‘9 to 5’ Star Dabney Coleman Dead at Age 92
Veteran actor Dabney Coleman has died at age 92.
His daughter, singer Quincy Coleman, confirmed his passing in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Friday, May 17. “My father crafted his time here on Earth with a curious mind, a generous heart and a soul on fire with passion, desire and humor that tickled the funny bone of humanity,” she said. “As he lived, he moved through this final act of his life with elegance, excellence and mastery. A teacher, a hero and a king, Dabney Coleman is a gift and blessing in life and in death as his spirit will shine through his work, his loved ones and his legacy … eternally.”
The announcement came shortly after his death was first reported by Extra. At the time, Coleman’s family friend Alison Martino seemed to remember the late actor in a series of social media posts on Thursday, May 16.
“Dabney 2007,” Martino captioned a photo of her hugging the late star. A second image showed them together in 2014. The final picture in her tribute was taken at a restaurant in 2022.
The actor made his Hollywood debut in the 1960s but became a notable name after playing the role of Franklin M. Hart, Jr. in 9 to 5 alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton. Over the years, he’s had notable roles in The Beverly Hillbillies, You’ve Got Mail, Staurt Little, Boardwalk Empire, Ray Donovan and NCIS, among others. In November 2014, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Celebrity Deaths of 2024: Stars We Lost This Year
Coleman also played the role of John Dutton Jr. — the father of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton — in one episode of Yellowstone. The two actors shared the screen in the season 2 finale, “Sins of the Father,” for a scene which showed a dying father and his son.
The late star was hand-picked by Yellowstone cocreator Taylor Sheridan for the role.
“When that happened, I’d written it, but I believe I was prepping a movie in New Mexico, and I think he reached out and said he would be really interested in doing something. I had worked with Dabney many, many years ago, almost 20 years ago, as one of the young pups,” Sheridan told Deadline in 2019. “He’s a Texas guy and was such a gifted, giving actor and I was really struck by how good he was, and how kind he was, to this kid who was guest starring on his deal.”
He added: “It’s funny; I’ve employed a lot of people who were good to me when I was a young actor. Buck Taylor was in the first thing I ever did. I put him in Yellowstone. There’s something about that show that lends itself to hiring friends and family.”
