George Gaynes | |
|---|---|
 George Gaynes in 1964 | |
| Born | George Jongejans (1917-05-16)May 16, 1917 [O.S. May 3] |
| Died | February 15, 2016(2016-02-15) (aged 98) North Bend, Washington, U.S. |
| Nationality | Dutch(1917–1948) American(1948–2016) |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 1940–2003 |
| Known for | Tootsie Police Academy Punky Brewster |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Gerrit Jongejans(father) Iya Grigorievna de Gay(mother) |
| Relatives | Gregory Gaye (uncle) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | The Netherlands |
| Service | Royal Netherlands Navy |
| Years of service | 1943–1946 |
| Rank |  Sergeant |
| Unit | HNLMSOranje Nassau HMS Hilary HMS Wilton |
| Battles / wars | |
George Gaynes (bornGeorge Jongejans; May 16, 1917 – February 15, 2016) was aDutch-American singer, actor, and voice artist. Born toDutch andRussian-Finnish parents in theGrand Duchy of Finland of theRussian Empire, he served in theRoyal Netherlands Navy duringWorld War II, and subsequently emigrated to the United States, where he became a citizen and began his acting career on Broadway.
Gaynes' most recognized roles in cinema were that of CommandantEric Lassard in thePolice Academy series and as John Van Horn in the 1982 comedy filmTootsie. He appeared as the curmudgeonly but lovable foster parent Henry Warnimont on the NBC seriesPunky Brewster; as high-powered theatrical producer Arthur Feldman onThe Days and Nights of Molly Dodd; as Senator Strobe Smithers in the hit TV showHearts Afire; and as Frank Smith, the mob boss brought down byLuke Spencer (Anthony Geary) andLaura Spencer (Genie Francis) on the soap operaGeneral Hospital.
Gaynes was born on May 16, 1917, inHelsinki,[1] in what was then theGrand Duchy of Finland, part of theRussian Empire (Finland became independent that year), the son of Iya Grigorievna de Gay (later known asLady Abdy), a Russian artist ofFinnish descent, and Gerrit Jongejans, a Dutch businessman.[2] His uncle was the actorGregory Gaye.[2] He was raised in France, England, and Switzerland.[3]
Gaynes graduated from the Collège Classique Cantonal nearLausanne in 1937.[4] He also attended the Music School of Milan from 1938 to 1939,[4] and many many years later trained at theActors Studio in New York City from 1953 to 1958.[4]
In 1940, Gaynes lived inFrance, but after theBattle of France and theGerman occupation, he escaped to thePyrenees, but was soon arrested by theFrancoist Spain police. In 1942 after his release, Gaynes intended to return to the Netherlands to join theDutch resistance against theNazi occupation, but instead made his way to theUnited Kingdom to enlist in theRoyal Dutch Navy. On April 8, 1943, Gaynes was commissioned as aseaman recruit and assigned to theauxiliary ship HNLMSOranje Nassau, which was stationed atHolyhead inWales. Because of hismultilingualism (he spokeDutch,English,French,Italian, andRussian), he wasdetached on May 1, 1943, to theRoyal Navy as atranslator assigned to theconvoy commodore aboardHMS Hilary, which participated during July and August 1943 inOperation Husky the Allied invasion of Sicily. On September 1, 1943, Gaynes was reassigned to thedestroyerHMS Wilton, which participated during January 1944 in theBattle of Anzio. On January 1, 1944, he was promoted to sergeant (petty officer, 1st class). After the Battle of Anzio, HMSWilton was assigned to theAdriatic Sea and continued to see action during theAdriatic Campaign. On July 14, 1946, Gaynes washonorably discharged from the Royal Dutch Navy.
