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George Coe

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George Coe
Coe in 1980
Born
George Julian Cohen

(1929-05-10)May 10, 1929
New York, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 18, 2015(2015-07-18) (aged 86)
OccupationActor
Years active1956–2015

George Coe (born George Julian Cohen; May 10, 1929 – July 18, 2015) was an American actor. He was a cast member for the first season of Saturday Night Live and voiced the character of Woodhouse in Archer.

Early life

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Coe was born in New York, New York.[1]

Career

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His Broadway theater career began in 1957 and included turns as M. Lindsey Woolsey opposite Angela Lansbury in the original production of Mame; as Owen O'Malley in On The Twentieth Century, and creating the role of David in the original Broadway production of Company.

Coe was an original member of the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players", the original cast of Saturday Night Live.[2] He was only credited as a cast member for the first show on October 11, 1975. Hired due to his age (46) to balance out the other cast members, he was the oldest SNL cast member for over three decades. Coe was used in several other episodes of SNL, but was never again credited. He also made guest appearances for episodes in 1978 and 1986.[3][4]

In 1979 he appeared as the head of Dustin Hoffman's character's advertising firm in the Academy Award-winning Kramer vs. Kramer. Coe was nominated for an Academy Award for the 1968 short film The Dove, a parody of Ingmar Bergman's films, which he also co-directed. Coe also played the role of Brigadier General Scott Watson in the 1986 movie Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins. He guest-starred on a 1991 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also portrayed Ben Cheviot, the eventual head of Network 23, on the series Max Headroom. His various television appearances include Murder, She Wrote, Bones, My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn, Judging Amy, The King of Queens, Nip/Tuck, Grey's Anatomy, Columbo, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Gilmore Girls, The Golden Girls, Wilfred, and as Senator Howard Stackhouse in two episodes of The West Wing.

He voiced the character of Woodhouse, the much-put-upon valet in the FX animated series Archer. He voiced the Autobot Wheeljack in Michael Bay's Transformers: Dark of the Moon.[5] Coe provided voice acting for the video games The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Guild Wars 2.

Coe was an active member in the Screen Actors Guild, serving on the national board of directors for 14 years. Alongside fifteen original Guild members, he sued the guild in 2013, alleging mismanagement of foreign royalties.

Death

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Coe died on July 18, 2015, at the age of 86, after a long illness, in Santa Monica, California.[6] The eighth season of Archer (the primary arc of which revolves mostly around the death of his character Woodhouse) was dedicated to him.

Acting credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1968 De Düva: The Dove Viktor Short Film / also Director / Producer
1975 Distance Unknown Producer
The Stepford Wives Claude Axhelm
1979 French Postcards Mr. Weber
Kramer vs. Kramer Jim O'Connor
1980 The First Deadly Sin Dr. Bernardi
1981 Bustin' Loose Dr. Wilson T. Renfrew
The Amateur Rutledge
1982 The Entity Dr. Weber
1984 The House of God Dr. Leggo
Micki + Maude Governor Lanford
1985 Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins General Scott Watson
Head Office Senator Jack Issel Sr.
1987 Blind Date Harry Gruen
Best Seller Graham
1989 Cousins Phil
1990 The End of Innocence Dad
1992 The Mighty Ducks Judge Weathers
1995 Gospa Father Ferdo Vlasic
1997 Nick and Jane Mr. Morgan
1999 The Omega Code Senator Jack Thompson
2000 Big Eden Sam Hart
A Rumor of Angels Dr. Sam Jenkins
Diamond Men 'Tip' Rountree
2008 Corporate Affairs George Parker
2009 Funny People George's Dad
Slice of Water Ben Short Film
2010 Bathtub Picnic Ben
2011 Transformers: Dark of the Moon Que / Wheeljack Voice Role
Wrinkles Miguel Voice Role (English version)
2013 Chez Upshaw Reg. Nixon
2014 13 Sins Game Host Voice Role
Final film role

