Actor and Comedian Peter Boyle, famous for his roles at the tap-dancing monster in Young Frankenstein and perhaps more recently as the dad in Everybody Loves Raymond, died last night in New York. He was 71.
A large man, Boyle was often typecast as the irascible scoundrel (Taxi Driver, Joe), despite his background in comedy (he got his start in a traveling production of The Odd Couple before quitting to join Chicago’s legendary Second City theater company).
That all changed in 1974 when Mel Brooks cast him alongside other comedy greats Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein.
He continued playing dramatic parts though his career, but to me his comedic roles are the more memorable – my favorite perhaps being that of the chronically depressed psychic in an episode of The X Files.
G’night, Peter. Put on that ritz.
