Character actor Charley Scalies, known for his roles in “The Wire” and “The Sopranos,” passed away on Thursday, May 1, at a nursing facility in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He was 84 years old.
Scalies succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease after a prolonged illness, as confirmed by his daughter Anne Marie to The Hollywood Reporter.
Born Charles J. Scalies Jr. on July 19, 1940, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was raised in South Philadelphia above his father’s pool hall, where he entertained patrons with impressions and jokes.
Before acting, Scalies pursued a business career, serving as director of sales and contracts at Clifton Precision, a precision manufacturing company. He later founded his own consulting firm, focusing on ISO 9000 auditing and quality management systems.
Scalies returned to his passion for performance in the early 1990s, starting in community and dinner theater before moving to film and television. His film debut was in the 1995 movie “Two Bits,” directed by James Foley and set in South Philadelphia, featuring Al Pacino.
His acting credits expanded to include “12 Monkeys” directed by Terry Gilliam, “Liberty Heights,” “The Doghouse,” and Kevin Smith’s “Jersey Girl.” On television, Scalies appeared in series like “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “Law & Order,” and “Cold Case.”
Scalies was recognized for his role as Thomas “Horseface” Pakusa in “The Wire” season two, portraying a dockworker involved in a car-theft operation. His character highlighted the challenges faced by blue-collar workers in Baltimore’s declining shipping industry.
He also appeared in “The Sopranos” season five as Coach Molinaro, Tony Soprano’s former high school football coach, who confronts him in a dream. The role allowed Scalies to depict a character challenging the mob boss’s life choices.
“Working on these shows was humbling,” Scalies remarked about his work on the HBO series, expressing pride that his great-grandchildren and future generations would view his performances.
Outside of screen roles, Scalies participated in stage productions with the St. Francis Players in Springfield, Pennsylvania. He also authored a screenplay, “It Takes Balls,” inspired by his childhood experiences in his father’s pool hall.
Scalies emphasized family values throughout his life. He believed in guiding children toward independence and stressed the significance of love, quality time, and instilling respect and hard work as essential to fatherhood.
Scalies is survived by his wife of 62 years, Angeline M. Scalies, their five children—Chuck, Angeline, Tony, Christa, and Anne Marie—and four grandchildren. The family requests donations to the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in his memory.
A funeral service was held May 8, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. in Trappe, Pennsylvania. The family remembers him as a devoted family man and gifted storyteller, whose legacy extends beyond his acting career.