Peter Boyle was born October 18, 1935 in Norristown, Pennsylvania although he moved to Philadelphia, where his father, Peter Sr., was a sought-after children’s show host and local TV personality. Coming from a strong Irish Catholic background, Boyle joined the Christian Brothers religious order but left after a few years when he lost that calling to acting. After studying with guru Uta Hagen in New York, he went on to work various odd jobs as a bouncer, waiter and postal worker, while waiting for his first major break. This came in the form of his breakout film role as the hateful, bigoted, murdering title character, Joe in the 1970 movie directed by John G. Avildsen. On television, Boyle earned an Emmy Award in 1996, as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, for an appearance on the hit sci-fi thriller, The X-Files. Peter Boyle lived in New York until his death from bone marrow cancer and heart disease on December 12, 2006.
Frank Barone, played by Peter Boyle on Everybody Loves Raymond, is the crude, crass and rather slovenly husband to Marie Barone and father to Robert and Raymond. His favorite pastimes are eating and television and he often forgets to zip his pants, which has been the object of much ribbing from the rest of the family. Frank loves to eat and will devour anything, including Debra’s less than remarkable cooking. Often derisive and sorely lacking in etiquette and decorum, Frank’s normal response to most things is his trademark “Holy crap!” expression.
(Photo courtesy of CBS)