Peter Boyle dead at 71

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on December 13th, 2006

Peter Boyle, Ray Romano‘s TV dad for ten years, died.

What comic doesn’t love “Young Frankenstein”?

Boyle died Tuesday evening at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He had been suffering from multiple myeloma and heart disease, said his publicist, Jennifer Plante.

A Christian Brothers monk who turned to acting, Boyle gained notice playing an angry workingman in the Vietnam-era hit “Joe.” But he overcome typecasting when he took on the role of the hulking, lab-created monster in Mel Brooks’ 1974 send-up of horror films.

The Puttin’ on the Ritz scene is frequently cited by comics and non-coms alike as one of the funniest moments in cinema history.

Boyle had local Philly roots. The Male Half is familiar with Boyle’s father, also named Peter, who went by the name Pete and was a Philadelphia broadcasting pioneer. (He vaguely recalls the elder Boyle hosting a show in which he talked to puppets, introduced cartoons and did charcoal drawings. The show was sponsored by Acme Markets, owned by American Stores. Patricia Heaton, who portrayed Raymond’s wife, Deborah, is currently spokesperson for Acme Markets here on the east coast. Spooky! At one time the senior Boyle took over the hosting of an afternoon cooking show when the host moved to mornings. That host was Ernie Kovacs. There’s always a comedian involved.)

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