Thursday, February 18, 2016

Rest in Peace, George Gaynes

George Gaynes, who was best known for his roles in the Police Academy franchise and television's Punky Brewster has passed away at age 98.


Mr. Gaynes was born in Helsinki in 1917, though his family immigrated to the United States when he was quite young. Mr. Gaynes got his start on Broadway, acting mostly in musical comedies. He didn't make the transition to film until 1963 when he starred in PT109. Alternating between stage, screen and television, he didn't become a recognized name in show business until 1984's Police Academy, where he played the addled Commander Lassard who often found himself the butt of the cadets' jokes. That same year he found even greater success as the old codger Henry Warnimont who adopts the troublesome orphan Punky Brewster.


His other roles were in such critically acclaimed films as Tootsie and lesser efforts such as the unreleased original version of Fantastic Four.



Mr. Gaynes leaves behind his wife of over fifty years and two children. His work- and the laughs it provided- will live on in the hearts of his millions of fans around the world.