'The Sopranos' Actor Charley Scalies Dead at 84 After Years Long Battle With Alzheimer's
Charley Scalies died at 84.
May 4 2025, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Charley Scalies, the beloved Philadelphia character actor best known for his roles on HBO's iconic series The Wire and The Sopranos, has died at the age of 84.
Scalies took his final bow on Thursday, May 1, at a nursing facility in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, after a courageous battle with Alzheimer's, RadarOnline.com can report.
Charley Scalies fought a years long battle with Alzheimer's.
The late actor cemented his legacy with a memorable performance as Thomas 'Horseface' Pakusa in the second season of The Wire, captivating viewers throughout all 12 episodes in 2003. As Horseface, an imprisoned former longshoreman devoted to his morally questionable boss, Frank Sobotka (played by Chris Bauer), Scalies left an indelible mark on fans and critics alike.
In a 2019 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Scalies said: "As with all the other characters I've been blessed to portray, Horseface lives inside of me. I invite him out to play as needed."
Charley Scalies was beloved by many of his co-stars.
This talent didn't stop there. Scalies returned to HBO in 2007, making an unforgettable appearance as Coach Molinaro in the fifth-season Sopranos episode "The Test Dream". In this chilling dream sequence, he confronted the iconic James Gandolfini's Tony Soprano, chastising him for taking "the easy way out" and squandering his considerable potential on crime. The actor's journey began in South Philadelphia, where Charles Joseph Scalies Jr. was born on July 19, 1940. He crafted his early performances while entertaining patrons at his father's pool hall, performing jokes and beloved Al Jolson impressions.
Charles Scalies married his wife Angeline 62 years ago.
"Like every other comedy duo of the time, we patterned our act after Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis," he fondly recalled in a 2015 interview about his high school years, where he and a friend took their comedy routine to every beef and beer joint they could find. After taking a detour into the corporate world as a director of sales and contracts at Clifton Precision, Scalies returned to the spotlight in the early '90s, gracing community theaters with his stage presence. His standout roles included Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys & Dolls and the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, proving his talent transcended the confines of the silver screen. Scalies eventually made his mark in films, including appearances in the 1995 thriller Condition Red and Terry Gilliam's sci-fi classic 12 Monkeys. He also showcased his talent on two episodes of NBC's Homicide: Life on the Street, a series created by David Simon, who would later bring us The Wire. His impressive resume also boasts films like Liberty Heights (1999) and the Kevin Smith comedy Jersey Girl (2004), along with guest spots on popular shows such as Law & Order and Cold Case.
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Charley Scalies also explored writing with a screenplay titled, It Takes Balls, inspired by his father's beloved pool room. He leaves behind a loving family: his wife of 62 years, Angeline; children, Chuck, Angeline, Tony, Christa, and Anne Marie; as well as adoring grandchildren, Charles IV, Christopher, Domenic, and Amelia.
His family claimed: "His favorite audience was always seated around the dinner table."
