Dabney Wharton Coleman was born on January 3, 1932, in Austin, Texas, USA. He was an American actor known for his roles portraying egomaniacal and unlikeable characters in comedic performances. Throughout his career, he appeared in over 175 films and television programs and was awarded for both comedic and dramatic performances.

Dabney Coleman was the youngest of four children. His father passed away from pneumonia when Dabney was four years old, and he and his siblings were raised by their mother in Corpus Christi, Texas. He attended Corpus Christi High School, where he excelled at tennis and became a nationally ranked junior tennis player.

He spent two years at Virginia Military Institute followed by another two years at the University of Texas at Austin. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1953 and served in West Germany in the Army's Special Services Division for two years, playing tennis across Europe for the Army and the local town.

His acting career began in the early 1960s, and he quickly became known for his ability to play sleazy or thuggish characters. He gained recognition for his roles in films such as "9 to 5" in 1980, "On Golden Pond" in 1981, "Tootsie" in 1982, "WarGames" in 1983, "Cloak & Dagger" in 1984, and "You've Got Mail" in 1998.

His significant television roles included Merle Jeeter on "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" from 1976 to 1977, the title characters in "Buffalo Bill" from 1983 to 1984 and "The Slap Maxwell Story" from 1987 to 1988, and Burton Fallin on "The Guardian" from 2001 to 2004.

More recently, he portrayed Louis "The Commodore" Kaestner on "Boardwalk Empire" from 2010 to 2011 and made a memorable appearance on "Yellowstone" in 2019 in his final role. As a voice actor, he provided the voice of Principal Peter Prickly on "Recess" from 1997 to 2001 and in several movies based on the series.

In his personal life, Dabney Coleman was married twice. He married Ann Courtney Harrell in 1957, but they divorced in 1959. He then married Jean Hale in 1961, and they had four children together: Meghan, Kelly, Randy, and Quincy.

The couple divorced in 1984. he was an avid tennis player and won several celebrity and charity tournaments. He passed away on May 16, 2024, at the age of 92 in Santa Monica, California, due to cardiopulmonary arrest. He is survived by his sister, Beverly Coleman McCall, his children, and his grandchildren.

Throughout his career, Dabney Coleman received several awards and nominations. He won one Primetime Emmy Award from six nominations and one Golden Globe Award from three nominations.

He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014.