Peter Bonerz
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Peter Roman Bonerz (, born August 6, 1938) is an American actor and director.


Early life

Bonerz was born in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on ...
, to Elfrieda (née Kern) and Christopher Bonerz. He grew up in
Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
,
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
, where he attended Marquette University High School. Here, performing with the Prep Players, he gained his first theatrical experience. At
Marquette University Marquette University () is a Private university, private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was established as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, by John Henni, the first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Ar ...
, he participated in the Marquette University Players. After graduating with a
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...
degree in 1960, he decided to seek a career in theater, starting in New York City in improv with a troupe called The Premise. After compulsory service as a draftee in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
, he worked with an improv troupe in San Francisco known as The Committee, whose members included
Rob Reiner Robert Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and liberal activist. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael Stivic, Mike "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitc ...
, David Ogden Stiers,
Howard Hesseman Howard Hesseman (February 27, 1940 – January 29, 2022) was an American actor known for his television roles as burned-out disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on '' WKRP in Cincinnati'' and the lead role of history teacher Charlie Moore on '' Head ...
and Hamilton Camp.


Career

Bonerz's first network television appearance was in 1965 on ''
The Addams Family The Addams Family is a fictional family created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. They originally appeared in a series of 150 standalone single-panel comics, about half of which were originally published in ''The New Yorker'' between 193 ...
'' in the season-two episode "Morticia, The Writer". He had several more TV appearances in the late 1960s and also had roles in several films, including ''Funnyman'' (1967); '' What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?'' (1969); '' Medium Cool'' (1969); '' Catch-22'' (1970), which also included his future co-star
Bob Newhart George Robert Newhart (September 5, 1929 – July 18, 2024) was an American comedian and actor. Newhart was known for his deadpan and stammering delivery style. Beginning his career as a stand-up comedian, he transitioned his career to acting in ...
; '' Jennifer on My Mind'' (1971); and '' Fuzz'' (1972). In 1971, Bonerz was part of an ensemble cast in the short-lived improvisational television show ''Story Theatre'', which also included
Alan Alda Alan Alda (; born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; January 28, 1936) is an American actor. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner and a three-time Tony Award nominee, he is best known for playing Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pier ...
and Valerie Harper. In 1972, he landed the popular supporting role of Dr. Jerry Robinson, the eccentric orthodontist on ''
The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American television sitcom produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychol ...
'', whose most frequent
comic foil A double act (also known as a comedy duo) is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act, often highlighting differences in their characters' ...
was Marcia Wallace as Carol, the sharp-tongued receptionist. Bonerz would reprise this role in a cameo appearance in the final, unaired episode of Bob Newhart's third series, '' Bob''. He also directed 29 episodes. The show ran for six seasons, with ratings among the top 20 in the first three seasons. Bonerz became the last surviving cast member upon the death of Bob Newhart in 2024. His later acting roles included the TV miniseries '' The Bastard'' (1978) and as a psychiatrist in the movie '' Serial'' (1980). In 1979, Bonerz appeared on '' Password Plus'' as a game show contestant/celebrity guest star with Marcia Wallace, his costar from ''The Bob Newhart Show''. In 1986, Bonerz co-starred with
Tuesday Weld Tuesday Weld (born Susan Ker Weld; August 27, 1943) is a retired American actress. She began acting as a child and progressed to mature roles in the late 1950s. She won a Golden Globe Award, Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Female Newcome ...
and River Phoenix in the television movie '' Circle of Violence: A Family Drama''. In 1999, he played Ed. Weinberger in the movie '' Man on the Moon''. He voiced Sal in the ''
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters ''Aaahh!!! Real Monsters'' is an American animated television series developed by Klasky Csupo for Nickelodeon. It is the fifth Nicktoons, Nicktoon after ''Doug (TV series), Doug'', ''Rugrats'', ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'' and ''Rocko's Modern Li ...
'' episode "Internal Affairs". In 2014, he played Doug Demarco in the "Anniversaries" episode of '' Parks and Recreation''. Beginning in 1974, Bonerz directed 29 episodes of ''
The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American television sitcom produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychol ...
''. Between 1974 and 2011, he directed over 350 episodes of various shows, including series like ''
Murphy Brown ''Murphy Brown'' is an American television sitcom created by Diane English that premiered on November 14, 1988, on CBS. The series stars Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, a famous investigative journalist and news presenter, news anch ...
'' (93 episodes), ''
Home Improvement The concept of home improvement, home renovation or remodeling is the process of renovating, making improvements or making additions to one's home. Home improvement can consist of projects that upgrade an existing home interior (such as electr ...
'' (29 episodes), '' E/R'' (22 episodes), ''
Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane (producer), David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting List of Friends episodes, ten seasons. With an ensemble cast ...
'' (12 episodes), ''
Joey Joey may refer to: People *Joey (name) Animals * Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial * Joey, a blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets Film and television * ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horace ...
'' (3 episodes), and many others such as '' Wings'', ''
NewsRadio ''NewsRadio'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from March 21, 1995, to May 4, 1999, focusing on the work lives of the staff of a New York City AM news radio station. It had an ensemble cast featuring Dave Foley, Stephen R ...
'', '' Archie Bunker's Place'', and '' ALF''. He also directed films such as '' Nobody's Perfekt'' (1981) and '' Police Academy 6: City Under Siege'' (1989).


