Dabney Coleman was an American actor. He was born on January 3, 1932, in Austin, Texas. Coleman had a prolific career spanning several decades, primarily in film and television. He was known for his versatile performances and often portrayed characters with a touch of sarcasm and dry humor.
Coleman's notable film roles include "9 to 5" (1980), "Tootsie" (1982), "WarGames" (1983), and "You've Got Mail" (1998). In these movies, he typically played memorable supporting characters such as bosses, authority figures, or comedic foils.
In television, Coleman appeared in various shows, earning critical acclaim for his performances. He starred in the sitcom "The Slap Maxwell Story" (1987-1988), for which he received an Emmy nomination. He also had prominent roles in series like "Buffalo Bill" (1983-1984) and "Boardwalk Empire" (2010-2011).
Dabney Coleman's career spanned over six decades, and he left a lasting impact on the entertainment industry through his numerous roles.
Known For
Tootsie
(1982)
Ron Carlisle
You've Got Mail
(1998)
Nelson Fox
WarGames
(1983)
McKittrick
Domino
(2005)
Drake Bishop
Stuart Little
(1999)
Dr. Beechwood
Midway
(1976)
Captain Murray Arnold
Clifford
(1994)
Gerald Ellis
Inspector Gadget
(1999)
Chief Quimby
The Beverly Hillbillies
(1993)
Milburn Drysdale
The Towering Inferno
(1974)
Deputy Chief #1
Recess: School's Out
(2001)
Principal Peter Prickly (voice)
The Muppets Take Manhattan
(1984)
Martin Price
Bite the Bullet
(1975)
Jack Parker
The Man with One Red Shoe
(1985)
Cooper
Downhill Racer
(1969)
Mayo
Moonlight Mile
(2002)
Mike Mulcahey
Full Filmography
Acting
The Slender Thread
(1965)
Charlie
This Property Is Condemned
(1966)
Salesman
The Scalphunters
(1968)
Jed
Downhill Racer
(1969)
Mayo
The Trouble with Girls
(1969)
Harrison Wilby
I Love My Wife
(1970)
Frank Donnelly
The Brotherhood of the Bell
(1970)
Agent Shepard
Moving Target
(1973)
The President's Plane Is Missing
(1973)
Sen. Bert Haines
Cinderella Liberty
(1973)
Executive Officer
Dying Room Only
(1973)
Bob Mitchell
Savage
(1973)
Ted Seligson
The Towering Inferno
(1974)
Deputy Chief #1
House of Evil
(1974)
The Dove
(1974)
Charles Huntley
Bad Ronald
(1974)
Mr. Wood
Bite the Bullet
(1975)
Jack Parker
Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan
(1975)
Paul Mathison
The Other Side of the Mountain
(1975)
Dave McCoy
Returning Home
(1975)
Al Stephenson
Kiss Me, Kill Me
(1976)
Capt. Logan
Midway
(1976)
Captain Murray Arnold
Black Fist
(1977)
Heineken
Rolling Thunder
(1977)
Maxwell
Viva Knievel!
(1977)
Ralph Thompson
More Than Friends
(1978)
Joshua 'Josh' Harrington
Maneaters Are Loose!
(1978)
McCallum
The Case of the Baltimore Girls
(1978)
George Bates
When She Was Bad...
(1979)
Jack Wilson
North Dallas Forty
(1979)
Emmett Hunter
Dan August: The Jealousy Factor
(1980)
Rick Bessett
Pray TV
(1980)
Marvin Fleece
How to Beat the High Cost of Living
(1980)
Jack Heintzel
Nothing Personal
(1980)
Dickerson
Nine to Five
(1980)
Franklin M. Hart Jr.
Melvin and Howard
(1980)
Judge Keith Hayes
On Golden Pond
(1981)
Bill Ray
Modern Problems
(1981)
Mark Winslow
Callie & Son
(1981)
Randall Bordeaux
Young Doctors in Love
(1982)
Dr. Joseph Prang
Tootsie
(1982)
Ron Carlisle
WarGames
(1983)
McKittrick
Cloak & Dagger
(1984)
Jack Flack / Hal Osborne
The Muppets Take Manhattan
(1984)
Martin Price
The Man with One Red Shoe
(1985)
Cooper
Night of 100 Stars II
(1985)
Self
Murrow
(1986)
William Paley
The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
(1986)
Himself
Plaza Suite
(1987)
Jesse Kiplinger
Dragnet
(1987)
Jerry Caesar
Sworn to Silence
(1987)
Martin Costigan
Guilty of Innocence: The Lenell Geter Story
(1987)
Ed Sigel
Hot to Trot
(1988)
Walter Sawyer
Baby M
(1988)
Gary Skoloff
Maybe Baby
(1988)
Hal
Where the Heart Is
(1990)
Stewart McBain
Short Time
(1990)
Burt Simpson
Meet the Applegates
(1990)
Aunt Bea
Never Forget
(1991)
William Cox
Lincoln
(1992)
Stephen A. Douglas (voice)
There Goes the Neighborhood
(1992)
Jeffrey Babitt
Amos & Andrew
(1993)
Chief of Police Cecil Tolliver
The Beverly Hillbillies
(1993)
Milburn Drysdale
Clifford
(1994)
Gerald Ellis
Judicial Consent
(1994)
Charles Mayron
In the Line of Duty: Kidnapped
(1995)
Arthur Milo
Devil's Food
(1996)
Seymour Kecker
Witch Way Love
(1997)
Joel
You've Got Mail
(1998)
Nelson Fox
My Date with the President's Daughter
(1998)
President George Richmond
Target Earth
(1998)
Senator Ben Arnold
Exiled
(1998)
Lieutenant Kevin Stolper
Taken
(1999)
Ethan Grover
Giving It Up
(1999)
Johnathan Gallant
Stuart Little
(1999)
Dr. Beechwood
Inspector Gadget
(1999)
Chief Quimby
Must Be Santa
(1999)
How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale
(2000)
Recess: School's Out
(2001)
Principal Peter Prickly (voice)
The Climb
(2002)
Mack
Moonlight Mile
(2002)
Mike Mulcahey
Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade
(2003)
Principal Prickly (voice)
Recess: All Growed Down
(2003)
Principal Prickley (voice)
Where the Red Fern Grows
(2003)
Grandpa
Domino
(2005)
Drake Bishop
Hard Four
(2007)
Spray Loomis
Char·ac·ter
(2012)
Self
Rules Don't Apply
(2016)
Raymond Holliday
Still Working 9 to 5
(2022)
Self