Dabney Died Happy: ‘9 to 5’ Star Went out With Style After Playing Creeps
Dabney Coleman died at age 92 on May 16.
Gruff actor Dabney Coleman made life miserable for secretaries Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as their nasty boss in 9 to 5, but pals claim he went to his grave happy as a clam after guest-starring on hit TV show Yellowstone, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In his final role, the 92-year-old Emmy winner, who died at his Santa Monica home May 16, played the dying dad of Kevin Costner's rancher John Dutton in a season 2 flashback.
Coleman's final role was playing Kevin Costner's dad on 'Yellowstone.'
"Dabney knew Yellowstone would be his swan song as an actor," a pal revealed to the Globe. "And he was thrilled to get the part. And he didn't have to play a creep, either!"
The role was a real change of pace for Coleman, who also played smarmy jerks that audiences loved to hate in hit films like WarGames and Tootsies, as well as TV's Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
Ironically, Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan hired Coleman recalling they'd worked together two decades before on the TV show The Guardian and he was "a Texas guy," a "gifted giving actor" and "kind."
But he relished playing scoundrels and heels.
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'Yellowstone' creator Taylor Sheridan called Coleman a 'kind' and 'gifted' actor.
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"It's fun playing those roles," Coleman once said. "You get to do outlandish things, things that you want to do, probably, in real life, but you just don't because you're a civilized human being."
"There are no holds barred when you're playing [jerks] — I couldn't imagine anyone not loving playing those parts."
While he got a kick out of playing cads, "Dabney didn't want to ride off into the sunset as a clown or a snake," his friend said. "He wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, with his dignity intact and his head held high. And Yellowstone allowed him to do just that!"
Coleman died on Thursday, May 16. His official cause of death was listed as cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA), according to documents obtained by The Blast.
His death certificate revealed other underlying health issues, including dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and "chronic systolic congestive heart failure."
Coleman's pal credited 'Yellowstone' for allowing the actor go 'out out in a blaze of glory.'
The Tootsies star's daughter, Quincy Coleman, confirmed her father's death in a statement to People.
"My father crafted his time here on Earth with a curious mind, a generous heart and a soul on fire with passion, desire and humor that tickled the funny bone of humanity. As he lived, he moved through this final act of his life with elegance, excellence and mastery," Quincy said.
"A teacher, a hero and a king, Dabney Coleman is a gift and blessing in life and in death as his spirit will shine through his work, his loved ones and his legacy eternally."