Additional Coverage:
- ‘Sopranos’ and ‘The Wire’ Actor Dies at 84 (parade.com)
Character actor Charley Scalies, known for his roles in The Sopranos and The Wire, has passed away at the age of 84 after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. His daughter, Ann Marie Scalies, confirmed he died Thursday in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
Scalies gained recognition for his portrayal of Thomas “Horseface” Pakusa in all 12 episodes of the second season of The Wire. He also appeared in The Sopranos as Tony Soprano’s high school football coach in a dream sequence during the show’s fifth season.
Born in Philadelphia in 1940 and raised in South Philadelphia, Scalies’ early life above his father’s pool hall provided him with a natural environment to hone his comedic skills, entertaining patrons with jokes and impressions. This experience later inspired his screenplay, It Takes Balls.
Although he entered the workforce and started a family after college, the allure of acting remained. He returned to his passion in the early 1990s, participating in local theater and securing roles in various television shows and films, including Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Jersey Girl, and 12 Monkeys.
Scalies is survived by his wife of 62 years, Angeline; his children, Chuck, Angeline, Tony, Christa, and Anne Marie; and grandchildren Charles IV, Christopher, Domenic, and Amelia. His family fondly remembers him, sharing that his favorite audience was always gathered around the dinner table.
Donations in Scalies’ memory can be made to the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association or to the PCS Theater in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.
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- ‘Sopranos’ and ‘The Wire’ Actor Dies at 84 (parade.com)