Trivia

Got lost while trying to reach his audition for Tout le monde aime Raymond (1996) with his wife frequently asking him if he knew where he was going. The frustration of not knowing caused him to become irritated and snappy when he finally arrived and, as a result, was cast as the gruff and grouchy Frank Barone.

Before deciding to pursue a career in acting, he was a monk in the Christian Brothers order.

Peter's wife Loraine Alterman Boyle was a reporter for "Rolling Stone" magazine when they first met - he was in his full make-up for Frankenstein junior (1974). Through her friendship with Yoko Ono, Peter met and became best friends with ex-Beatle John Lennon. Lennon served as best man at their wedding. Their first child Lucy was born two days after Lennon's murder in 1980.

He suffered a near-fatal stroke in October 1990 that rendered him completely speechless and immobile for nearly six months. He also had a heart attack on the set while taping an episode of Tout le monde aime Raymond (1996) in 1999. After an angioplasty, he quickly recovered health and returned to the series.

Father hosted a popular children's lunchtime cartoon show in Philadelphia in the 1950s titled "Lunch with Uncle Pete."

After seeing people cheer at his role in Joe (1970), he refused the lead role in French Connection (1971) and other roles that glamorized violence.

He had two daughters with his wife, Loraine: Lucy Boyle and Amy Boyle.

Was the only member of the ensemble cast of Tout le monde aime Raymond (1996) who didn't win an Emmy award for acting in a comedy series.

Commuted between Los Angeles, California, and his home in New York City for the filming of Tout le monde aime Raymond (1996).

During the entire nine season run of Tout le monde aime Raymond (1996), the New York-based Boyle commuted to L.A. His daughters, Lucy and Amy, attended school in New York.

Portrayed his own father, Philadelphia TV personality Pete Boyle, in the movie Un destin pour deux (1988).

He died from multiple myeloma and heart disease on the evening of December 12, 2006, at New York Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan (NYC).

When he hosted Saturday Night Live (1975) in the 1970s, he demonstrated his fine singing voice.

He has appeared in four films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Objectif vérité (1969), Frankenstein junior (1974), Taxi Driver (1976) and Malcolm X (1992).

Was friends with Doris Roberts.

Received a special tribute as part of the Annual Memorial tribute at The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007).

His paternal grandparents were Irish immigrants. His mother's family, from Louisiana, was of French, and smaller amounts of Welsh, English, Scots-Irish (Northern Irish), Scottish, German, and Polish, ancestry.

Was a member of an improv trio with Trent Gough and Judd Hirsch in the late 1960s that performed at Hillys On The Bowery (run by Hilly Kristal of CBGBs fame) which was located on 9th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues in Greenwich Village.

1957 graduate of La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Studied drama at Herbert Berghof HB Studio in Greenwich Village, New York City.