Christopher George facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christopher George
As Sgt. Troy in The Rat Patrol, 1967
Born	Christopher John George (1931-02-25)February 25, 1931 Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S.
Died	November 28, 1983(1983-11-28) (aged 52) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1965–1983
Spouse(s)	Lynda Day George ​ (m. 1970)​
Children	2

Christopher John George (born February 25, 1931 – died November 28, 1983) was an American actor. He was famous for his role in the 1960s TV show The Rat Patrol. He was even nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1967 for his acting in the series. Christopher George also won an award at the New York Film Festival for being the best actor in a TV commercial. He was married to actress Lynda Day George.

Early Life and Childhood

Christopher George was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, on February 25, 1931. His parents, John and Vaseleke George, were immigrants from Greece. His father was from Thebes, and his mother was from Athens.

Christopher did not speak English until he was six years old. This was because his family only spoke Greek at home. His father was a traveling salesman, and Christopher often went with him on trips to big cities like New York City and Chicago.

Moving Around and Learning Greek

The family later moved to Mountain Lakes, New Jersey. Once Christopher started learning English, his father made sure he also went to Greek school. This was to help him remember his Greek language. It was at Greek school that Christopher first became interested in acting. They would perform Greek plays and recite Greek poetry.

When he was 14, his family moved to Miami, Florida. He lived in the Coconut Grove area and went to Shenandoah Elementary School and Miami Senior High School. In school, he was very active in sports, playing soccer, football, and baseball. He also ran track. In Florida, he even hunted for alligators in the Everglades. After getting his driver's license, he helped his father by driving trucks between Miami and other cities.

A Path Not Taken

When he was young, Christopher thought he might become a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. His family prepared him for this path. His brother, Nick, said that Christopher was an altar boy and choir boy throughout his childhood. His parents and the priest hoped he would become a priest. He served as an altar boy at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Miami.

Military Service

Christopher George joined the United States Marine Corps (USMC) on October 13, 1948, when he was 17. He actually said he was older on his forms, which is why his birth year was often listed incorrectly later in life. He said he was inspired to join by actor John Wayne.

He went through boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina. He was promoted to private first class on December 31, 1948.

Adventures in the Marines

His first assignment was at Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Virginia. He later moved to a squadron that maintained aircraft and used them for demonstrations. While there, he became a sergeant. He had some scary experiences, including forced landings in airplanes. Once, an aircraft caught fire, and he had to parachute out for the first time in his life.

During the Korean War, Christopher commanded a Marine Corps crash rescue boat. He also served as a gunner on rescue aircraft that flew wounded soldiers out of Korea. He served for three years and then stayed for an extra year before leaving active service on August 29, 1952.

After leaving active duty, he joined the Marine Corps Reserves as a sergeant. He was part of a Marine Fighter Squadron in Miami, Florida. He also served in Stockton, California. He finally left the reserves on September 3, 1956.

His officers in the Marines encouraged him to become a pilot, but he chose to leave and go back to school instead. He passed a high school equivalency exam. In 1976, he appeared in a recruiting film for the Marine Corps Air Reserve.

Military Awards

Christopher George received the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. These awards are noted in his official military records.

University Education

After his time in the Marines, Christopher went to the University of Miami from 1953 to 1958. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, along with his brother Nick.

Before Becoming an Actor

Before he became a full-time actor, Christopher George had many different jobs. He worked as a private investigator and a bartender in Miami. He also owned and ran restaurants and bars, including one called the Dragnet Drive-In in Miami. He had black belts in karate and judo. He even worked as a bouncer in tough restaurants and had a pilot's license.

He also worked for a friend who owned a large boat. For two years, he helped transport cargo through the Caribbean. Even though he had a job lined up with a big investment company after college, he decided to try acting instead. A career test suggested he would do well in drama.

Acting Career Begins

After college, Christopher George started acting in New York City. He performed on stage and in TV commercials. His big break came when a producer named Robert Rafelson saw him working as a bouncer and encouraged him to act. He studied acting and got roles in Off-Broadway plays. Some of the plays he appeared in included All My Sons and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

His career really took off after he made a 60-second TV commercial for shaving cream. He played a young groom getting ready for his honeymoon. He won the New York Film Festival Award for best actor in a commercial for this role. The commercial earned him over $30,000. He also appeared in TV shows like Naked City and Bewitched. Because he spoke Greek fluently, he also acted in the Lemos Greek Repertory Theater in New York City.

