Charley Scalies, a memorable character actor known for his roles in The Wire and The Sopranos, has passed away.
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Scalies died on Thursday, May 1, at a nursing facility in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, after a “long battle” with Alzheimer’s disease, his daughter Anne Marie Scalies confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
The actor’s online obituary said he “passed away peacefully.” He was 84.
The Philadelphia-born actor gained recognition for his standout performances on two key HBO shows. He portrayed Thomas “Horseface” Pakusa in season 2 of The Wire and Tony Soprano’s former high school coach in season 5 of The Sopranos.
Charley Scalies, of ‘The Wire’ and ‘The Sopranos,’ Dies at 84. pic.twitter.com/7E4MciKicW
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However, Scalies quietly appeared in many high-profile projects alongside big stars.
Per his obituary, he made his film debut in the 1995 movie Two Bits, starring Al Pacino. His acting credits also include roles in 12 Monkeys starring Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis, as well as Jersey Girl, with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. Additionally, he appeared in numerous episodes of the Law & Order franchise.
Charley Scalies Enjoyed a Successful Acting Career Alongside Building a Thriving Business
While pursuing a career as a journeyman actor, Scalies also served as the director of sales and contracts at Clifton Precision, a manufacturing company. Later, he went on to establish his own successful consulting firm.
Charles Joseph Scalies Jr., born on July 19, 1940, in Philadelphia, grew up above his father’s pool hall. As a child, he entertained patrons with jokes and Al Jolson impressions. During high school and college at St. Joseph’s, he performed stand-up comedy with a friend.
In the early 1990s, he made a return to the stage, performing in community and dinner theater productions. He flexed his acting chops playing parts like Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys & Dolls, Billy Flynn in Chicago, and the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, all with the St. Francis Players in Springfield, Pennsylvania.
He then started going to open casting calls for film and TV, and the rest is history.
According to his obituary, Scalies is survived by his wife of 62 years, Angeline M. Scalies (née Cardamone), who was described as “the true love and joy of his life,” along with his five children and four grandchildren.
Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.