Peter Boyle

Peter Boyle (born October 18, 1935, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American actor of Irish Catholic descent.

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October 18 - 1935 - Philadelphia - Pennsylvania - American - Irish - Catholic

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Boyle has won praise for playing both comic and dramatic roles. He served in the Army, but his military career was shortened by a nervous breakdown. Boyle was also a Christian Brother before turning to acting. He was briefly part of The Second City Chicago ensemble, and he studied acting with famed acting coach Uta Hagen. He had a brief scene in the critically acclaimed 1969 film Medium Cool.

Related Topics:
Nervous breakdown - The Second City - Uta Hagen - 1969 - Medium Cool

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His first starring was as the title character in Joe which was released in 1970, in which Boyle played a hardhat bigot to wide acclaim. The film was very controversial at the time because of the language and violence in it. Ironically, it was during this time that Boyle became close friends with the actress Jane Fonda, and with her he participated in many protests against the Vietnam War. Boyle then achieved another hit role with Young Frankenstein in 1974, directed by Mel Brooks. Boyle also gave another acclaimed dramatic performance in the 1977 television film Tail Gunner Joe where he played Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Related Topics:
Joe - 1970 - Jane Fonda - Vietnam War - Young Frankenstein - 1974 - Mel Brooks - 1977 - Senator - Joseph McCarthy

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Boyle is most often seen in supporting roles, and appears more often as a character actor than a leading man. Some of his better known roles include appearances in Taxi Driver, The Dream Team, and The Shadow.

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Taxi Driver - The Dream Team - The Shadow

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He won an Emmy award in 1996 for his role in "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose," a season-three episode of the cult TV show The X-Files, in which he plays an insurance salesman who can see into the future.

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Emmy - 1996 - Cult - The X-Files - Insurance

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Boyle is probably best known to audiences today for his role as cranky Frank Barone in the popular CBS television sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, which aired from 1996 until 2005. The show was shot in Los Angeles, to which Boyle commuted from his New York City home. He was repeatedly nominated for an Emmy for this role, but he never won (he was beaten out multiple times in the Supporting Actor category by his costar Brad Garrett), and he often appeared frustrated by this, especially since all of the other lead actors on the show -- Garrett, Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, and his TV wife Doris Roberts -- won at least one Emmy each for their performances.

Related Topics:
Frank Barone - CBS - Sitcom - Everybody Loves Raymond - 1996 - 2005 - Los Angeles - New York City - Brad Garrett - Ray Romano - Patricia Heaton - Doris Roberts

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Boyle was best friends with late rock legend John Lennon (The Beatles), who was best man at Boyle's 1977 wedding to Loraine Alterman, with whom he has two daughters, Lucy and Amy. Boyle met Lennon through his wife, a reporter for Rolling Stone who was friends with Yoko Ono.

Related Topics:
John Lennon - The Beatles - 1977 - Rolling Stone - Yoko Ono

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Boyle suffered a stroke in 1990 and was unable to talk for 6 months.

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