In 1946, Gaynes returned to France, but an American theater director offered him a role in aBroadway musical and he moved to New York City later that year and became anAmerican citizen in 1948.[1][5][6] During this time, his best-known appearances were inWonderful Town, the musical version ofMy Sister Eileen.[6] Gaynes alternated between stage musicals and both comedic and dramatic plays, including his role as Bob Baker in the original production ofWonderful Town (1953),Jupiter in theCole Porter musicalOut of This World (credited as George Jongejans),[7]Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and as Henry Higgins in the 1964 U.S. tour ofMy Fair Lady.[8]
Entering films and television in the early 1960s, Gaynes was a regular on the TV daytime dramasSearch for Tomorrow (replacingRobert Mandan in the role of Jo's husband, Sam Reynolds) andGeneral Hospital (originating the role of mobster Frank Smith),[9] and showed up in such movies asThe Group (1966),Marooned (1969), andDoctor's Wives (1971).[10][11][12] He also appeared in the filmsThe Way We Were (1973),Nickelodeon (1976), andTootsie (1982).[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] In 1984, he played Commandant Lassard, the titular leader, in the first of sevenPolice Academy movies.[21][22][23][24][25][26][27] In 1994, he played Serybryalzov inLouis Malle's acclaimed independent feature,Vanya on 42nd Street.[28][29] Later film appearances includeThe Crucible (1996),Wag the Dog (1997) andJust Married (2003).
On television, Gaynes played the role of Henry Warnimont, the eventual foster father forPunky Brewster in theeponymous series from 1984-1988. He also provided the voice for Henry in theanimated version of the show. He appeared as high-powered theatrical producer Arthur Feldman onThe Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, in which Gaynes' real-life wife,Allyn Ann McLerie, co-starred as hislove interest, and as Senator Strobe Smithers in the hit TV showHearts Afire. He also appeared in one episode of the sci-fi television seriesSliders as the old-aged version of Quinn Mallory, played byJerry O'Connell.[30] Behind the camera, he directed the last episode ofWKRP in Cincinnati in 1982.
Gaynes was married to stage and television actress and dancerAllyn Ann McLerie from December 20, 1953, until his death; they had two children, Matthew Gaynes and Iya Gaynes Falcone Brown. Matthew was shortlisted for the US Olympic kayak team the year that PresidentJimmy Carter boycotted the1980 Summer Olympics after the Soviet invasion ofAfghanistan. Matthew died in a car crash inIndia in 1989 on his way to Nepal to film a kayaking special for ESPN.[1][2][31]
In addition to Gaynes joining the cast of his wife's seriesThe Days and Nights of Molly Dodd in 1989, McLerie and he had previously worked together onPunky Brewster, when she guest-starred in a first-season episode.
Gaynes died at his daughter's home inNorth Bend,[32]Washington, on February 15, 2016, at the age of 98.[33]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | PT 109 | PT boat base commander | Abiographicalwar film, which depicts the actions ofJohn F. Kennedy (JFK) as an officer of theUnited States Navy in command ofMotor Torpedo BoatPT-109, during thePacific War ofWorld War II[34] (Uncredited) |
| 1964 | Les félins | ||
| 1966 | The Group | Brook Latham | Ensemble film directed bySidney Lumet, based on thenovel of the same name byMary McCarthy.[10] |
| 1969 | Marooned | Mission Director | Eastmancolor film directed byJohn Sturges, based on the 1964 novelMarooned byMartin Caidin.[11] |
| 1971 | Doctor's Wives | Paul McGill | drama film directed byGeorge Schaefer.[12] |