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1965 For the People Reporter "To Prosecute All Crimes"
1970 Somerset Leo Kurtz #1 1971–1972
1975 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Matthews TV movie
1975–1976 The Doctors Scott Conrad series regular (143 episodes)
1975–1986 Saturday Night Live Himself / Various Characters Season 1; series regular (10 episodes)
1980 Big Blonde Ed TV movie
1981 Kent State Mayor Leroy Satrom
Broken Promise George Mathews
Red Flag: The Ultimate Game Unknown
1982 Dreams Don't Die Sherman
Drop-Out Father Kannon Rush
The Country Girl Phil Cook
1983 Goodnight, Beantown Dick Novak Series regular (5 episodes)
Hill Street Blues Benjamin Fisk 3 episodes
Listen to Your Heart John TV movie
Rage of Angels Maguire
Sessions Max
1984 He's Not Your Son Dr. Stadler
1984–1985 American Playhouse Old Man / Brian Haas 2 episodes
1985 My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn Irving Jerome TV movie
The Insiders Unknown "Lonely Hearts"
Remington Steele 'Ace' Ketchum "Coffee, Tea or Steele"
Moonlighting Lou LaSalle "Atlas Belched"
1986 Family Ties Justin Phillips "Nothing But a Man"
Blood & Orchids Dr. Lansing TV movie
Simon & Simon Nolan Scott "The Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree"
The Paper Chase Unknown "Honor"
Dallas Fritz Longley 2 episodes
Scarecrow and Mrs. King Dr. Quidd 3 episodes
1986–1991 L.A. Law Judge Wallace R. Vance 8 episodes
1987 Uncle Tom's Cabin Mr. Shelby TV movie
1987–1988 Max Headroom Ben Cheviot Series regular (14 episodes)
1987–1997 thirtysomething Ted Murdoch 2 episodes
1988 Magnum, P.I. William Wainwright "A Girl Named Sue"
The Golden Girls Al "Rose's Big Adventure"
Shootdown David TV movie
Why on Earth? Henry
1989 Those She Left Behind Bill Page
My Name Is Bill W. Frank Shaw
The Hollywood Detective Sid Curley
The Tracey Ullman Show Reverend Graylin "Jinx Haber Revisited"
Columbo Dr. Sydney Hammer "Murder, a Self Portrait"
Matlock Dr. Lucas Sinclair "The Buddies"
1990 Amen Colonel Adams "The Deacon vs. the U.S. Army"
Father Dowling Mysteries Mr. Vance "The Perfect Couple Mystery"
Fine Things Paul Berman TV movie
To My Daughter Frank Parsons
Murphy Brown Theodore "Bob & Murphy & Ted & Avery"
1990–1992 Murder, She Wrote Andrew Thayer / Martin Bergman 2 episodes
1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation Chancellor Durken "First Contact"
Equal Justice Colin Baker 4 episodes
Night Court Peter Collingswood "Teacher's Pet"
1992 Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story Dr. Feldman TV movie
Nurses Rudy "Rude Awakenings"
Bobby's World Unknown (Voice role) TV Short

"The Music"

