Peter Scolari, ‘Bosom Buddies’ and ‘Newhart’ actor, dead at 66

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Peter Scolari, who famously starred in the sitcom "Bosom Buddies" alongside Tom Hanks, has died. He was 66.

His passing was confirmed by his manager, Ellen Lubin Sanitsky, to Fox News on Friday. The cause of death was cancer after a two-year battle.

"He was a wonderful, wonderful, extraordinary actor," she said. "It's heartbreaking."

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Peter Scolari led a successful decades-long career as a beloved performer. (Denis Plehn /American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images)

The star successfully led a 43-year career in show business. It featured his Emmy-nominated regular role of producer Michael Harris on Bob Newhart’s 1984 comedy "Newhart," his Emmy-winning recurring role as the father of Lena Dunham’s character on HBO’s "Girls," and, most recently, his role as Bishop Thomas Marx on the CBS supernatural drama "Evil," Deadline.com reported.

Scolari, who made his mark on both television and the stage, found fame in the popular, but short-lived, 1980 comedy "Bosom Buddies" alongside Hanks. He went on to appear on Broadway six times with "Hairspray" (2003), "Sly Fox" (2004), "Magic/Bird" (2012), "Bronx Bombers" (2014) and "Wicked" (2016). He also shared the stage with Hanks in 2013’s "Lucky Guy." His final New York stage appearance was in the 2018 Off-Broadway production of "The True."

Many fans fondly remember Scolari from "Bosom Buddies," which is reminiscent of the 1959 comedy "Some Like It Hot." 

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Tom Hanks (left) and Peter Scolari in 'Bosom Buddies'. (Getty Images)

It followed the misadventures of two men who disguise themselves as women so they can live in the very affordable, but female-only Susan B. Anthony Hotel. While the sitcom only lasted from 1980 until 1982, it led to a real-life lasting friendship between Scolari and Hanks.

A partial roster of other TV credits include "Fosse/Verdon," "Madoff," "The Good Fight," "Murphy Brown," "The West Wing," "ER," "Gotham," "Law & Order: SVU," "Ally McBeal," "From The Earth To The Moon" and "Honey I Shrunk The Kids: The TV Show" – just to name a few, Deadline.com shared. He also made a cameo appearance as a TV host in the 1996 comedy film "That Thing You Do!", which was directed by and starred Hanks, 65.

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Actor Peter Scolari attends the 2016 International Emmy Awards at New York Hilton on November 21, 2016 in New York City.  ( (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage))

Scolari is survived by his wife and children Nicholas, Joseph, Keaton and Cali.