George Gaynes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Gaynes
George Gaynes in 1964
Born	George Jongejans (1917-05-16)May 16, 1917 Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire
Died	February 15, 2016(2016-02-15) (aged 98) North Bend, Washington, U.S.
Nationality	Dutch (1917–1948) American (1948–2016)
Occupation	Actor, singer
Years active	1940–2003
Known for	Police Academy Punky Brewster
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	Allyn Ann McLerie ​ (m. 1953)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	Gerrit Jongejans (father) Iya Grigorievna de Gay (mother)
Relatives	Gregory Gaye (uncle)
Military career
Allegiance	The Netherlands
Service/branch	Royal Netherlands Navy
Years of service	1943–1946
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	HNLMS Oranje Nassau HMS Hilary HMS Wilton
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Atlantic Mediterranean Theatre Italian Campaign Operation Husky Battle of Anzio Adriatic Campaign

George Gaynes (born George Jongejans; May 16, 1917 – February 15, 2016) was a famous actor and singer. He was born in Helsinki, which was then part of the Russian Empire. His parents were from the Netherlands and Russia-Finland.

George Gaynes served in the Royal Netherlands Navy during World War II. After the war, he moved to the United States and became an American citizen. He started his acting career on Broadway, which is a famous theater district in New York City.

He was best known for playing Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy movies. He also played John Van Horn in the comedy film Tootsie (1982). On TV, he was loved as Henry Warnimont, the foster parent in the NBC series Punky Brewster. He also appeared in the TV show Hearts Afire and the soap opera General Hospital.

Early life and education

George Gaynes was born on May 16, 1917, in Helsinki. At that time, Finland was a "Grand Duchy" (a special type of territory) within the Russian Empire. Finland became an independent country later that same year.

His mother, Iya Grigorievna de Gay, was a Russian artist with Finnish roots. His father, Gerrit Jongejans, was a Dutch businessman. George's uncle, Gregory Gaye, was also an actor.

George grew up in France, England, and Switzerland. He finished school at Collège Classique Cantonal near Lausanne in 1937. He also studied music in Milan, Italy, from 1938 to 1939. Later, from 1953 to 1958, he trained at the Actors Studio in New York City, a famous place for actors to learn and practice.

Serving in World War II

In 1940, George Gaynes was living in France. When Germany took over France during World War II, he tried to escape through the Pyrenees mountains. However, he was arrested by the Spanish police.

After being released in 1942, George wanted to go back to the Netherlands to join the Dutch resistance against the German occupation. Instead, he went to the United Kingdom and joined the Royal Netherlands Navy.

On April 8, 1943, he became a seaman recruit. Because he spoke many languages (Dutch, English, French, Italian, and Russian), he worked as a translator for the Royal Navy. He helped during important battles like Operation Husky (the Allied invasion of Sicily) and the Battle of Anzio. On January 1, 1944, he was promoted to sergeant. George Gaynes was honorably discharged from the Navy on July 14, 1946.

Acting career highlights

In 1946, George Gaynes returned to France. Soon after, an American theater director offered him a role in a Broadway musical. He moved to New York City and became an American citizen in 1948.

On stage

On Broadway, he was known for his roles in musicals like Wonderful Town and Out of This World. He also performed in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and played Henry Higgins in the 1964 U.S. tour of My Fair Lady.

On television

George Gaynes had many TV roles. He played Henry Warnimont, the foster father in the popular series Punky Brewster. He also voiced Henry in the cartoon version of the show. He was a regular on daytime dramas like Search for Tomorrow and General Hospital, where he played mob boss Frank Smith. He also directed the last episode of WKRP in Cincinnati.

In films

George Gaynes started appearing in films in the early 1960s. Some of his movies include The Way We Were, Nickelodeon, and Tootsie. In 1984, he took on his most famous film role as Commandant Lassard in the first of seven Police Academy movies. He also appeared in Vanya on 42nd Street (1994) and The Crucible (1996).

Personal life and passing

George Gaynes married actress and dancer Allyn Ann McLerie on December 20, 1953. They were married until his death. They had two children, Matthew Gaynes and Iya Gaynes Falcone Brown. Their son, Matthew, passed away in a car crash in India in 1989.

George and Allyn Ann also worked together on screen. She guest-starred on Punky Brewster as a love interest for his character, Henry Warnimont. Later, George joined the cast of his wife's series The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd.

George Gaynes passed away at his daughter's home in North Bend, Washington, on February 15, 2016. He was 98 years old.

Filmography

Film

Television

Images for kids

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  Sergeant rank insignia

See also

In Spanish: George Gaynes para niños