George Coe Explained

George Coe
Birth Name:George Julian Cohen
Birth Date:10 May 1929
Birth Place:New York, New York, U.S.
Death Place:Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:1956–2015

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

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

Career

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. He was only credited as a cast member for the first show on October 11, 1975. Coe was used in several other episodes of SNL, but was never again credited.

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 . 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 .[2] Coe provided voice acting for the video games , , and Guild Wars 2.

Death

Coe died on July 18, 2015, at the age of 86, after a long illness, in Santa Monica, California.[3] 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

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1968De Düva: The DoveViktorShort Film / also Director / Producer
1975DistanceUnknown Producer
The Stepford WivesClaude Axhelm
1979French PostcardsMr. Weber
Kramer vs. KramerJim O'Connor
1980The First Deadly SinDr. Bernardi
1981Bustin' LooseDr. Wilson T. Renfrew
The AmateurRutledge
1982The EntityDr. Weber
1984The House of GodDr. Leggo
Micki + MaudeGovernor Lanford
1985General Scott Watson
Head OfficeSenator Jack Issel Sr.
1987Blind DateHarry Gruen
Best SellerGraham
1989CousinsPhil
1990The End of InnocenceDad
1992The Mighty DucksJudge Weathers
1995GospaFather Ferdo Vlasic
1997Nick and JaneMr. Morgan
1999The Omega CodeSenator Jack Thompson
2000Big EdenSam Hart
A Rumor of AngelsDr. Sam Jenkins
Diamond Men'Tip' Rountree
2008Corporate AffairsGeorge Parker
2009Funny PeopleGeorge's Dad
Slice of WaterBenShort Film
2010Bathtub PicnicBen
2011Que / WheeljackVoice Role
WrinklesMiguelVoice Role (English version)
2013Chez UpshawReg. Nixon
201413 SinsGame HostVoice Role
Final film role

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1965For the PeopleReporter"To Prosecute All Crimes"
1970SomersetLeo Kurtz #11971–1972
1975How to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingMatthewsTV movie
1975–1976The DoctorsScott Conradseries regular (143 episodes)
1975–1986Saturday Night LiveHimself / Various CharactersSeason 1
series regular (10 episodes)
1980Big BlondeEdTV movie
1981Kent StateMayor Leroy Satrom
Broken PromiseGeorge Mathews
Red Flag: The Ultimate GameUnknown
1982Dreams Don't DieSherman
Drop-Out FatherKannon Rush
The Country GirlPhil Cook
1983Goodnight, BeantownDick NovakSeries regular (5 episodes)
Hill Street BluesBenjamin Fisk3 episodes
Listen to Your HeartJohnTV movie
Rage of AngelsMaguire
SessionsMax
1984He's Not Your SonDr. Stadler
1984–1985American PlayhouseOld Man / Brian Haas2 episodes
1985Irving JeromeTV movie
The InsidersUnknown"Lonely Hearts"
Remington Steele'Ace' Ketchum"Coffee, Tea or Steele"
MoonlightingLou LaSalle"Atlas Belched"
1986Family TiesJustin Phillips"Nothing But a Man"
Blood & OrchidsDr. LansingTV movie
Simon & SimonNolan Scott"The Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree"
The Paper ChaseUnknown"Honor"
DallasFritz Longley2 episodes
Scarecrow and Mrs. KingDr. Quidd3 episodes
1986–1991L.A. LawJudge Wallace R. Vance8 episodes
1987Uncle Tom's CabinMr. ShelbyTV movie
1987–1988Max HeadroomBen CheviotSeries regular (14 episodes)
1987–1997thirtysomethingTed Murdoch2 episodes
1988Magnum, P.I.William Wainwright"A Girl Named Sue"
The Golden GirlsAl"Rose's Big Adventure"
ShootdownDavidTV movie
Why on Earth?Henry
1989Those She Left BehindBill Page
My Name Is Bill W.Frank Shaw
The Hollywood DetectiveSid Curley
The Tracey Ullman ShowReverend Graylin"Jinx Haber Revisited"
ColumboDr. Sydney Hammer"Murder, a Self Portrait"
MatlockDr. Lucas Sinclair"The Buddies"
1990AmenColonel Adams"The Deacon vs. the U.S. Army"
Father Dowling MysteriesMr. Vance"The Perfect Couple Mystery"
Fine ThingsPaul BermanTV movie
To My DaughterFrank Parsons
Murphy BrownTheodore"Bob & Murphy & Ted & Avery"
1990–1992Murder, She WroteAndrew Thayer / Martin Bergman2 episodes
1991Chancellor Durken"First Contact"
Equal JusticeColin Baker4 episodes
Night CourtPeter Collingswood"Teacher's Pet"
1992Dr. FeldmanTV movie
NursesRudy"Rude Awakenings"
Bobby's WorldUnknown (Voice role)TV Short"The Music"
The Human FactorDr. Astor"Hear No Evil"
CrossroadsHugh"Courtroom Story"
Camp CandyUnknown (Voice role)"When It Rains... It Snows"
1993Law & OrderLee Hastings"Conduct Unbecoming"
Joe's LifeGrandpa"Dear Grandpa"
1995The Cosby MysteriesAgent Carter"Goldilocks"
New York UndercoverMr. Braddock"Downtown Girl"
Cagney & Lacey: The View Through the Glass CeilingDan BroadbentTV movie
1997Home ImprovementParker"Bright Christmas"
1998JennyThomas Kendall"A Girl's Gotta Merger"
The PretenderDr. Nicholas Haring"Bloodlines: Part 1"
The PracticeJudge Walters"Passing Go"
The NannyErnest"Sara's Parents"
1998–1999WorkingPeter BainesSeries regular (9 episodes)
1999Any Day NowMr. Noonan"Music from My Life"
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza PlaceMr. Belt, Sharon's Boss"Career Day"
2000BullEd Krakauer"To Have and to Hold"
Ladies ManHerb2 episodes
2001The Lone GunmenBertram Byers"Pilot"
BeckerMr. Spector"Really Good Advice"
2001–2002The West WingSenator Howard Stackhouse2 episodes
2002SmallvilleWilliam Clark"Redux"
Crossing JordanWarren Lauer"Scared Straight"
2002–2007Curb Your EnthusiasmGeneral manager2 episodes
2003The DivisionJoe Marks"Oh Mother, Who Art Thou?"
Judging AmyJudge"The Best Interests of the Child"
2005Gilmore GirlsGrandpa Huntzberger"But I'm a Gilmore!"
Numb3rsSteve Logan"Bettor or Worse"
2006Cold CaseBill Simmons"Superstar"
2006–2007Celebrity Death MatchAlbert Einstein / Bud Selig (voice role)3 episodes
2007BonesFather William Donlan"The Priest in the Churchyard"
The King of QueensFather Biskup"Singe Spaced"
Private PracticeStan"In Which Addison Has a Very Casual Get Together"
Nip/TuckDr. Joshua Lee"Dr. Joshua Lee"
2008SupernaturalPat Fremont"No Rest for the Wicked"
Grey's AnatomyEd Bullard"Rise Up"
2009Star Wars: The Clone WarsTee Watt Kaa (voice role)2 episodes
2009–2019ArcherArthur Woodhouse / The Pope (voice role)Recurring role (22 episodes)
"Archer: 1999 — Cubert" (appeared using previously recorded material)
2011–2013WilfredGene2 episodes
2012The Legend of KorraToza"A Leaf in the Wind"
2013Two and a Half MenVictor"My Bodacious Vidalia"

