Thomas Edward Bosley (born October 1, 1927) is an American actor. He was born in Chicago, Illinois. The 1930 census of New Trier, Cook County, Illinois, shows Tom as age 2 1/2 with his parents Benjamin and Dora.

During World War II, Tom Bosley served in the U.S. Navy. While attending DePaul University in Chicago in 1947, he made his stage debut in Our Town with the Canterbury Players at the Fine Arts Theatre. He performed at the Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock, Illinois in 1949 and 1950 alongside Paul Newman.

Bosley's breakthrough stage role was New York's Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia in the long-running Broadway musical Fiorello! (1959) for which he won a Tony Award.

He is best known as Howard Cunningham, Richie Cunningham's father, in the long running sitcom Happy Days. Bosley is also known for Portraying Sheriff Amos Tupper on Murder, She Wrote. He also portrayed the titular Father Frank Dowling on the TV mystery series, Father Dowling Mysteries.

Bosley has several notable roles in animation, due to his resonant, fatherly yet expressive tone. He is the voice of Harry Boyle in the animated series, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home. He provided the voice of the title character in the 1980s cartoon David the Gnome. He voiced the shop owner Mr. Winkle in the children's animated Christmas special The Tangerine Bear. He also narrated the movie documentary series That's Hollywood.

He has endorsed Glad Trash Bags, D-Con, the IQ Computer and Sonic Drive-Ins, and currently is the spokesman for SMC Specialty Merchandise Corporation.

In 2004, Bosley guest starred as a toy maker named Ben-Ami on the series finale of the Christian video series Kids' Ten Commandments.

Bosley shared a heartfelt story about his experience with the Holocaust in the documentary film Paper Clips. Other films include The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal.

Pop culture

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In The Simpsons episode 2F12, Homie the Clown, Lisa indicates that Homer once attempted to pass himself off as Tom Bosley.

In the Family Guy episode "Road to Europe", Brian and Stewie Griffin find themselves on a train in Switzerland. Stewie remarks that he sees Tom Bosley. Brian questions what Tom Bosley would be doing on the train, to which Stewie has no response.

Similarly, in the animated program The Oblongs the people of the 'Hill' community briefly mention plans for the community, including a 'Tom Bosley Day'.

External links

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1927 births | Living people | ER actors | Family Guy actors | Murder, She Wrote actors | American television actors | Chicago actors | Jewish American actors | American stage actors | American voice actors | Worst Supporting Actor Razzie Nominee | Notable baseball fans | United States Navy sailors