Linden got his last name from!) Posts: 26,821	BREAKING: Tom Bosley Passes Away At 83 BREAKING: We lost another TV legend. Tom Bosley of Happy Days has passed away at age 83. Stay tuned for our tribute and news of any tributes on TV. http://twitter.com/SitcomsOnline/status/27853225027 We hope @HubTVNetwork does a primetime marathon of Happy Days in memory of the late great Tom Bosley. The best of Mr. C! http://twitter.com/SitcomsOnline/status/27853429390 TV Theme Week continues tonight on @ABC_DWTS with a special pro dance to TV medleys! Hopefully it includes Happy Days and Leave it to Beaver, in memory of Tom and Barbara. http://twitter.com/SitcomsOnline/status/27855038710
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10-19-2010, 01:59 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! That makes three: Simon MacCorkindale Barbara Billingsley Tom Bosley Not only did I love Mr. Bosley as Mr. C, I enjoyed his work as the doctor in the original Yours, Mine & Ours, the voice of David the Gnome, Father Dowling, "it's time to feed the kitties!" and of course, the pitchman for Glad trash bags. God bless you, Mr. Bosley. To quote your last line on Happy Days, "Thank you for being part of our family."
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

10-19-2010, 02:04 PM	#3
Cactus Jack RonFingSwanson Forum Idol Join Date: Dec 09, 2001 Location: Santa Rosa Beach,FL Posts: 103,099
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10-19-2010, 02:44 PM	#5
tiff7 wdwdisneylandnut4life Senior Member Join Date: Jul 26, 2001 Location: Erie, IL Posts: 2,012	RIP Tom!
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10-19-2010, 02:59 PM	#6
robyrob certified wackball#3 Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Aug 03, 2003 Location: hiding under the third booth at Arnold's Posts: 58,192	R.I.P. Tom - you will be greatly missed
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10-19-2010, 02:43 PM	#4
shotzette Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2004 Posts: 1,782	So sad... I hope that his last days were pain and stress free and that he went quickly. He was the quintessential father figure of the 70s.

10-19-2010, 03:04 PM	#7
FonzFan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 13, 2000 Location: Jefferson, WI USA/ just around the corner from the home of HD: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 1,709	Goodbye Tom...you will be greatly missed.
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10-19-2010, 03:09 PM	#8
Heidi Dawn Muppets Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 01, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 883	Tom. He had just celebrated his birthday on October 1.
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10-19-2010, 03:44 PM	#10
Tuffjesse Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Sep 12, 2010 Location: New York City Posts: 4	So sad. It hurts to see the people you grew up with pass away. "Happy Days" was my favorite show when I was a kid and Howard Cunningham was the ideal father. The "are you being frisky, Howard"? scenes between Tom Bosley and Marion Ross were priceless. It seems almost fitting that we would lose this fine actor on a Tuesday, the day that "Happy Days" ruled the airwaves. RIP, Mr. C!

10-19-2010, 04:42 PM	#11
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,381	Link LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tom Bosley, whose long acting career was highlighted by his hugely popular role as the understanding father on television's nostalgic, top-rated 1970s comedy series "Happy Days," died Tuesday. He was 83. Bosley died of heart failure at a hospital near his Palm Springs home. Bosley's agent, Sheryl Abrams, said he was also battling lung cancer. TV Guide ranked Bosley's "Happy Days" character, Howard Cunningham, at No. 9 on its list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" in 2004. The show debuted in 1974 and ran for 11 seasons. "Tom's insight, talent, strength of character and comic timing made him a vital central figure in the 'Happy Days' experience. A great father and husband, and a wonderful artist, Tom led by example, and made us all laugh while he was doing it," said a statement from Ron Howard, who played Bosley's son, Richie Cunningham. "My last conversations with Tom reflected the love of life and peace of mind that he always maintained throughout his full and rewarding life. I miss him already," Howard said. "He was my husband for ll years and the father of the company in many ways," said Marion Ross, who played Marion Cunningham on the show. "He was so smart he could fix the end of a joke or a scene on the spot. We made a perfect couple. I played picolo to his tuba." After "Happy Days" ended, Bosley went on to a recurring role in "Murder, She Wrote" as Sheriff Amos Tupper. He also was the crime-solving priest in television's "The Father Dowling Mysteries," which ran from 1989 to 1991. When he was first offered the costarring role in "Happy Days," a series about teenage life in the 1950s, he turned it down. "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, I fell in love with the project." Propelled by the nation's nostalgia for the simple pleasures of the 1950s, "Happy Days," which debuted in 1974, slowly built to hit status, becoming television's top-rated series by its third season. It made a star of Henry Winkler, who played hip-talking, motorcycle-riding hoodlum Arthur "Fonzi" Fonzarelli, helped launch the career of Howard and led to other television spinoffs. Although "Happy Days" brought him his widest fame, Bosley had made his mark on Broadway 15 years before when he turned in a Tony Award-winning performance in the title role in "Fiorello!" His Broadway triumph depicted the life of New York's colorful reformist mayor of the 1930s and '40s, Fiorello La Guardia. For two years, Bosley stopped the show every night when he sang in several languages, depicting La Guardia during the years the future mayor worked at New York's Ellis Island, aiding arriving immigrants. The play won a Pulitzer Prize and Bosley received the Tony for best actor in a musical. After failing to duplicate his success in "Fiorello!," Bosley moved to Hollywood in 1968. He would not return to Broadway until 1994 when he originated the role of Belle's father in Disney's production of "Beauty and the Beast." In Hollywood, the rotund character actor found steady work appearing in the occasional movie and as a regular on weekly TV shows starring Debbie Reynolds, Dean Martin, Sandy Duncan and others. During the 1990s, Bosley toured in "Beauty and the Beast" and "Show Boat," playing Captain Andy in the latter. Bosley made only a handful of theatrical movies. Among them: "Love With the Proper Stranger," ''Divorce American Style," ''The Secret War of Henry Frigg," ''Yours, Mine and Ours." Bosley capitalized on his fame from "Happy Days" to serve as a pitchman for GLAD trash bags along with other products. Born in Chicago in 1927, Bosley served in the Navy before returning to his hometown to study at DePaul University. Intrigued with acting, 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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10-19-2010, 04:43 PM	#12
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	Wow, first Mrs. Cleaver, now Mr. Cunningham. RIP Tom Bosley.

10-19-2010, 04:48 PM	#13
Pavan SO News/Reviews Director Administrator Forum Superstar Join Date: Feb 17, 2000 Location: Linden, NJ (Where Hal Linden got his last name from!) Posts: 26,821	In memory of the late Tom Bosley, Bio TV will air the Happy Days 30th Anniversary Reunion Special on Friday, Oct. 22 at 8AM & 2PM ET/PT

10-19-2010, 05:02 PM	#14
Stormtracker TF Happy Easter! Moderator Forum Idol Join Date: Jul 19, 2002 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 102,598	Rest in peace, Tom Bosley. Mr. C was the best TV dad ever. He'll be missed greatly. Wow.
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10-19-2010, 05:11 PM	#15
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,381	It's sad that we have lost both actors that played Howard Cunningham in a span of only 5 weeks. Harold Gould, who originated the role in "Love and the Happy Days" from Love American Style and now Tom Bosley. My earliest memories of Tom are from the animated series Wait Till Your Father Gets Home. Tom Bosley