What'll ya have?

Tom Bosley was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 1, 1927. As a child, he didn't dream of being on stage, but on the baseball field. In 1976 he told TV Guide that he had wanted to become the "star left-fielder for the Cubs" but he eventually realized that he was "short, heavy, and not good at any sports."

Passing up on baseball, Bosley pursued a law degree at De Paul University after a stint in the navy. Midway through college, he transferred to a radio school with the new goal of becoming a sports announcer. Unable to find work as a sports announcer, however, Bosley became a radio actor. In 1950, after two years of acting on the radio and in stock theater, he moved to New York.

Like most young actors, Bosley worked a variety of odd jobs to pay the rent, including hat-checker at a restaurant and doorman for Tavern-on-the-Green. In 1958, after years of stage work, he was cast as the lead in the Broadway musical "Fiorello!" about the legendary New York City mayor. His performance was nothing less than stunning and he won a "grand slam" of New York theatrical awards, including top honors from the Tony Awards, the Drama Critics, and the Newspaper Guild.

From that point on, Bosley became one of the busiest actors in the business. He appeared on countless television shows, including "Route 66," "Dr. Kildare," "Mod Squad," and "Bewitched." His first film role came in 1963 when he starred with Steve McQueen and Natalie Wood in "Love with a Proper Stranger." Parts in other movies followed, including "Yours, Mine and Ours," "The Secret World of Harry Frigg," and "Divorce, American Style." In addition to his most famous TV role as Mr. C. on "Happy Days," Bosley was also a regular on "The Debbie Reynolds Show" (1969-70) and the voice of the father on "Wait Til Your Father Gets Home" (1972).

After the demise of "Happy Days" in 1984, Bosley played Sheriff Amos Tupper, a semi-regular character on "Murder, She Wrote." In 1989, he starred in his own whodunnit series, "The Father Dowling Mysteries." Tom Bosley may not have become a star left-fielder for the Cubs, but he sure has become one of our most prolific television stars.