# George Gerdes

George Gerdes (February 23, 1948 – January 1, 2021) was an American singer-songwriter and character actor.

## Early life and education

He was born in Queens, New York City. He formed a group, the Alumicron Fab Tabs, with friend Loudon Wainwright III, before graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 1969.

## Career

In the early 1970s, he recorded two albums, Obituary and Son of Obituary, for United Artists Records. His songs were praised by Joni Mitchell and Terre Roche, among others. His second album was produced by Nik Venet and featured session musicians including Charlie McCoy and Kenny Buttrey.
To supplement his income from performing, he started taking acting jobs in the 1980s. He appeared in Sam Shepard's play Fool for Love, and Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men, both on Broadway. He also appeared in many television and film roles, including parts in The Squeeze (1987), Miami Vice (1987), Single White Female (1992), Amistad (1997), Hidalgo (2004) and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011).

## Personal life

Gerdes died from a brain aneurysm in Glendale, California, on January 1, 2021, at the age of 72.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1968 | Come Back Baby | Thief |
| 1987 | The Squeeze | Joe |
| 1988 | Call Me | Fred |
| 1989 | Jacknife | Tony |
| 1992 | Single White Female | Super |
| 1993 | Boiling Point | Henderson |
| 1994 | Iron Will | Borg Guillarson |
| 1996 | Playing Dangerous 2 | Mitch |
| 1997 | Amistad | Marshal |
| 1998 | Spark | Earl |
| 1998 | Hijack | Luke Besser |
| 1999 | Stealth Fighter | Alexander Chez / Clancy |
| 1999 | Bats | Chaswick |
| 2004 | Hidalgo | Major Whitside |
| 2005 | Buckaroo: The Movie | Chalker |
| 2005 | Rumor Has It | Charity Dinner Guests |
| 2007 | TV Virus | Frank |
| 2011 | The Passing | George Naibert |
| 2011 | Answers to Nothing | Mr. Callahan |
| 2011 | The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo | Udevalla Detective |
| 2013 | Saving Lincoln | Copperhead Democrat |
| 2020 | The 11th Green | Dwight D. Eisenhower |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | Our Family Honor | Pete Taylor | Episode: "Homecoming" |
| 1987 | Miami Vice | FBI Agent | Episode: "Heroes of the Revolution" |
| 1987 | As the World Turns | Chuck | Episode #1.8285 |
| 1987 | The Equalizer | Russian Spy | Episode: "Encounter in a Closed Room" |
| 1988 | Spenser: For Hire | Ed | Episode: "Watercolors" |
| 1990 | Hunter | The Chemist | Episode: "La Familia" |
| 1992 | Brooklyn Bridge | Referee | Episode: "On the Line" |
| 1992 | L.A. Law | Detective Navie | Episode: "Silence of the Lambskins" |
| 1992 | Seinfeld | Man #1 | Episode: "The Bubble Boy" |
| 1993 | Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman | Pilot #1 | Television film |
| 1994 | NYPD Blue | Louis Foreman | Episode: "Jumpin' Jack Fleishman" |
| 1994 | The X-Files | Reverend Calvin Hartley | Episode: "Miracle Man" |
| 1994 | Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight | Itasca Radio Operator | Television film |
| 1994 | Rebel Highway | Lt. Clark | Episode: "Jailbreakers / Rebelles" |
| 1994 | Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor | Donovan | Television film |
| 1995 | Vanishing Son | Billy Baker | Episode: "Holy Ghosts" |
| 1995 | Renegade | 'Preacher' Lomax | Episode: "Ace in the Hole" |
| 1996 | Nowhere Man | Sheriff Wilkes | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Picket Fences | Homeless Victim | Episode: "Liver Let Die" |
| 1996, 1999 | Chicago Hope | Alex / Anton Zona | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Brooklyn South | Defense Attorney Calloway | Episode: "Touched by a Checkered Cab" |
| 1998 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Scudder | Episode: "The Wedding: Part 2" |
| 1998 | The Practice | Gun Manufacturer | Episode: "The Defender" |
| 1999 | 7th Heaven | Jeff Patterson | Episode: "With Honors" |
| 2000 | Nash Bridges | Douglas Bremer | Episode: "Liar's Poker" |
| 2000 | Pensacola: Wings of Gold | Col. Walters | Episode: "Article 32" |
| 2000 | Cover Me | Mr. Howard | Episode: "The Line" |
| 2001 | Family Law | Mark Brown | Episode: "Planting Seeds" |
| 2003 | The District | Elevator Maintenance Man | Episode: "Blindsided" |
| 2004 | Alias | Analyst | Episode: "Full Disclosure" |
| 2004 | Line of Fire | Chief Wood | Episode: "The Senator" |
| 2004 | Cold Case | Warden Wilbur | Episode: "The House" |
| 2005 | Numbers | Rail Cop Captain | Episode: "Sabotage" |
| 2006 | Threshold | Mr. Wheeler | Episode: "Outbreak" |
| 2006 | What About Brian | Bartender | Episode: "What About Second Chances" |
| 2007 | ER | Jim Riley | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | General Hospital | Bodie Sullivan | Episode #1.11572 |
| 2009 | The Unit | Detective | Episode: "The Spear of Destiny" |
| 2009 | Lost | Mr. Springer | Episode: "The Incident" |
| 2009 | True Blood | Sid Matt Lancaster | Episode: "Nothing But the Blood" |
| 2011 | Bones | Dan Lambert | Episode: "The Sin in the Sisterhood" |
| 2011 | Castle | Mike Yanavich | Episode: "Knockout" |
| 2011 | Dexter | Landlord | Episode: "The Angel of Death" |
| 2011 | Criminal Minds | Lieutenant Shockley Tawes | Episode: "Self Fulfilling Prophecy" |
| 2012 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Floyd Hobbs | Episode: "Neighborhood Watch" |
| 2013 | The Mentalist | Miles MacCambridge | Episode: "The Red Barn" |
| 2015 | NCIS | Field Marshal Rand | Episode: "Spinning Wheel" |
| 2017–2019 | Bosch | Ray Scales | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | Grey's Anatomy | Norman Sholman | Episode: "Save the Last Dance for Me" |
| 2020 | Perry Mason | Old Polish Man | Episode: "Chapter Six" |