George O'Hanlon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George O'Hanlon
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O'Hanlon as Calvin Dudley in The Life of Riley
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| Born | November 23, 1912 |
| Died | February 11, 1989 (aged 76) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1932–1989 |
| Spouse(s) |
Inez Witt
(m. 1932; div. 1948)Martha Stewart
(m. 1949; div. 1952)Nancy Owens
(m. 1953) |
| Children | 2 |
George O'Hanlon (born November 23, 1912 – died February 11, 1989) was an American actor and writer. He was famous for two main roles. He played Joe McDoakes in a series of short films from 1942 to 1956. He was also the voice of George Jetson in the cartoon show The Jetsons. This popular show first aired in 1962 and came back for more episodes in 1985.
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Early Life
George O'Hanlon was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 23, 1912.
Acting Career
George O'Hanlon started acting in the early 1940s. He often played the role of a smart, streetwise friend to the main hero in movies.
Movie Roles
O'Hanlon appeared in many movies for different studios. At the same time, he was busy playing Joe McDoakes for Warner Bros.. The Joe McDoakes series was a collection of short films. After these shorts ended in 1956, O'Hanlon mostly worked in television.
Television Appearances
George O'Hanlon was a familiar face on TV. In 1957, he appeared on an I Love Lucy episode called "Lucy and Superman". He also played a character named Caldwell in a 1958 episode of Maverick.
His most famous voice role came in 1962. He became the voice of George Jetson in the original The Jetsons cartoon. He loved this role so much that he returned to voice George Jetson over 20 years later. He worked on two more seasons of the show from 1985 to 1987.
In the mid-1960s, he appeared in shows like The Reporter and The Jackie Gleason Show. He also made several guest appearances on Love, American Style. He even wrote and directed some episodes for Love, American Style.
Behind the Scenes: Writer
Besides acting, George O'Hanlon was also a talented writer. He wrote screenplays for movies. He also created the storyboards for almost all of the Joe McDoakes short films.
He wrote stories for many TV series in the 1960s. These included popular shows like Petticoat Junction and 77 Sunset Strip. He even wrote episodes for Hanna-Barbera's famous cartoon, The Flintstones.
Interestingly, O'Hanlon tried out for the voice role of Fred Flintstone. He didn't get the part, but the people at Hanna-Barbera remembered him. This helped him get the role of George Jetson later on. He once said about his famous character: "George Jetson is an average man, he has trouble with his boss, he has problems with his kids, and so on. The only difference is that he lives in the next century."
Personal Life
George O'Hanlon was married three times. His first marriage was to Inez Witt from 1932 to 1948. After they divorced, he married actress Martha Stewart in 1949. They divorced in 1952. In 1953, O'Hanlon married actress Nancy Owens. They had two children together: a son named George O'Hanlon Jr., who also became an actor, and a daughter named Laurie O'Hanlon. George and Nancy stayed married until his death.
Later Years and Legacy
In the mid-1980s, Hanna-Barbera decided to bring back The Jetsons. They wanted the original voice cast, including George O'Hanlon, to return. By this time, O'Hanlon had suffered a stroke. This made it hard for him to see and move around easily. He recorded his lines for the show in a special way. The recording director would read each line to him, and then George would say his part.
On February 11, 1989, George O'Hanlon had just finished recording his lines for Jetsons: The Movie. He then complained of a headache. He was taken to Saint Joseph's Hospital in Burbank, California. Sadly, he died there from another stroke. People who worked with him said he loved acting, even when it became difficult. Jetsons: The Movie was dedicated to his memory, and also to his Jetsons co-star Mel Blanc, who passed away a few months later. Another voice actor, Jeff Bergman, finished the remaining lines for both actors in the movie.
George O'Hanlon was cremated. His ashes were scattered in a cemetery in Westlake Village, California.
Selected Filmography
Here are some of the movies and TV shows George O'Hanlon appeared in or worked on:
Film Roles
- 1942–1956: Joe McDoakes – Played Joe McDoakes (short film series)
- 1957: Kronos – Played Dr. Arnold Culver
- 1971: The Million Dollar Duck – Played a Parking Attendant
- 1976: Rocky – Played TV Commentator #2
- 1990: Jetsons: The Movie – Voice of George Jetson (released after his death)
Television Roles
- 1957: I Love Lucy – Played George Appleby
- 1958: Maverick – Played different characters in 3 episodes
- 1962–1963, 1985–1987: The Jetsons – Voice of George Jetson (75 episodes)
- 1971: The Partridge Family – Played Bear Man
- 1987: The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones – Voice of George Jetson (TV film)
Production Work (Writer)
- 1942–1956: Joe McDoakes – Screenwriter for most of the shorts
- 1965: Petticoat Junction – Writer (2 episodes)
- 1966: The Flintstones – Writer (1 episode)
- 1973: Love, American Style – Writer for a segment
