As confirmed by his daughter, I’m sorry to say that comedic actor George Gaynes passed away on Monday, February 15, 2016. He was 98-years-old. A Dutch & British Navy Veteran and Broadway Performer, Gaynes is most known for playing the role of Commandant Lassard in all of the Police Academy movies: Police Academy (1984), Police Academy 2 (1985), Police Academy 3 (1986), Police Academy 4 (1987), Police Academy 5 (1988), Police Academy 6 (1989) and Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994).
He also held roles in Oscar Winner Tootsie (1982) and Oscar Nominee To Be or Not to Be (1983) as well as on television, as seen in recurring roles on “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd,” “General Hospital” and “Punky Brewster.
As far as horror and science fiction are concerned, Gaynes played lead and supporting roles in films such as The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (1973), Trilogy of Terror (1975), Song of the Succubus (1975), The Girl in the Empty Grave (1977), Altered States (1980), Stepmonster (1993) and The Fantastic Four (1994). He also booked guest spots on “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour” and “Sliders.”
R.I.P. George Gaynes
May 16, 1917 – February 15, 2016
