Charley Scalies, the beloved character actor who brought a grounded warmth to gritty dramas like The Wire and The Sopranos, has passed away at the age of 84.
The actor died on May 1 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s, his family confirmed through an obituary and a statement to The Hollywood Reporter from his daughter, Anne Marie Scalies.
Though many fans knew him as Thomas “Horseface” Pakusa—the loyal union man from Season 2 of The Wire—or as Coach Molinaro in The Sopranos, those closest to him knew him by a much more cherished title: Dad.
“Best known first and foremost as a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend,” his obituary lovingly stated, “whose life reflected a rich blend of professional achievement, creative passion, and a true joy for life. His favorite audience was always seated around the dinner table.”
Born Charles J. Scalies, Jr. on July 19, 1940 in Philadelphia, Charley had a knack for performing early on, cracking jokes and doing impressions for patrons at his father’s South Philly pool hall.
But the stage didn’t call him professionally until later in life.
After graduating from St. Joseph’s College and working in business, he found his way into local theater in the 1990s. His performances included Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, Billy Flynn in Chicago, and even the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz.
Scalies made his big-screen debut in Two Bits, a James Foley film starring Al Pacino and set right in his old South Philly stomping grounds.
But it was his memorable portrayal of “Horseface” in The Wire that really earned him a devoted following, blending blue-collar grit with quiet integrity. He later showed up on The Sopranos, sharing a scene with James Gandolfini in the episode The Test Dream.
He also left his mark on TV dramas like Law & Order, SVU, Homicide: Life on the Street, and Cold Case, and popped up in films like 12 Monkeys, Liberty Heights, and Jersey Girl.
And proving he was a man of many talents, Scalies even took a swing at screenwriting with It Takes Balls, inspired by—you guessed it—his dad’s legendary pool hall.
He is survived by the love of his life, Angeline M. Scalies, his wife of 62 years, along with their five children and four grandchildren. And while Charley’s stories may no longer be told at the dinner table, his family assures us his legacy will live on.
“Charley emphasized the importance of family, stating that loving their mother, spending quality time, and teaching respect and hard work were key elements of fatherhood. He believed that a father’s role is to guide children toward self-sufficiency. His wife, children, and grandchildren will miss his stories but will keep him in their hearts forever,” the obituary reads.