Personal life

Bonerz married Rosalind DiTrapani in 1963; together they have two sons, Eli and Eric.


Filmography


As actor

* 1965: ''
The Addams Family The Addams Family is a fictional family created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. They originally appeared in a series of 150 standalone single-panel comics, about half of which were originally published in ''The New Yorker'' between 193 ...
'' as Mr. Boswell * 1966: '' Summer Fun'' as "Chips" * 1967: ''
Hey, Landlord ''Hey Landlord!'' is an American sitcom that appeared on NBC during the 1966–1967 season, sponsored by Procter & Gamble in the 8:30-9pm Eastern time period on Sunday nights. It is notable for its casting director Fred Roos, who later became a ...
'' as Proctor * 1967: ''Funnyman'' as Perry * 1968: '' That Girl'' as Larry Yorkin * 1968–1969: ''
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ''The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'' is an American television comedy, comedy and variety show television series hosted by the Smothers Brothers and initially airing on CBS from 1967 to 1969. The series was a major success, especially consid ...
'' as Various Roles * 1969: '' Where It's At'' as Unknown Role * 1969: '' Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?'' as Mr. Bentley * 1969: '' Medium Cool'' as Gus * 1969: '' The Governor & J.J.'' as Hubbell * 1970: '' A Storm in Summer'' as Stanley * 1970: '' Catch-22'' as MacWatt * 1970: '' Hawaii Five-O'' as Earl * 1971: '' U.S.A.'' as Unknown Role * 1971: ''Story Theatre'' as Unknown Role * 1971: '' McMillan and Wife'' as George Harvard (ep. “Death is a Seven Point Favorite”) * 1971: ''Jennifer of My Mind'' as Sergei Wasserman * 1972–1978: ''
The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American television sitcom produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychol ...
'' as Dr. Jerry Robinson * 1986: ''
Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...
'' as Calhoun Fletcher (ep. “The Perfect Foil”)


As director

* 1966: '' Summer Fun'' * 1974: ''
The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 ...
'' * 1974: '' Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers'' * 1974–1978: ''
The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American television sitcom produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychol ...
'' * 1975: '' When Things Were Rotten'' * 1976: ''
Good Heavens ''Good Heavens'' is an American Broadcasting Company, ABC comedy anthology series produced by Columbia Pictures Television that aired between February 29 and June 26, 1976. It ranked #17 in the Nielsen ratings during the 1975–76 United States n ...
'' * 1976: ''Father O Father'' (TV film) * 1976: '' The Tony Randall Show'' * 1977: '' Szysznyk'' * 1978: ''
Apple Pie An apple pie is a pie in which the principal filling is apples. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream, ice cream ("apple pie à la mode"), custard or cheddar cheese. It is generally double-crusted, with pastry both above and below the ...
'' * 1979: '' McGurk: A Dog's Life'' * 1980: ''Love, Natalie'' * 1980: ''G.I.'s'' * 1981: '' Nobody's Perfekt'' * 1982: '' In Security'' * 1982: ''High Five'' (TV short) * 1983: ''Focus on Fishko'' (short) * 1983: ''Simeon Show'' * 1984: ''Back Together'' * 1984: '' Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs'' * 1985: ''The Recovery Room'' * 1988: ''Sharing Richard'' * 1989: '' Police Academy 6: City Under Siege'' * 1989: ''Julie Brown: The Show'' (TV short) * 1993: ''The Elvira Show'' (TV short) * 1996–1999: ''
Home Improvement The concept of home improvement, home renovation or remodeling is the process of renovating, making improvements or making additions to one's home. Home improvement can consist of projects that upgrade an existing home interior (such as electr ...
'' * 2005–2006: ''
Joey Joey may refer to: People *Joey (name) Animals * Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial * Joey, a blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets Film and television * ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horace ...
'' * 2005–2007: '' Living with Fran'' * 2006: ''Drive/II'' * 2011: '' $h*! My Dad Says''


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bonerz, Peter 1938 births Living people Male actors from New Hampshire American male film actors American male television actors American television directors American comedy film directors Marquette University alumni People from Portsmouth, New Hampshire Military personnel from Milwaukee Military personnel from New Hampshire 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors United States Army soldiers Directors Guild of America Award winners Male actors from Milwaukee Film directors from New Hampshire Marquette University High School alumni