An actor of many talents, Peter Boyle understood that his success was only as good as the people he shared it with.

Appearing in films like Taxi Driver (1976) and Young Frankenstein (1974), Boyle’s success in television came when he starred in the family sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond. The series, which ran from 1996 until 2005, starred Boyle as the ornery father and grandfather, Frank Barone. Off-screen, Boyle developed a familial bond with his co-stars. When the series finally ended in 2005, it wasn’t due to any bad blood between cast members; it was simply because the series had run its course.

“It was Ray and [co-creator] Phil Rosenthal,” Boyle said during an interview with The Kalamazoo Gazette. “They didn’t want us to keep the show going and run out of quality.”

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At the end of the series, Boyle used the opportunity of free time to take his wife and children on a vacation to Italy, mirroring the Barone family’s Italian adventure in Everybody Loves Raymond. “If Ray had said ‘no’ to another season, I probably would have stayed in New York and gone to the Hamptons,” said Boyle, ever loyal to the sitcom.

Boyle was sure to credit the show’s writers and actors for the show’s success. While he was sad to see the series wrap, he was grateful for his time spent in wonderful company. “It couldn’t be better,” said the actor. “And the people are terrific. The key to the show is Raymond and the writers, and the cast. It’s been eight great years.”