‘Sopranos,’ ‘Wire’ Actor Charley Scalies Dead At 84 After Long Battle With Alzheimer’s

Wendell Pierce and David Simon attend the Museum of the Moving Image presentation of HBO's "The Wire" reception at The Times Center on July 30, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images) — Wendell Pierce and David Simon attend the Museum of the Moving Image presentation of HBO’s “The Wire” reception at The Times Center on July 30, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

OAN Staff Abril Elfi
3:49 PM – Saturday, May 3, 2025

Star Charley Scalies, known for his roles in “The Wire” and “The Sopranos,” has died at 84-years-old.

According to his daughter Anne Marie who spoke with the Hollywood Reporter, Scalies passed away in a Phoenixville, Pennsylvania nursing home after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

During his career, Scalies also performed alongside Al Pacino in “Two Bits,” and Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt in “12 Monkeys.”

The actor also appeared in season 2 of “The Wire,” in which he played Thomas “Horseface” Pasuka.

Scalies went on to play Tony Soprano’s high school football coach in “The Sopranos” season 5, where he came to the mob boss in a dream to insult him for choosing a life of crime.

Over his career he also appeared in other well known tv shows including “Cold Case,” “Law & Order,” “Jersey Girl.”

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Angeline; his children, Chuck, Angeline, Tony, Christa and Anne Marie; and his grandchildren, Charles IV, Christopher, Domenic and Amelia.

🚨#BREAKING ‘Sopranos,’ ‘Wire’ actor Charley Scalies — best known as ‘Horseface’ on HBO crime drama — dead at 84

Tough-talking actor Charley Scalies – who had roles in “The Wire” and “The Sopranos” — died Thursday in a Pennsylvania nursing home, according to family. He was 84.… pic.twitter.com/Sm57h31Wd0
— SANTINO (@MichaelSCollura) May 4, 2025

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