Tom Bosley Net Worth

What was Tom Bosley's Net Worth?

Tom Bosley was an American actor of the screen and stage who had a net worth of $5 million at the time of his death in 2010.

Tom Bosley became a beloved American television icon primarily through his role as Howard Cunningham, the patient and wise patriarch on the hit sitcom "Happy Days" (1974-1984). This defining performance, which earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination, made him one of television's most recognizable father figures for a generation of viewers.

Before his television fame, Bosley established himself as a respected Broadway performer, winning a Tony Award for his portrayal of New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in the musical "Fiorello!" (1959), demonstrating his considerable talents as both an actor and singer.

His other notable television roles included the title character in "The Father Dowling Mysteries" (1989-1991), where he played a crime-solving Catholic priest, and as Sheriff Amos Tupper in "Murder, She Wrote" (1984-1988) alongside Angela Lansbury.

Bosley's distinctive voice led to a successful career in animation, providing character voices for various productions including "Wait Till Your Father Gets Home" and several Hanna-Barbera series.

Throughout his five-decade career until his death in 2010, Bosley remained a consistent presence in American entertainment, embodying warmth, integrity, and fatherly wisdom across multiple generations of television viewers.

Early Life and Education

Tom Bosley was born on October 1, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois to Jewish parents Dora and Benjamin. He attended Lake View High School, and then served in the US Navy during World War II. For his higher education, Bosley went to DePaul University.

Television Career, Part 1

Bosley made his television debut in 1955, playing the Knave of Hearts in a "Hallmark Hall of Fame" presentation of "Alice in Wonderland." In the early 1960s, he appeared in episodes of such shows as "Diagnosis: Unknown," "The Law and Mr. Jones," "Car 54, Where Are You?," and "Route 66," and was in a "Hallmark Hall of Fame" adaptation of "Arsenic and Old Lace." Bosley continued making guest appearances throughout the decade on various shows, including "Ben Casey," "Jericho," "Get Smart," "Bonanza," "The Virginian," and "The Mod Squad." He had his first major role on a regular series from 1969 to 1970, playing Bob Landers on the short-lived NBC sitcom "The Debbie Reynolds Show." After that, Bosley appeared in episodes of such series as "Night Gallery," "The Silent Force," "Love, American Style," "Bewitched," "Sarge," and "The Sixth Sense." In 1972, he starred on the short-lived sitcom "The Sandy Duncan Show," a revised version of the sitcom "Funny Face." Also that year, Bosley began voicing the lead role of Harry Boyle on the animated sitcom "Wait Till Your Father Gets Home," which ran through 1974. He made appearances on various other shows around this time, including "Maude," "Chase," "McMillan & Wife," and "The Streets of San Francisco." Bosley also starred in the television films "The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped" and "Death Cruise."

Bosley began his longest-running role in 1974: Howard Cunningham on the ABC sitcom "Happy Days." He was the husband of Marion and the father of Chuck, Richie, and Joanie, and the owner of a hardware store. "Happy Days" went on to become a massive hit with audiences, running for 11 seasons through 1984. Bosley earned an Emmy Award nomination for his work on the show. He appeared on a plethora of other shows during his time on "Happy Days," including "Insight," "Ellery Queen," and "The Love Boat." Bosley was also in many television films, such as "The Night That Panicked America," "Black Market Baby," and "The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal," as well as miniseries such as "Testimony of Two Men," "The Bastard," and "The Rebels." In the latter two, he portrayed Benjamin Franklin. Among his other credits during this time, Bosley narrated the syndicated documentary series "That's Hollywood," and voiced B. A. H. Humbug, Esq. in the animated Christmas musical special "The Stingiest Man in Town." In 1984, Bosley portrayed Jimmy Hoffa in the television film "The Jesse Owens Story," and began playing the recurring role of Sheriff Amos Tupper on the crime drama series "Murder, She Wrote." The next year, he starred opposite Kelly McGillis in the television film "Private Sessions."

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Television Career, Part 2

In 1987, Bosley made his debut in the role of Father Dowling, a Catholic priest and detective, in the television film "Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery." He later reprised the role in the "Father Dowling Mysteries" series, which ran from 1989 to 1991. In the years after that show ended, Bosley made guest appearances on "Hearts Are Wild," "Burke's Law," "Heaven Help Us," "The Drew Carey Show," and "Early Edition," among other series. Kicking off the 21st century, he appeared on "Jack & Jill" and "Walker, Texas Ranger." In 2001, Bosley voiced Jupiter in the short-lived animated series "Jason and the Heroes of Mount Olympus." The same year, he had guest roles on "ER" and "Family Law." In 2002, Bosley appeared in an episode of "Touched by an Angel" and had a role in the television film "Mary Christmas."

Bosley continued acting throughout the 00s. In 2004, he appeared on the sitcom "It's All Relative," and in 2005 made appearances on "Still Standing" and "One Tree Hill." He also played Rabbi Eli Schmitt in the Sci Fi Channel movie "The Fallen Ones." Bosley subsequently appeared in the 2006 Hallmark Channel movie "Hidden Places." That same year, he was in an episode of "That '70s Show." In 2008, Bosley starred in the Hallmark Channel movie "Charlie & Me." He had his final television role in 2010, voicing Principal Richard Warner in the short-lived children's animated series "Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures."

Film Career

On the big screen, Bosley first appeared in the 1963 romantic drama "Love with the Proper Stranger." He was subsequently in George Roy Hill's "The World of Henry Orient," starring Peter Sellers. Later in the decade, Bosley was in "Divorce American Style," "Bang Bang Kid," "The Secret War of Harry Frigg," and "Yours, Mine and Ours." In the early 1970s, Bosley had roles in the dramedies "To Find a Man" and "Mixed Company." He went on to appear in the sports comedy "Gus" in 1976. Bosley's next big-screen credit wasn't until 1982, with "O'Hara's Wife." After another considerable break, he returned in 1987 to star in Richard Fleischer's "Million Dollar Mystery." Closing out the decade, Bosley appeared in the black comedy "Wicked Stepmother." He acted infrequently on film after that, with his handful of credits including "Returning Mickey Stern" (2002), "Popstar" (2005), "Santa Buddies" (2009), and his final film, "The Back-up Plan" (2010).

(Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)

Stage Career

In 1958, Bosley made his Broadway debut in "The Power and the Glory." He appeared in two Broadway shows the next year: the comedy play "The Beaux' Stratagem" and the musical "Fiorello!" For his portrayal of New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia in the latter show, Bosley won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. He continued acting on Broadway throughout the 1960s, with credits including "Nowhere to Go But Up," "A Murderer Among Us," and "The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N," in which he played the titular character. Following a long absence from the stage, Bosley returned in 1994 to originate the role of Maurice in the Broadway version of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." He subsequently did a national tour with a revival of "Show Boat." In the early 2000s, Bosley appeared in a Broadway revival of "Cabaret." His final stage role was as Norman Thayer Jr. on a national tour of "On Golden Pond" in 2006.

Personal Life and Death

Bosley married Jean Eliot in 1962. They had a daughter named Amy, and remained together until Eliot's passing in 1978. Bosley went on to marry actress Patricia Carr in 1980; they were together until Bosley's passing.

On October 19, 2010, Bosley died from complications of a staph infection at a hospital in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 83 years of age.

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