The Human Factor Dr. Astor "Hear No Evil"
Crossroads Hugh "Courtroom Story"
Camp Candy Unknown (Voice role) "When It Rains... It Snows"
1993 Law & Order Lee Hastings "Conduct Unbecoming"
Joe's Life Grandpa "Dear Grandpa"
1995 The Cosby Mysteries Agent Carter "Goldilocks"
New York Undercover Mr. Braddock "Downtown Girl"
Cagney & Lacey: The View Through the Glass Ceiling Dan Broadbent TV movie
1997 Home Improvement Parker "Bright Christmas"
1998 Jenny Thomas Kendall "A Girl's Gotta Merger"
The Pretender Dr. Nicholas Haring "Bloodlines: Part 1"
The Practice Judge Walters "Passing Go"
The Nanny Ernest "Sara's Parents"
1998–1999 Working Peter Baines Series regular (9 episodes)
1999 Any Day Now Mr. Noonan "Music from My Life"
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Mr. Belt, Sharon's Boss "Career Day"
2000 Bull Ed Krakauer "To Have and to Hold"
Ladies Man Herb 2 episodes
2001 The Lone Gunmen Bertram Byers "Pilot"
Becker Mr. Spector "Really Good Advice"
2001–2002 The West Wing Senator Howard Stackhouse 2 episodes
2002 Smallville William Clark "Redux"
Crossing Jordan Warren Lauer "Scared Straight"
2002–2007 Curb Your Enthusiasm General manager 2 episodes
2003 The Division Joe Marks "Oh Mother, Who Art Thou?"
Judging Amy Judge "The Best Interests of the Child"
2005 Gilmore Girls Grandpa Huntzberger "But I'm a Gilmore!"
Numb3rs Steve Logan "Bettor or Worse"
2006 Cold Case Bill Simmons "Superstar"
2006–2007 Celebrity Death Match Albert Einstein / Bud Selig (voice role) 3 episodes
2007 Bones Father William Donlan "The Priest in the Churchyard"
The King of Queens Father Biskup "Singe Spaced"
Private Practice Stan "In Which Addison Has a Very Casual Get Together"
Nip/Tuck Dr. Joshua Lee "Dr. Joshua Lee"
2008 Supernatural Pat Fremont "No Rest for the Wicked"
Grey's Anatomy Ed Bullard "Rise Up"
2009 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Tee Watt Kaa (voice role) 2 episodes
2009–2019 Archer Arthur Woodhouse / The Pope (voice role) Recurring role (22 episodes)
"Archer: 1999 — Cubert" (appeared using previously recorded material)
2011–2013 Wilfred Gene 2 episodes
2012 The Legend of Korra Toza "A Leaf in the Wind"
2013 Two and a Half Men Victor "My Bodacious Vidalia"

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2006 Reservoir Dogs Unknown Voice Role
2011 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Tolfdir / Calcelmo / Calixto Corrium
Star Wars: The Old Republic Dr. Godera / Grommik Kurthson / Keyo-So
2012 Guild Wars 2 Ghostly Norn Longship Captain / Yakov / Zenik Konsman
2013 Star Wars: The Old Republic – Rise of the Hutt Cartel Archivist Varus / Kai Teyun / Civilian Hostage

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes
1964–1965 What Makes Sammy Run? Julian Blumberg 540 performances
1966–1970 Mame M. Lindsay Woolsey 1,508 performances
1970–1972 Company David 705 performances
1978–1979 On the Twentieth Century Owen O'Malley 449 performances
1986–1987 Into the Woods The Mysterious Man/Cinderella's Father 50 Performances

Accolades

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Year Association Category Nominated Work Results Ref
1969 Academy Awards Best Live Action Short Film De Duva: The Dove Nominated [7]
2009 Screen Actors Guild Awards Ralph Morgan Award Won [8]
2012 Behind the Voice Actors Awards Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film Transformers: Dark of the Moon Nominated [9]
2013 Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series — Comedy/Musical Archer Nominated [10]
2014 Nominated [11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Chawkins, Steve (July 26, 2015). "George Coe, character actor and veteran of 'Saturday Night Live,' dies at 86". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  2. ^ Gus Wezerek (December 14, 2019). "The 'S.N.L.' Stars Who Lasted, and the Ones Who Flamed Out". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019. Some of the names here will be familiar only to die-hard fans; others, like Murphy, defined what was funny for generations of viewers.
  3. ^ https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/george-coe-original-snl-cast-member-dead-at-86-66810/
  4. ^ https://www.vulture.com/2013/07/saturday-nights-children-george-coe-1975-1976.html
  5. ^ "Transformers: Dark of the Moon". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  6. ^ McNary, Dave (July 20, 2015). "George Coe, Oscar-Nominated Actor and SAG Activist, Dies at 86". variety.com. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  7. ^ "Browser Unsupported - Academy Awards Search | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences". awardsdatabase.oscars.org. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  8. ^ "George Coe and Sumi Haru winners of the Ralph Morgan award! | SAG Watchdog". www.sagwatchdog.com. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  9. ^ "Behind the Voice Actors Awards (2012)". IMDb. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  10. ^ "Behind the Voice Actors Awards (2013)". IMDb. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  11. ^ "Behind the Voice Actors Awards (2014)". IMDb. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
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