Philip Bosco

Philip Michael Bosco (September 26, 1930 – December 3, 2018) was an American actor. He was known for his Tony Award-winning performance as Saunders in the 1989 Broadway production of Lend Me a Tenor and for his starring role in the 2007 film The Savages. Bosco won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1988.

Life and career Early years Philip Michael Bosco was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on September 26, 1930, to Margaret Raymond (née Thek), a policewoman, and Philip Lupo Bosco, a carnival worker. His father was of Italian descent and his mother was of German descent. Bosco attended St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, and later studied drama at Catholic University of America, where he had notable success in the title role of William Shakespeare's Richard III.

Career Bosco began his career in Broadway theatre and earned a Tony Award nomination for his debut in The Rape of the Belt in 1960. Bosco spent the next three decades supporting major stars in classic revivals like Cyrano de Bergerac, King Lear, and Twelfth Night.

Bosco played Grandpa Potts in the 2005 Broadway production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and played the aged Captain Shotover in a Broadway revival of Heartbreak House in 2006. He retired from the stage in 2009 after appearing in the City Center Encores production of Finian's Rainbow, although Bosco lent his voice to Douglas Carter Beane's 2010 play Mr. and Mrs. Fitch.

Personal life and death Bosco married a fellow Catholic University student, Nancy Ann Dunkle, on January 2, 1957. They had seven children and 15 grandchildren. Bosco and his wife resided in Haworth, New Jersey.

On December 3, 2018, Bosco died at his home of complications from dementia at age 88.

Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes1968 A Lovely Way to Die Fuller 1983 Trading Places Doctor 1984 The Pope of Greenwich Village Paulie's Father 1985 Heaven Help Us Brother Paul 1985 Walls of Glass James Flanagan 1986 The Money Pit Curly 1986 Children of a Lesser God Dr. Curtis Franklin 1987 Suspect Paul Gray 1987 Three Men and a Baby Detective Melkowitz 1988 Another Woman Sam 1988 Working Girl Oren Trask 1989 The Luckiest Man in the World Sam Posner 1989 The Dream Team O'Malley 1990 Blue Steel Frank Turner 1990 Quick Change Bus Driver 1991 True Colors Sen. Frank Steubens 1991 F/X2 Ray Silak 1991 Shadows and Fog Mr. Paulsen 1992 Straight Talk Gene Perlman 1994 Angie Frank 1994 Milk Money Jerry the Pope 1994 Safe Passage Mort 1994 Nobody's Fool Judge Flatt 1995 It Takes Two Vincenzo Campana 1996 The First Wives Club Uncle Carmine Morelli 1996 Surprise! Cabby 1997 My Best Friend's Wedding Walter Wallace 1997 Deconstructing Harry Professor Clark 1997 Critical Care Dr. Hofstader 2000 Wonder Boys Emily's Father 2000 Shaft Walter Wade, Sr. 2000 Brooklyn Sonnet Uncle Chicky 2001 Kate & Leopold Otis 2002 Abandon Professor Jergensen 2005 Hitch Mr. O'Brian 2006 Freedomland Priest 2007 The Savages Lenny Savage

Television

Theater