Peter Boyle, 1935-2006

This has nothing to do with music, but I need to note the passing of a great character actor. Peter Boyle, the actor who was probably best know as Ray's father on "Everybody Loves Raymond," died yesterday in New York. He was 71. Boyle had been suffering from multiple myeloma and heart disease.

"I don't think I would be an actor if I was all that intelligent" - Peter Boyle

Although he played Frank Barone for almost 10 years, Boyle's film career actually began in 1970 when he was cast in the role of Joe, in the movie of the same name. He had another hit role as Frankenstein's monster in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein.

Some of Boyle's other better-known roles include an appearance in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver opposite Robert De Niro, in which he played fellow cab driver "Wizard," and While You Were Sleeping, in which he played the father of Sandra Bullock's fiancee. Boyle was also in Monster's Ball, playing the hateful father of Billy Bob Thornton's character.

Some Peter Boyle trivia, from Wikipedia: Boyle met his wife, Loraine Alterman, on the set of Young Frankenstein while she was there as a reporter for Rolling Stone. He was still in his Frankenstein makeup when he asked her for a date. John Lennon was the best man at their 1977 wedding. Boyle and Lennon were good friends and became acquainted because their wives knew each other through Alterman's job at Rolling Stone.

Check out CNN.com for more information on Boyle's passing.

posted by aikin @ 8:25 PM