Dabney Coleman, the character actor who played chauvinistic boss Franklin Hart Jr. in the 1980 comedy 9 to 5, died at his home in Santa Monica, California, on May 16, 2024. He was 92. His daughter, Quincy Coleman, confirmed his death.
What was Dabney Coleman known for in 9 to 5?
Coleman played Franklin Hart Jr., the sexist, self-important boss targeted by the film’s three women protagonists, played by Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton. The role became his best-known association with a movie and fit the comic authority figures he often portrayed.
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9 to 5 | Buy on Amazon | |
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Nine to Five Mountain Bike DVD | $45.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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F9: The Fast Saga | Buy on Amazon |
How did Coleman’s career develop?
From television breakthrough to film roles
Coleman had worked for years in film and television before wider notice came with his role as Mayor Merle Jeeter in the 1976 series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. His deadpan performance helped lead to more prominent film and network work.
His screen roles ranged beyond comic villains. He played a soap-opera director in Tootsie, and appeared in War Games, The Towering Inferno, On Golden Pond and You’ve Got Mail. He also voiced Principal Prickly in the animated series Recess, and later appeared in The Guardian and Boardwalk Empire.
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Awards and later work
Coleman won a Golden Globe for The Slap Maxwell Story and an Emmy in 1987 for the television film Sworn to Silence. The Los Angeles Times reported that he received six Emmy nominations. His final screen credit was John Dutton Sr. in Yellowstone in 2019, according to Reuters.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What was reported about his death?
The Associated Press and CBS reported that Coleman died on May 16, 2024, aged 92, at his Santa Monica home; his daughter confirmed the news. The Los Angeles Times’ contemporaneous report said no cause of death was given.
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