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006Reservoir DogsUnknownVoice Role
2011Tolfdir / Calcelmo / Calixto Corrium
Dr. Godera / Grommik Kurthson / Keyo-So
2012Guild Wars 2Ghostly Norn Longship Captain / Yakov / Zenik Konsman
2013Star Wars: The Old Republic – Rise of the Hutt CartelArchivist Varus / Kai Teyun / Civilian Hostage

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
1964–1965What Makes Sammy Run?Julian Blumberg540 performances
1966–1970MameM. Lindsay Woolsey1,508 performances
1970–1972CompanyDavid705 performances
1978–1979On the Twentieth CenturyOwen O'Malley449 performances
1986–1987Into the WoodsThe Mysterious Man/Cinderella's Father50 Performances

Accolades

YearAssociationCategoryNominated WorkResultsRef
1969Academy AwardsBest Live Action Short FilmDe Duva: The Dove[4]
2009Screen Actors Guild AwardsRalph Morgan Award[5]
2012Behind the Voice Actors AwardsBest Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film[6]
2013Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series — Comedy/MusicalArcher[7]
2014[8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Chawkins . Steve . George Coe, character actor and veteran of 'Saturday Night Live,' dies at 86 . 11 March 2019 . The Washington Post . 26 July 2015.
  2. Web site: Transformers: Dark of the Moon. rottentomatoes.com. 4 January 2017.
  3. Web site: George Coe, Oscar-Nominated Actor and SAG Activist, Dies at 86. Dave. McNary. 20 July 2015. variety.com. 4 January 2017.
  4. Web site: Browser Unsupported - Academy Awards Search Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. 2020-07-07. awardsdatabase.oscars.org.
  5. Web site: George Coe and Sumi Haru winners of the Ralph Morgan award! SAG Watchdog. 2020-07-07. www.sagwatchdog.com.
  6. Web site: Behind the Voice Actors Awards (2012). 2020-07-07. IMDb.
  7. Web site: Behind the Voice Actors Awards (2013). 2020-07-07. IMDb.
  8. Web site: Behind the Voice Actors Awards (2014). 2020-07-07. IMDb.