Vale: George Maharis

US actor George Maharis, best known for 1960s crime drama Route 66, has died aged 94.

He died on Wednesday with friend Marc Bahan sharing on Facebook, “George is well known for his stardom in Route 66, stage productions, singing, artist, and above all a great guy would do anything for anyone. My dear friend, you’ll be terribly missed.”

Born in 1928, one of seven children to Greek immigrants, his TV debut came in 1953 but his big break came as Buz Murdock on Route 66, a spin-off of the hit police procedural Naked City, from 1960 – 1963.

Maharis was nominated for an Emmy in 1962 but by 1963 had left the series after coming down with hepatitis.

“I have to protect my future. If I keep going at the present pace, I’m a fool. Even if you have $4,000,000 in the bank, you can’t buy another liver,” he once said.

Among his many other TV appearances were The Most Deadly Game, Search for Tomorrow, Rich Man Poor Man, Marcus Welby M.D., Night Gallery, McMillan & Wife, The Bionic Woman, Fantasy Island, Murder She Wrote and the TV movie Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby.

Films included Exodus, Sylvia, A Covenant With Death, The Happening.  His final film was the 1993 Drew Barrymore thriller Doppelganger.

Source: Metro