He first appeared in a movie in In Harm's Way (1965), playing a dying sailor for just 30 seconds. This was his first chance to meet John Wayne, who was his childhood hero and later became a good friend. Christopher became more well-known after playing a role in the Western film El Dorado (1966), which starred John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. George and Wayne became friends and worked together in other Westerns like Chisum (1970) and The Train Robbers (1973). Christopher also had the main role in the spy-fi movie Project X (1968).

The Rat Patrol

From 1966 to 1968, Christopher George played the main character, Sergeant Sam Troy, on The Rat Patrol. The TV series had 58 episodes over two seasons. It was about four Allied soldiers in a special desert patrol group during World War II in North Africa.

While filming a scene on January 4, 1967, Christopher and other cast members were injured. The Jeep they were in overturned during a tight turn. Christopher got a concussion and hurt his neck and back. Doctors found that his back was badly sprained, not fractured as they first thought.

Visiting Troops in Vietnam

Christopher George with fellow Rat Patrol actor Lawrence Casey and Second Lieutenant David Coupe, U.S. Army Signal Corps, at III Corps Headquarters, Bien Hoa, South Vietnam, in December 1967.

In late 1967, Christopher George joined actor Lawrence P. Casey on a USO tour. They visited troops in Vietnam, Japan, and Thailand for almost a month.

During the tour in Vietnam, he visited military bases. He even used a military phone to call his girlfriend, Lynda Day, who later became his wife. He didn't just stay in safe areas; he wanted to go out into the field as much as possible. At one point, they were even caught in a dangerous situation by enemy forces.

In November 1967, he also visited a military hospital in San Antonio with other Hollywood stars. They met soldiers returning from Vietnam with serious burns. Christopher and his future wife, Lynda Day, spent time with a wounded veteran who hadn't been talking much. They managed to get him to open up and talk.

After The Rat Patrol

After The Rat Patrol ended, Christopher George starred in several movies. These included Tiger by the Tail (1970) with Tippi Hedren, The Devil's 8 (1969), and The Delta Factor (1970). He also narrated a documentary about race car drivers, The Racers: Craig and Lee Breedlove (1968).

In 1969, he played Ben Richards in the TV movie pilot for The Immortal. This movie became a TV series that ran from 1970 to 1971. He also played Dan August in the TV film House on Greenapple Road (1970), which later became the TV series Dan August starring Burt Reynolds.

He continued to appear in many popular TV shows throughout the 1970s. He had guest roles on shows like Police Story, S.W.A.T., Charlie's Angels, and Fantasy Island. In 1973, he starred with Jim Brown in I Escaped from Devil's Island.

In 1976, he played a supporting role in the big World War II movie Midway. That same year, he starred as Ranger Michael Kelly in the movie Grizzly. This film was very popular and earned a lot of money, making it one of his most successful movies.

After Grizzly, he appeared in many horror and action movies over the next seven years. These included Day of the Animals (1977), City of the Living Dead (1980), Graduation Day (1981), Enter the Ninja (1981), and Pieces (1982).

Working with His Wife

Christopher George often worked with his wife, Lynda Day George. They starred together in TV films like Mayday at 40,000 Feet! (1976) and Cruise Into Terror (1978). They also appeared in episodes of TV shows such as Mission: Impossible (1971), Wonder Woman (1976), and Love Boat (1977). They also co-starred in the movie Day Of The Animals (1977).

One of his last movie roles was in the horror film Mortuary. It was released in September 1983 but was actually filmed two years earlier.

Personal Life

Christopher George and Lynda Day George on Mission: Impossible in 1971.

Christopher George first met actress Lynda Day in New York during a fashion photoshoot. She was modeling a bride's outfit, and he was the groom! They met again when they acted together in the movie The Gentle Rain (1966). Four years later, they fell in love while co-starring in Chisum with John Wayne.

They got married on May 15, 1970, in Palm Beach, Florida. They had two children together, a daughter named Casey and a son named Nicholas.

Christopher George's niece is Vanna White, the hostess of Wheel of Fortune. Even though they weren't related by blood, Vanna's mother grew up with Christopher's family. Later, in Los Angeles, Christopher and Lynda helped Vanna get started in her career.

Death

Christopher George passed away from a heart attack at age 52 on November 28, 1983. He was at Westside Hospital in Los Angeles. After dinner at home, he felt sudden chest pains and was taken to the hospital. He later had a cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at 10:35 p.m. His age was listed as 54 at the time of his death because of the incorrect birth year he used when he joined the Marines.

On May 5, 2009, the Marine Corps flew a flag over the Iwo Jima Memorial to honor his service.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

See also

In Spanish: Christopher George para niños