Earl Boen Passes On

Earl Boen, who appeared in three of the Terminator movies as well as such TV shows as It's a Living and Who's the Boss?, died on January 5 2023 at the age of 81. He had Stage 4 lung cancer.

Earl Boen was born on August 8 1941. He made his television debut in a production of Cyrano de Bergerac on Great Performances in 1974. In the Seventies he guest starred on the shows The Streets of San Francisco, What's Happening!!, Kojak; Rafferty; Hawaii Five-O; Wonder Woman; Police Woman; Richie Brockelman, Private Eye; Eight is Enough; Lou Grant; The Paper Chase; The Wonderful World of Disney; Barnaby Jones; The Jeffersons; Buck Rogers in the 25th Century; A Man Called Sloane; and Angie. He made his film debut in 1977 in the movie Mr. Billion. He appeared in the films The Fifth Floor (1978), The Main Event (1979), Battle Beyond the Stars (1980), and Nine to Five (1980).

In the Eighties Earl Boen had recurring roles on the television shows It's a Living and The Law and Harry McGraw. He had recurring roles on the shows Who's the Boss?, Mama's Family, and L.A. Law. He guest starred on the shows The Dukes of Hazzard; M*A*S*H; Barney Miller; The Powers of Matthew Star; Galivan; Too Close for Comfort; Voyagers!; Madam's Place; Three's Company; Fantasy Island; It Takes Two; Just Our Luck; Benson; Amanda's; St. Elsewhere; Night Court; Family Ties; Street Hawk; Otherworld; Me and Mom; Newhart; Remington Steele; Growing Pains; Silver Spoons; 1st & Ten; Punky Brewster; What's Happening Now!; Hill Street Blues; Knot's Landing; Dynasty; Gung Ho; Isabel's Honeymoon Hotel; ALF; Scarecrow and Mrs. King; Thirtysomething; Mr. President; Crime Story; The Oldest Rookie; The New Gidget; Hotel; Dallas; The Bold and the Beautiful; Webster; Star Trek: The Next Generation; Murder, She Wrote; Baywatch; Life Goes On; 227; Tales from the Crypt; Sydney; Matlock,; and WIOU. He provided voices for the television cartoons A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, The Further Adventures of Superted, Fantastic Max, and Paddington Bear. He appeared in the movies Soggy Bottom U.S.A. (1981), Airplane: The Sequel (1983), To Be or Not To Be (1983), The Terminator (1984), Movers & Shakers (1985), Touch and Go (1986), Stewardess School (1986), Walk Like a Man (1987), 18 Again! (1988), Alien Nation (1988), My Stepmother is an Alien (1988), Chrome Hearts (1989), and Marked for Death (1990).

In the Nineties Earl Boen had recurring roles on the shows Get a Life; Santa Barbara; L.A. Law, and California Dreams. He guest starred on the shows Seinfeld, The Wonder Years, Amen, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, Family Matters, Herman's Head, The Golden Girls, Rhythm & Blues, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Golden Palace, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. On Our Own, Blue Skies, Empty Nest, The 5 Mrs. Buchanans, Living Single, Deadly Games, Ellen., Silk Stalkings, Sparks, Working, The Good News, and Boy Meets World. He provided voices for the animated television series The Pirates of Dark Water, The Addams Family, Bonkers, Skeleton Warriors, Batman: The Animated Series; Animaniacs; What-a-Mess, The Mask, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Bruno the Kid, Pinky and the Brain, Spider-Man, The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries, Zorro;  The Fantastic Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor; and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. He appeared in the movies Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994), Sioux City (1994), The Dentist (1996), The Prince (1996), The Odd Couple II (1998), and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000). He provided one of the voices for the movie Gordy (1994).

In the Naughts Earl Boen was a voice on the animated TV shows The Zeta Project, Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Justice League, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Grim & Evil. He guest starred on the shows The West Wing, Family Law, State of Grace, and The Practice. He appeared in the movies Now You Know (2002) and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003).

He voiced several video games for much of his career.

Earl Boen was an extremely prolific, quite simply because he was so very good. On The Law & Harry McGraw he played Sgt. Howard Sternhagen, a police detective who sometimes helped Harry on his cases. On Mama's Family he played Reverend Meechum, the henpecked pastor of Mama's church. In the Terminator  he played Dr. Silberman, a criminal psychologist whose mediocrity is only made by his fanaticism. Throughout his career Earl Boen delivered a number of great performances.