George Peppard

George Peppard (pəˈpɑːrd; October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an acclaimed American actor who gained large recognition for his roles in both film and television. Known for his undeniable talent and dedication to his craft, his career spanned over four decades, starting as a struggling writer, Paul Varjak, in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), and later, portraying a character based on billionaire Howard Hughes in The Carpetbaggers (1964). On the small screen, Peppard found success as the cigar-smoking leader of a renegade commando squad, Col. John "Hannibal" Smith in the 80's hit series The A-Team and as millionaire investigator Thomas Banacek in the 70s mystery series Banacek. Born to George Peppard Sr, a building contractor, and Vernelle Rohrer, a voice music teacher, he grew up during the depression period which greatly influenced his life and career. Notably, Peppard also showed profound interest in acting as he was a member of the Purdue Playmakers theatre group during his time studying civil engineering at Purdue University. His acting accolades also involved serving as radio DJ at WLOA in Pittsburgh, and becoming a pilot later in 1966. Despite his earlier life and career struggles, his consistent determination and undying passion for acting enabled him to leave a lasting legacy in the world of entertainment.