George Hearn

George Hearn (born June 18, 1934) is an American actor and singer, primarily in Broadway musical theatre.

George Hearn
Born (1934-06-18) June 18, 1934
OccupationActor
Years active1975–present
Spouse(s)
Mary Harrell
(m. 1957; div. 1962)

Susan Babel
(m. 1965; div. 1973)
(m. 1977; div. 1979)

(m. 1979; div. 1984)

Leslie Simons
(m. 1985)
Children3

Early years

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Hearn studied philosophy at Southwestern at Memphis, now Rhodes College before he embarked on a career in the theater, training for the stage with actress turned acting coach Irene Dailey. Most of Hearn's early performances were in traditional productions at the New York Shakespeare Festival and theaters at Lincoln Center.[1]

Career

Hearn's career began in 1963 when he played Sir Dinidan in a national tour of Camelot with Biff McGuire and Jeannie Carson, standing by for McGuire, who played King Arthur. He first garnered a notice as John Dickinson in the acclaimed 1969 musical 1776 and as Liv Ullmann's leading man in the musical version of I Remember Mama (1979).[1]

On March 4, 1980 he replaced Len Cariou in the title role of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd opposite Dorothy Loudon. Later in 1980 Hearn and the show's original star, Angela Lansbury, headed the show's touring company, then reprised their roles for a Showtime production of the musical, which won him an Emmy Award for his portrayal.[2][3]

In 1983 Hearn created the role of Albin in the original Broadway production of La Cage aux Folles written by Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman. Hearn originated the gay anthem "I Am What I Am".[4] He won the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics' Circle Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Albin. Hearn also appeared in the West End production (which opened in May 1986).

In 1985, Hearn starred as Long John Silver in an Edmonton production of Pieces of Eight, a musical adaptation of Treasure Island. Despite its credentials, including composer Jule Styne, it never was staged again.[5]

Hearn and Lansbury remained friends, and the actress invited him to guest star on several episodes of her CBS sleuth series Murder, She Wrote in the early 1990s.[6]

He won a second Tony award for his role as Max Von Mayerling in the original Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard, and was nominated again for playing Otto Frank in the 2000 revival of The Diary of Anne Frank.

On July 20, 2004, Hearn returned to Broadway for the first time in four years, starring as the Wizard in the Broadway musical Wicked, remaining until May 29, 2005.[7][8] Hearn later returned to the musical for a limited two-week engagement from January 17 through February 1, 2006.

In 2008 he starred in a production of The Visit by John Kander and Fred Ebb alongside Chita Rivera at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia. The Visit opened to positive reviews on May 13, 2008 and closed June 22, 2008.[9]

Hearn's recordings include Sunset Boulevard (1994 Los Angeles Cast, and later the Broadway Cast Recording), Sweeney Todd Live at the New York Philharmonic, Mack & Mabel (1988 London Concert Cast), I Remember Mama (1985 Studio Cast), Follies in Concert (1985 Live Performance), and A Stephen Sondheim Evening (1983 Concert Cast).[10]

Hearn was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame on January 29, 2007.[11]

Personal life

Hearn's spouses include Susan Babel, Mary Harrell, with whom he had one son; Dixie Carter (1977–1979), girlfriend Betsy Joslyn (1979–1984), and current wife Leslie Simons. Hearn and Simons have two sons.[1][12][13] He currently resides in Essex, New York.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1975 The Silence Captain Nichols TV Movie
1976 The Adams Chronicles Henry Clay Miniseries
Sea Marks Colm Primrose TV Movie
1979 Sanctuary of Fear Monsignor Kerrigan TV Movie
1982 A Piano for Mrs. Cimino George Cimino TV Movie
Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd TV Movie
1989 See You in the Morning Martin
1990 The Young Riders Elijah Quinn Episode: Blood Moon
1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation Dr. Berel Episode: First Contact
The Golden Girls Guest Star Episode: Henny Penny, Straight No Chaser
Fire in the Dark Arthur TV Movie
1992 Murder She Wrote Elliott Von Stuben/ Sean Culhane 3 episodes
Sneakers Gregor
1993 Jonny's Golden Quest President Voice, TV Movie
The Vanishing Arthur Bernard
Captain Planet and the Planeteers Mr. Wheeler Voice, 2 episodes
1994 Felidae Preterius Voice
The Pagemaster Captain Ahab Voice
Garfield and Friends Mr. Block Episode: The Man Who Hated Cats/Deja Vu/Canned Laughter
1995 Annie: A Royal Adventure! Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks TV Movie
1996 All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 Red Voice
1997 The Devil's Own Peter Fitzsimmons
1998 Barney's Great Adventure Grandpa
1999 Law & Order Independent Counsel William Dell Episode: Sideshow
Sarah Plain and Tall: Winter's End Dr. Hartley TV Movie
2001 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Charles Southerland Episode: Repression
Sweeney Todd in Concert Sweeney Todd TV Movie
2006 Flags of Our Fathers Walter Gust

Stage

Year Title Notes
1966A Time for Singing
1968Henry IV Part 1Public Theater, Delacorte Theater[14]
19691776
1973The Changing Room
1975Hamlet
1979I Remember Mama
1980Sweeney Todd
1982A Doll's Life
1983La Cage aux Folles
1989Ghetto
Meet Me in St. Louis
1994Sunset Boulevard
1997The Diary of Anne Frank
1999Putting It Together
2004Wicked
2008The VisitSignature Theatre, Arlington, VA
2012Scandalous

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
1980 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play Watch on the Rhine Nominated
1983 Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical A Doll's Life Nominated
CableACE Award Actor in a Theatrical or Musical Program Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Won
1984 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical La Cage aux Folles Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Won
1985 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Won
1986 Laurence Olivier Award Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actor in a Musical La Cage aux Folles Nominated
1995 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Sunset Boulevard Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Nominated
2000 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Putting It Together Nominated

References

  1. "George Hearn Biography". filmreference. 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
  2. "Sweeney Todd: 1980 National Touring Production". Sondheim Guide.com.
  3. "Hearn Listing" Internet Movie Database
  4. Rich, Frank. "Stage: The Musical 'Cage Aux Folles'"The New York Times, August 22, 1983
  5. Q&A Ken Mandelbaum broadway.com, February 28, 2005
  6. "Hearn Listing" Internet Movie Database
  7. Gans, Andrew. "Wicked Welcomes Trio of New Stars July 20" Archived 2009-03-28 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill, July 20, 2004
  8. Gans, Andrew. "Thompson, Shelley and Hearn Depart Broadway's Wicked May 29" Archived 2009-03-27 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill, May 29, 2005
  9. Jones, Kenneth."The Visit, With Rivera, Hearn and Jacoby, Opens May 27" Archived 2008-12-05 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill, May 27, 2008
  10. amazon.com listing
  11. Gans, Andrew."LuPone, Hearn, Wilson and the Late Wasserstein and Wilson Among Theater Hall of Fame Inductees" Archived 2009-03-28 at the Wayback Machine, Playbill, October 10, 2006
  12. Bernstein, Fred. "HAVENS",The New York Times, October 13, 2006
  13. Q&A with Hearn Archived 2008-12-06 at the Wayback Machine broadway.com, September 12, 2004
  14. Henry IV, Part 1 lortel.org, accessed June 26, 2016
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