Philip Perlman

Philip Perlman

Date of Birth: August 15, 1919
Date of Passing: April 29, 2015
Birthplace: Poland

Philip Perlman was a character actor best known for his role on Cheers, opposite his Emmy-winning daughter Rhea Perlman.

From 1986 to 1993 Philip Perlman appeared on 33 episodes of the hit NBC sitcom as the character "Phil." He got the role after visiting the set in 1986 and asking director James Burrows if he could be an extra. Burrows obliged and Perlman became a wise-cracking barfly. He reprised his role on a 2002 episode of Frasier titled “Cheerful Goodbyes,” featuring much of the cast of Cheers. Father and daughter also worked together in the 1992 movie Class Act.

Additionally, Perlman appeared in the television series Sibs, Roc and a 2006 episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which was his final performance. He appeared opposite Danny DeVito, his son-in-law, whom he frequently worked with. Their other shared credits included the films The War of the Roses, Other People’s Money, Hoffa, Out of Sight, Man in the Moon, Drowning Mona, Duplex, Even Money and the 2005 short Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School.

Perlman was untrained as an actor and had made his living in the toy business, which he retired from in the mid-1980s. He appeared in his first film in 1987, Throw Momma from the Train, starring DeVito and Billy Crystal.

Philip Perlman was a character actor best known for his role on Cheers, opposite his Emmy-winning daughter Rhea Perlman.

From 1986 to 1993 Philip Perlman appeared on 33 episodes of the hit NBC sitcom as the character "Phil." He got the role after visiting the set in 1986 and asking director James Burrows if he could be an extra. Burrows obliged and Perlman became a wise-cracking barfly. He reprised his role on a 2002 episode of Frasier titled “Cheerful Goodbyes,” featuring much of the cast of Cheers. Father and daughter also worked together in the 1992 movie Class Act.

Additionally, Perlman appeared in the television series Sibs, Roc and a 2006 episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which was his final performance. He appeared opposite Danny DeVito, his son-in-law, whom he frequently worked with. Their other shared credits included the films The War of the Roses, Other People’s Money, Hoffa, Out of Sight, Man in the Moon, Drowning Mona, Duplex, Even Money and the 2005 short Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School.

Perlman was untrained as an actor and had made his living in the toy business, which he retired from in the mid-1980s. He appeared in his first film in 1987, Throw Momma from the Train, starring DeVito and Billy Crystal.

Perlman died April 29, 2015, in Los Angeles. He was 95.

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