Charley Scalies, a character actor known for roles in HBO’s “The Wire” and “The Sopranos,” passed away on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at a nursing facility in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He was 84 years old.
Scalies died after a prolonged struggle with Alzheimer’s disease, according to his daughter Anne Marie, who confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter.
Born Charles J. Scalies Jr. on July 19, 1940, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he spent his early years above his father’s pool hall in South Philadelphia. He entertained patrons with impressions and jokes, showcasing his early talent for performing.
Before his acting career, Scalies worked in the business sector as the director of sales and contracts at Clifton Precision, a precision manufacturing company. He later founded a consulting firm specializing in ISO 9000 auditing and quality management systems.
Scalies returned to his performing roots in the early 1990s, starting in community and dinner theater productions before moving to film and television. His film debut was in the 1995 movie “Two Bits,” directed by James Foley and featuring Al Pacino, set in South Philadelphia.
His acting portfolio grew to include roles in Terry Gilliam’s “12 Monkeys” with Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, along with appearances in “Liberty Heights,” “The Doghouse,” and Kevin Smith’s “Jersey Girl.” On television, Scalies appeared on “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “Law & Order,” and “Cold Case.”
Scalies was particularly noted for his role as Thomas “Horseface” Pakusa, a dockworker and union member involved in a car-theft operation, in the second season of “The Wire” in 2003. His character depicted the challenges Baltimore’s blue-collar workers faced in the series.
He also appeared in the fifth season of “The Sopranos” in a dream sequence as Coach Molinaro, Tony Soprano’s high school football coach. The character criticized the mob boss for choosing crime over legitimate paths.
“Working on these shows was humbling,” Scalies remarked about his roles in the HBO series, expressing satisfaction that future generations of his family would see his work.
Outside of screen acting, Scalies was active with the St. Francis Players in Springfield, Pennsylvania, and wrote a screenplay titled “It Takes Balls,” inspired by his father’s pool hall.
Family was a central theme in Scalies’s life. He emphasized the role of a father in guiding children toward independence and valued loving his children’s mother, sharing time, and teaching respect and diligence.
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 has requested donations to the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in his honor.
A funeral service is scheduled for May 8, 2025, at 11:00 am in Trappe, Pennsylvania. His family remembers him as a dedicated family man and storyteller, whose legacy goes beyond his acting career.