| 1973 | The Boy Who Cried Werewolf | Dr. Marderosian | Horror film directed byNathan H. Juran.[35] |
| Slaughter's Big Rip-Off | Warren | Blaxploitation film directed byGordon Douglas.[36] | |
| The Way We Were | El Morocco Captain | Romantic-drama film directed bySydney Pollack.[13][14][15][16][17][18] | |
| 1976 | Harry and Walter Go to New York | Prince | Period comedy film, written byJohn Byrum &Robert Kaufman and directed byMark Rydell.[37] |
| Nickelodeon | Reginald Kingsley | Comedy film directed byPeter Bogdanovich.[19] | |
| 1980 | Altered States | Dr. Wissenschaft |
|
| 1982 | Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid | Dr. John Hay Forrest | Comedy-mystery film directed byCarl Reiner.[39] |
| Tootsie | John Van Horn | Comedy film directed by Sydney Pollack.[20] | |
| 1983 | To Be or Not to Be | Ravitch | War comedy film, directed byAlan Johnson and produced byMel Brooks.[40] |
| I'm Going to Be Famous | |||
| 1984 | Police Academy | Cmdt.Eric Lassard | Comedy film directed byHugh Wilson.[21] |
| Micki + Maude | Dr. Eugene Glztszki | Comedy film directed byBlake Edwards.[41] | |
| 1985 | Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment | Cmdt. Eric Lassard | Comedy film directed byJerry Paris, and the first of sixsequels in thePolice Academy series.[22] |
| 1986 | Police Academy 3: Back in Training | Comedy film directed by Jerry Paris, and the second of six sequels in thePolice Academy series.[23] | |
| 1987 | The Numbers Game | Don Salvatore | Directed and co-written byGiancarlo Giannini. |
| Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol | Cmdt. Eric Lassard | Comedy film directed byJim Drake, and the third of six sequels in thePolice Academy series.[24] | |
| Un tassinaro a New York | The Admiral | Italian film directed and co-written byAlberto Sordi. | |
| 1988 | Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach | Cmdt. Eric Lassard | Comedy film directed byAlan Myerson, and the fourth of six sequels in thePolice Academy series.[25] |
| 1989 | Police Academy 6: City Under Siege | Comedy film directed byPeter Bonerz, and the fifth of six sequels in thePolice Academy series.[26] | |
| 1994 | Police Academy: Mission to Moscow |
| |
| Vanya on 42nd Street | Serybryakov | An intimate, interpretive performance of the playUncle Vanya byAnton Chekhov, as adapted byDavid Mamet and directed byLouis Malle.[28][29] | |
| The Fantastic Four | Professor | Anindependentsuperhero film adapted from theMarvel Comics flagship title; unreleased.[42] | |
| 1996 | The Crucible | JudgeSamuel Sewall | Drama film written byArthur Miller adapting hisplay of the same title, inspired by theSalem witchcraft trials, and directed byNicholas Hytner.[43] |
| 1997 | Wag the Dog | Senator Cole |
|
| 2003 | Just Married | Father Robert | Romantic comedy film directed byShawn Levy[45] (final film role) |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Cheyenne | Rod Delaplane | Episode: "Vengeance is Mine" |
| The Defenders | John Ames | Episode: "The Last Six Months" (S. 1: Ep. 27). | |
| Hawaiian Eye | Roger Korvin | Episode: "The Broken Thread" (S. 4: Ep. 4). | |
| The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Mr. Campbell, the Bank Manager | Season 1 Episode 11: "Ride the Nightmare" | |
| 1963 | Empire | N/A | Episode: "The Four Thumbs Story" (S. 1: Ep. 15). |
| The Gallant Men | Major Neumann | Episode: "Operation Secret" (S. 1: Ep. 19). | |
| East Side/West Side | Mr. Stowe | Episode: "Who Do You Kill" (S. 1: Ep. 7). | |
| 1965 | The Patty Duke Show | Gaylord | Episode: "The Perfect Hostess" (S. 2: Ep. 18). |
