# Peter Hansen (actor)

Peter Franklin Hansen (December 5, 1921 – April 9, 2017) was an American actor, best known for his role as lawyer Lee Baldwin, on the soap opera General Hospital, appearing in the role from 1963 to 1986, briefly in 1989 and 1990, and returning to the role from 1992 to 2004. In 1989, he appeared in the movie The War of the Roses.

## Early life

Hansen was born on December 5, 1921, in Oakland, California to Sydney Henry Hansen (1897-1971) and Lena Gertrude Young (1896-1983). His family moved to Detroit, Michigan where his parents divorced. His mother remarried Falconer O'Brien, and had a daughter named Charlotte O'Brien, who died in 1934 at the age of five. Hansen served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and flew combat in the South Pacific. He flew F4U Corsairs and participated in the invasion of Peleliu in September 1944. In 1950, after he left the Marines, Hansen signed a contract with Paramount Pictures and became an actor.

## Career

Hansen appeared in more than 100 films, television series and made-for-television movies. His early acting roles were at the famed Pasadena Playhouse. Hansen was a guest star on Reed Hadley's CBS crime drama, The Public Defender, and the television adaptation of Gertrude Berg's comedy The Goldbergs. In addition to his work on General Hospital, he notably co-starred in 1963 on the NBC soap opera Ben Jerrod. He also appeared on The Golden Girls in 1985 (Season 1, Episode 5) as Dr. Elliott Clayton, a casanova who makes a pass at Blanche while dating Dorothy. In 1988, he starred in an episode of Cheers ("And God Created Woodman"; Season 6, Episode 14), as Daniel T. Collier, the CEO and chairman of the board of Lillian, the company which owns Cheers. Other notable appearances include work on Broken Arrow, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, Maverick, Sea Hunt, Petticoat Junction, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., How The West Was Won, The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Magnum, P.I., L.A. Law, Night Court, and Growing Pains.
Hansen had a major role in the 1950 Western film Branded with Alan Ladd, the 1951 science fiction film When Worlds Collide, and the 1952 Western film The Savage with Charlton Heston. In the 1960s, He made commercials for Chrysler products, mostly Plymouths, on shows hosted by Lawrence Welk, Steve Allen, and Garry Moore. In 1961, Hansen was a news anchor at the Los Angeles based TV station KCOP-TV.
In 1997, Hansen began playing the character on the sister show Port Charles. The early years of Port Charles saw the Baldwins as the core family, focusing on Lee's son, Scotty, and granddaughter, Karen. After their storyline took them back to "GH", Peter made occasional appearances on both shows, last appearing in 2004. Although he retired from acting afterwards, he did appear at the off-screen 50th Anniversary party in 2013 along with former on-screen wife Susan Brown.

## Personal life and death

Hansen met his wife, Florence Elizabeth "Betty" Moe, while in high school and married her in 1943. They had three children, Kristen, Peter and Gretchen, and three grandchildren: Allison, Erik and Jamal. Betty died in 1993 and his daughter, Kris, died in 1996. He then shared 24 years as companion to Barbara Wenzel.
Hansen resided in Tarzana, California, with his family, and he enjoyed flying, owning his own Cessna for decades, spent many vacations in the Sierra Nevada high country. He led a devoted spiritual life at St. Nicholas of Myra Episcopal Church, in Encino, California. Hansen died on April 9, 2017, at his home in Tarzana, at the age of 95. He was cremated and his ashes were returned to the family.

