George Grizzard

George Cooper Grizzard Jr. was an esteemed American stage, film, and television actor, whose career spanned over five decades from 1955 to 2006. Born on April 1, 1928, in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, Grizzard had a passion for the arts from a young age, participating in student productions and eventually deciding to pursue acting while attending Woodrow Wilson High School. As a university student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he studied advertising and drama. After graduation, he worked in advertising while also participating in amateur productions. His professional acting debut was in 1950 at Washington's Arena Stage. His Broadway debut was in 1955, in 'The Desperate Hours', playing the character of Hank Griffith, the younger brother of a character played by Paul Newman. Frequent appearances in Edward Albee's plays, including the original 1962 production of 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?', strengthened his acting reputation. One of his most memorable roles was that of an unscrupulous U.S. Senator in the film 'Advise and Consent' in 1962. In 1963, Grizzard joined the original company of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. His performances in the Guthrie's inaugural production of Hamlet and other productions over two seasons further solidified his esteemed reputation in theater. Throughout his career, Grizzard appeared in several films, including the drama 'From the Terrace' with Paul Newman, the Western 'Comes a Horseman' with Jane Fonda, and a Neil Simon comedy, 'Seems Like Old Times'. His contributions to acting earned him several accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. He passed away on October 2, 2007, in Manhattan, New York City due to complications from lung cancer.