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Pat Harrington: ‘One Day at A Time’ Actor Dies At Age 86

By Jennifer Deutschmann
Published on: 06:50 PST, Jan 7, 2016

Pat Harrington, Jr., who played Schneider on One Day at a Time, has died at the age of 86. The sad news was shared by the actor’s daughter Tresa via Facebook. As stated in the post, Pat passed away just after 11 p.m. on Tuesday.

A native of New York City, New York, Pat Harrington, Jr. was the son of Pat Harrington, Sr., who was an acclaimed Broadway and Vaudeville actor.

IMDb reports Pat attended Fordham University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in political philosophy. Following graduation, he joined the United States Air Force, where he served as an intelligence officer during the Korean War and rose to the rank of First Lieutenant.

After the completion of his military service, Harrington landed a job with NBC.

Throughout the early 1950s, Pat appeared in several television series’, including The Ford Theater Hour, The Plymouth Playhouse, The Motorola Television Hour, and The Alcoa Hour. However, he did not land a regular television role until 1959 when he was cast as Pat Hannigan on Make Room for Daddy. During the same year, he began making regular appearances on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show as an Italian golf pro named Guido Panzini.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Pat Harrington, Jr., was cast as a voice actor in several prominent television series, including Aquaman, The New Scooby-Doo Movies, Wait Till Your father Gets Home, and Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels.

Throughout the 1970s, Pat continued to appear in numerous television mini-series, movies, and series. However, he got his big break when he was cast as custodian Dwayne F. Schneider in the comedy series One Day at a Time.

Set in Indianapolis, Indiana, One Day at a Time followed the story of a recently divorced woman, played by Connie Francis, and her two daughters, who were played by Valerie Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips.

In the series, Harrington plays an apartment building custodian who befriends the mother and her two daughters. Although Schneider often provides comic relief, he also grows close the single mother and her daughters and remains a close friend of the family.

Pat Harrington, Jr., appeared in 199 episodes of One Day at a Time during the program’s impressive nine-season run. Between 1979 and 1983, he was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and one Primetime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Schneider in the hit series.

In 1981, he won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Although he appeared in several other television series and Broadway productions throughout the remainder of his career, Pat Harrington, Jr., was best known for his role as the quirky custodian on One Day at a Time.

In her Facebook post, Tresa said losing her father was “the single most heart wrenching and physically painful thing, [she] ever had to endure.” She also offered a solemn piece of advice to her friends and her father’s fans.

“I know many of you have lost parents and loved ones, and now I know what it’s like to feel the kind of sadness and void that will never be filled but only softened with the passing of time. My heart is broken to pieces and I will cry and cry until I just won’t. Love to you all! And as we head into this year, never be afraid to tell the people you love, that you love them.”

Tresa said One Day at a Time actor Pat Harrington, Jr., was surrounded by his family at the time of his death. According to reports, he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and suffered a brain hemorrhage in the weeks preceding his death.

[Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images]

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