Biography
Among Coleman's most memorable film roles was the misogynist corporate boss of empowered Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda in "9 to 5" (1980), and the egomaniacal soap opera director whose sexist attitude inspired the title "Tootsie" (1982). On television, the Emmy and Golden Globe winner was among the busiest character players of the 1960s before making his mark on the "brilliant-but-canceled" soap opera spoof "Mary Hartman, Mary …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
| First professional stage appearance, William Inge's "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" | ||
| Inspired to switch his studies from law to drama after meeting actor (and fellow Austin, TX native) Zachary Scott | ||
| Toured in summer stock | ||
1953 | Served two years as a member of the Army's Special Services Division | |
1961 | Broadway debut, "A Call on Kuprin" | |
1962 | Moved to Los Angeles | |
1965 | Screen acting debut in "The Slender Thread" | |
1966 | Made TV series debut in "That Girl" (ABC) as Leon Bessimer | |
1969 | Cast as a U.S. Olympic skiing team coach in the Robert Redford film "Downhill Racer" | |
1970 | First TV-movie, "The Brotherhood of the Bell" (CBS) | |
1971 | Played Dr. Tracy Brown on the NBC soap opera "Bright Promise" | |
1973 | Played Lieutenant Lloyd Daggett on the CBS drama series "Cannon" | |
1974 | Played a high-ranking superior to firefighter Steve McQueen in "The Towering Inferno" | |
1975 | First TV miniseries, "Attack on Terror: The FBI Versus the Ku Klux Klan" | |
1976 | Had a recurring role as Merle Jeeter, the mayor of Fernwood, on the syndicated soap spoof "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" | |
1977 | Reprised role of Merle Jeeter on the syndicated soap opera spoof "Forever Fernwood" | |
1978 | Played Fast Eddie on the short-lived ABC sitcom "Apple Pie" | |
1980 | Cast as Franklin Hart the 'sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot' in "Nine to Five" starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton | |
1981 | Played Jane Fonda's fiance in the Oscar winning film "On Golden Pond" | |
1982 | Played a womanizing producer in Tootsie" directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange | |
1983 | Played Bill Bittinger on the NBC sitcom, "Buffalo Bill"; received Emmy nomination | |
1983 | Played a military man in "WarGames" | |
1984 | First film lead, as co-star of "Cloak and Dagger" | |
1987 | Played a magazine mogul in the comedy "Dragnet," with Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks | |
1987 | Played title role on the ABC sitcom, "The 'Slap' Maxwell Story" | |
1988 | Received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for "The 'Slap' Maxwell Story" and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries for "Baby M, Parts 1 & 2" | |
1991 | Played Otis Drexell on the FOX sitcom "Drexell's Class" | |
1993 | Cast as banker Milburn Drysdale in the film version of "The Beverly Hillbillies" | |
1993 | Played Police Chief Cecil Tolliver in the comedy "Amos & Andrew" starring Nicolas Cage and Samuel L. Jackson | |
1994 | Played the title role of Jack Buckner on the NBC sitcom "Madman of the People" | |
1998 | Played Tom Hanks' philandering father in "You've Got Mail" | |
1999 | Lent his voice to several episodes of the Disney Channel series "Recess," playing a character named Principal Prickly | |
2001 | Returned to series TV as co-star of the CBS drama "The Guardian" | |
2002 | Had a memorable role in Brad Silberling's "Moonlight Mile" opposite Dustin Hoffman and Jake Gyllenhaal | |
2005 | Cast in the Tony Scott directed thriller "Domino" starring Keira Knightley as Domino Harvey, a model turned bounty hunter and daughter of actor Lawrence Harvey | |
2006 | Cast as Jenna Elfman's father on the CBS sitcom "Courting Alex" | |
2007 | Cast in TNT's "Heartland" as Dr. Bart Jacobs | |
2010 | Cast as Commodore Louis Kaestner in the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire" | |
Awards
1983 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in Buffalo Bill |
1983 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in Buffalo Bill |
1984 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in Buffalo Bill |
1987 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in Sworn to Silence |
1987 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in The "Slap" Maxwell Story |
1987 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In a Miniseries or Special in Sworn to Silence |
1988 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in The "Slap" Maxwell Story |
1988 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In a Miniseries or Special in Baby M |
1991 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Drama Series in Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star |
2011 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Boardwalk Empire |