| 1968 | Bonanza | Purdy | Episode: "The Late Ben Cartwright" (S. 9: Ep. 22). |
| Mannix | Professor Brendan | Episode: "Who Will Dig the Graves?" (S. 2: Ep. 8). | |
| Mission: Impossible | Dr. Paul van Bergner | Episode: "The Elixir" (S. 3: Ep. 7). | |
| 1970 | Hawaii Five-O | Thurman Elliott | Episode: "Kiss the Queen Goodbye" (S. 2: Ep. 25). |
| 1971 | Hogan's Heroes | 3 Star US Army Air Corp General | Episode: "Easy Come, Easy Go" (S. 6: Ep. 15). |
| Search for Tomorrow | Sam Reynolds | Replacement forRobert Mandan. | |
| 1972 | Columbo | Everett | Episode: "Étude in Black" (S. 2: Ep. 1). |
| Search | Major Giles Matthews | Episode: "In Search of Midas" (S. 1: Ep. 8). | |
| 1973 | Columbo | Frenchman | Episode: "Any Old Port in a Storm" (S. 3: Ep. 2). |
| 1974 | The Six Million Dollar Man | General Wiley | Episode: "Nuclear Alert" (S. 2: Ep. 1). |
| Cannon | Edward Foxworth | Episode: "The Avenger" (S. 4: Ep. 7). | |
| McMillan & Wife | Burton Rohner | Episode: "Guilt by Association" (S. 4: Ep. 4). | |
| 1975 | Trilogy of Terror | Dr. Chester Ramsey |
|
| McCloud | Floyd Spencer | Episode: "Fire!" (S. 6: Ep. 3). | |
| 1976 | Captains and the Kings | Orestes Bradley | Made-for-TV-Movie[47][48][49] |
| City of Angels | Eisley | Episode: "Palm Springs Answer" (S. 1: Ep. 7). | |
| Rich Man, Poor Man Book II | Max Vincent | Miniseries[50] | |
| Black Sheep Squadron | Gen. Chennault | Episodes:
| |
| The Quest | Gotham | Episode: "Day Of Outrage" (S. 1: Ep. 4). | |
| Delvecchio | Commissioner Schaub | Episode: "Hot Spell" (S. 1: Ep. 8). | |
| 1977 | Washington: Behind Closed Doors | Brewster Perry | Miniseries |
| Carter Country | Murdock | Episode: "Out of the Closet" (S. 1: Ep. 3). | |
| 1979 | Quincy, M.E. | Airline Executive | Episode: "Aftermath" (S. 4: Ep. 16). |
| Stockard Channing in Just Friends | Rock La Rue | Episode: "Health May Be Hazardous" (S. 1: Ep. 5). | |
| WKRP In Cincinnati | Henri | Episode: "Jennifer's Home For Christmas" (S. 1: Ep. 11). | |
| 1980 | General Hospital | Frank Smith | Contract role |
| 1980 | Scruples | John Prince | TV Miniseries |
| 1981 | Evita Peron | Evita's Doctor | Made-for-TV-Movie directed byMarvin J. Chomsky.[51] |
| 1982 | Quincy, M.E. | Powell Dixon | Episode: "The Unquiet Grave" (S. 7: Ep. 21). |
| 1983 | Cheers | Malcolm Kramer | Episode: "Where There's A Will" (S. 2: Ep. 12). |
| 1984 | Blue Thunder | Doctor Willi Von Hartig | Episode: "Payload" (S. 1: Ep. 8). |
| ABC Afterschool Special | Cmdr. Arnold Arrangussen | Episode: "Mom's On Strike" (S. 13: Ep. 4) | |
| 1984–88 | Punky Brewster | Henry Warnimont | Contract role |
| 1985–86 | It's Punky Brewster | Henry Warnimont (Voice) | 26 episodes |
| 1986 | Hotel | Gerald Milburn | Episode: "Scapegoats" (S. 3: Ep. 12) |
| 1987 | Punky Brewster | Lars Warnimont | Episode: "It's a Dog's Life" (S. 3: Ep. 10). |
| Matlock | Judge Hollis D. Dunaway | Episodes:
| |
| 1989 | The New Lassie | Mr. Ogilvy | Episode: "Dangerous Party (a.k.a. Halloween)" (S. 1: Ep. 6). |
| 1989–91 | The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd | Arthur Feldman | Contract role |
| 1992 | Dinosaurs | Elder in Chief | Episode: "Nuts to War, part 2" (S. 2: Ep. 20). |
| 1992–93 | Hearts Afire | Senator Strobe Smithers | Contract role |
| 1996 | Chicago Hope | Brook Austin | Recurring role |
| 1998 | Police Academy: The Series | Cmdt. Eric Lassard | Episode: "Lend Me Your Ears" (S. 1: Ep. 15). |
| 1999 | Sliders | Old Quinn Mallory | Episode: "Roads Taken" (S. 4: Ep. 21). |
A gloriously cyncial black comedy that functions as a wicked smart satire on the interlocking world of politics and show business...
