Charley Scalies passes away at 84
Charley Scalies, the beloved character actor who introduced a grounded heat to gritty dramas like The Wire and The Sopranos, has handed away on the age of 84.
The actor died on Could 1 after a protracted battle with Alzheimer’s, his household confirmed by an obituary and a press release to The Hollywood Reporter from his daughter, Anne Marie Scalies.
Although many followers knew him as Thomas “Horseface” Pakusa—the loyal union man from Season 2 of The Wire—or as Coach Molinaro in The Sopranos, these closest to him knew him by a way more cherished title: Dad.
“Best known first and foremost as a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend,” his obituary lovingly acknowledged, “whose life reflected a rich blend of professional achievement, creative passion, and a true joy for life. His favorite audience was always seated around the dinner table.”
Born Charles J. Scalies, Jr. on July 19, 1940 in Philadelphia, Charley had a knack for performing early on, cracking jokes and doing impressions for patrons at his father’s South Philly pool corridor.
However the stage didn’t name him professionally till later in life.
After graduating from St. Joseph’s School and dealing in enterprise, he discovered his approach into native theater within the Nineteen Nineties. His performances included Properly Johnson in Guys and Dolls, Billy Flynn in Chicago, and even the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz.
Scalies made his big-screen debut in Two Bits, a James Foley movie starring Al Pacino and set proper in his previous South Philly stomping grounds.
However it was his memorable portrayal of “Horseface” in The Wire that actually earned him a faithful following, mixing blue-collar grit with quiet integrity. He later confirmed up on The Sopranos, sharing a scene with James Gandolfini within the episode The Take a look at Dream.
He additionally left his mark on TV dramas like Legislation & Order, SVU, Murder: Life on the Avenue, and Chilly Case, and popped up in movies like 12 Monkeys, Liberty Heights, and Jersey Lady.
And proving he was a person of many abilities, Scalies even took a swing at screenwriting with It Takes Balls, impressed by—you guessed it—his dad’s legendary pool corridor.
He’s survived by the love of his life, Angeline M. Scalies, his spouse of 62 years, together with their 5 youngsters and 4 grandchildren. And whereas Charley’s tales might now not be informed on the dinner desk, his household assures us his legacy will dwell on.
“Charley emphasized the importance of family, stating that loving their mother, spending quality time, and teaching respect and hard work were key elements of fatherhood. He believed that a father’s role is to guide children toward self-sufficiency. His wife, children, and grandchildren will miss his stories but will keep him in their hearts forever,” the obituary reads.
