Dick Schaal, a Second City pioneer and former husband of Valerie Harper, dies at 86

Chicago Tribune ^ | November 5, 2014

[ConservativeStatement]

Richard "Dick" Schaal, a pioneer at the Second City comedy theater in Chicago, the former husband of the actress Valerie Harper and a familiar face from a plethora of character roles on movies and television, including "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Rhoda," died Tuesday at the Motion Picture and Television Fund retirement home in Woodland Hills, Calif., said his only daughter, the actress Wendy Schaal. He was 86..

[ConservativeStatement]

I vaguely remember him. Thought some here may have a better recollection.

[ClearCase_guy]

Amazingly, Harper is still alive. Lung cancer diagnosis in 2009, and then it spread to her brain. She’s hanging in there.

[ConservativeStatement]

His daughter was on an episode of “Fantasy Island” in which Roddy McDowell played the devil.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Familiar face. RIP.

[alexander_busek]

I believe that, besides various vaguely "sticky" characters who would "hit" on Mary and Rhoda in bars, etc., he also played Chuckles the Clown at least once (other actors also occasionally embodied that role).

So long, Chuckles!

Regards,

[Liberty Valance]

Here he is in The Russins are Coming!

Rest in peace.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Compare that pic to the “actors” in movies today that look like identical pampered teenage male models.

[massmike]

[TBP]

Quite well known.

[Nifster]

Loved his work....a very funny man.

[minnesota_bound]

#6 You are correct. These people have ‘mugs’.

[dfwgator]

One of the funniest movies of all-time "Hollywood Knights."

[wally_bert]

I will have to look into that one. Thank you.

RIP Mr. Schaal.

[Night Hides Not]

If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s great! It provided a launching pad to stardom for several characters, such as Robert Wuhl (Newbomb Turk) and Fran Drescher.

[CatherineofAragon]

"Compare that pic to the “actors” in movies today that look like identical pampered teenage male models."

I don't know what on earth has happened to males of this current era. I've started to wonder if something is messing with their hormones. Men used to look like men, but younger ones just don't anymore.

[GreenAccord]

“He grabbed eet viss hees deeeck!”

American Graffiti meets Animal House. Loved that movie.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I think I’ve seen him in an episode or two of The Bob Newhart Show.