George Gaynes, the beloved character actor best known for his work in the “Police Academy” films and on “Punky Brewster” died on Monday at his daughter’s home in North Bend, Washington. He was 98.
Gaynes starred as Cmdt. Eric Lassard in all seven of the “Police Academy” comedies opposite Steve Guttenberg and Bubba Smith, as well as a TV spin-off in 1998.
He is also well known for his roles as curmudgeonly Henry Warnimont on the NBC series “Punky Brewster”; as high-powered theatrical producer Arthur Feldman on “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd,” and as a soap opera star who had a crush on Dustin Hoffman (while dressed in drag) in 1982’s “Tootsie.”
Gaynes was a soap opera actor in real life too, appearing in “General Hospital” as Frank Smith, along with numerous TV roles including on “Cheers,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Columbo,” “Chicago Hope,” and “Hogan’s Heroes.”
