With Thursday’s news that Pat Harrington Jr. — best known as cocky superintendent Dwayne Schneider on the CBS sitcom “One Day at a Time” — died Wednesday at age 86, friends, castmates and colleagues of the actor posted their condolences and tributes.
“He always made me laugh,” wrote Valerie Bertinelli, who played Barbara Cooper on the series, wrote.
Norman Lear, who developed the series, noted that Harrington died on the birthday of his castmate Bonnie Franklin, who played matriarch Ann Romano on the series.
“Who filled out a more hilarious character than Pat Harrington Jr. Coincidentally, he passed on Bonnie’s birthday,” Lear wrote.
In a lengthy social media post, former “One Day at a Time” castmate Glenn Scarpelli also noted that Harrington perished on the birthday of Franklin, who died in 2013.
“I will love him FOREVER. He helped shape the man I have become. I live in gratitude that he was in my life. I feel privileged to have called him my friend. He brought so much joy and laughter to our planet,” Scarpelli wrote. “Pat died on Bonnie’s birthday… it is my belief that it’s a sign that she was one of his greeters on the other side.”
Who filled out a more hilarious character than Pat Harrington Jr. Coincidentally, he passed on Bonnie’s birthday. https://t.co/Mik7S4ayb6 — Norman Lear (@TheNormanLear) January 7, 2016
Goodbye, my sweet, witty friend. https://t.co/YpAYi3jin5
— Jim Beaver (@jumblejim) January 7, 2016
RIP Pat Harrington, Jr. I had the privilege of having him guest star on one of my first jobs. — Adam Horowitz (@AdamHorowitzLA) January 7, 2016