## Awards

Hansen won a Daytime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Lee Baldwin on General Hospital in 1979 in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1950 | Branded | Tonio | Western film directed by Rudolph Maté Adapted from the novel Montana Rides by Max Brand under pen name Evan Evans |
| 1950 | The Goldbergs | Ted Gordon | |
| 1951 | The Last Outpost | Lt. Crosby | Western film directed by Lewis R. Foster |
| 1951 | Passage West | Michael Karns | Western film directed by Lewis R. Foster |
| 1951 | Darling, How Could You! | Dr. Steve Clark | Comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen Based on James Barrie's play Alice Sit-by-the-Fire |
| 1951 | When Worlds Collide | Dr. Tony Drake | Science fiction film directed by Rudolph Maté Based on the 1932 science fiction novel of the same name, co-written by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer |
| 1952 | The Greatest Show on Earth | Spectator | Uncredited, Drama film directed and produced by Cecil B. DeMille |
| 1952 | Something to Live For | Stage Cast Member | Uncredited, Drama film directed and produced by George Stevens |
| 1952 | The Savage | Lt. Weston Hathersall | Western film directed by George Marshall Based on L. L. Foreman's novel, The Renegade, first published in 1949 by Pocket Books. |
| 1954 | Prisoner of War | Capt. Fred Osborne | Uncredited, War–drama film directed by Andrew Marton |
| 1954 | Brigadoon | New York Club Patron | Uncredited, Musical feature film made in CinemaScope & Ansco Color and directed by Vincente Minnelli Based on the Broadway musical of the same name by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe |
| 1954 | Drum Beat | Lt. Goodsall | CinemaScope western film in WarnerColor written & directed by Delmer Daves and co-produced by Daves and Alan Ladd |
| 1955 | The Violent Men | George Menefee | Uncredited, CinemaScope western drama film ditecred by Rudolph Maté Based on the novel Smoky Valley by Donald Hamilton first published in 1954 |
| 1955 | A Bullet for Joey | Fred | Film noir directed by Lewis Allen |
| 1955 | Top of the World | Capt. Cochrane | Adventure film directed by Lewis R. Foster and written by John D. Klorer and N. Richard Nash |
| 1955 | The King's Thief | Isaac Newton | Uncredited |
| 1956 | Hell on Frisco Bay | Detective Connors | Film noir–crime film directed by Frank Turtle |
| 1956 | Diane | 2nd Court Physician | Uncredited |
| 1956 | The Proud and Profane | Lieutenant (jg) Hutchins | Dramatic war romance directed and wrriten by George Seaton Based on the 1953 novel The Magnificent Bastards by Lucy Herndon Crockett |
| 1956 | A Cry in the Night | Dr. Frazee | Film noir, dramatic, thriller film directed by Frank Tuttle Based on the 1955 novel by Whit Masterson titled All Through the Night. |
| 1956 | The Ten Commandments | Young aide | Uncredited, Biblical epic film produced, directed, and narrated by Cecil B. DeMille and shot in VistaVision (color by Technicolor) Based on Prince of Egypt by Dorothy Clarke Wilson, Pillar of Fire by J.H. Ingraham, On Eagle's Wings by A.E. Southon, and the Book of Exodus |
| 1956 | Three Violent People | Lt. Marr | Western film directed by Rudolph Maté |
| 1957 | 5 Steps to Danger | Karl Plesser | Crime film directed, produced, and co–written by Henry S. Kesler Based on the novel The Steel Mirror by Donald Hamilton |
| 1958 | The Deep Six | Lieutenant Dooley | World War II drama film directed by Rudolph Maté Loosely based on a novel of the same name by Martin Dibner |
| 1961 | Pocketful of Miracles | Governor's Aide | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Apache Rifles | Capt. Green | |
| 1965 | Harlow | Hansen - Assistant Director | |
| 1983 | The Man Who Wasn't There | Police Lieutenant | |
| 1985 | Junior | Electrician | |
| 1989 | The War of the Roses | Mr. Marshall | |
| 2002 | Dragonfly | Phillip Darrow | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1950 | The Goldbergs | Ted Gordon | |
| 1954 | Schlitz Playhouse | Guest | Episode: "At the Natchez Inn" (S 3:Ep 21) |
| 1954 | Cavalcade of America | Guest | Episode: "Duel at the O.K. Corral" (S 2:Ep 20) |
| 1954 | The Public Defender | Guest | Episode: "Escape" (S 1:Ep 20) |
| 1954 | The Lone Wolf | Jackson Smith | Episode: "The Planetarium Story" (S 1:Ep 36) |
| 1954 | Schlitz Playhouse | Claudius Fabian | Episode: "The Roman and the Renegade" (S 3:Ep 49) |
| 1954 | The Loretta Young Show | Jim Roberts | Episode: "The Lamp" (S 2:Ep 4) |
| 1954 | Your Favorite Story | Guest | Episode: "The Unknown" (S 3:Ep 1) |
| 1954 | Lady in the Wings | Edward MacDowell | Made-for-TV-Movie Part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame Series |
| 1954 | Space Patrol | Doctor Paul Yates | Episode: "Danger: Radiation" (S 4:Ep 37) |
| 1954 | The Lone Ranger | Marshal Jim | Episode: "Homer with a High Hat" (S 4:Ep 15) |
| 1955 | The Lone Ranger | Bill Taylor | Episode: "The Law Lady" (S 4:EP 25) |
| 1955 | The Lone Ranger | Peter Sawtelle | Episode: "Sawtelle Saga's End" (S 4:Ep 29) |
| 1955 | The Public Defender | Guest | Episode: "The Man Who Couldn't Remember" (S 2:Ep 18) |
| 1955 | The Lone Ranger | Jack Morrison | Episode: "Sheriff's Sale (S 4:Ep 21) |
| 1955 | Lux Video Theatre | Philip Adams | Episode: "The Two Dollar Bettor" (S 6:Ep 3) |
| 1955 | The Lone Ranger | Smiley Phillips | Episode: "Death Goes to Press" (S 4:Ep 43) |
| 1955 | Stage 7 | Capt. Chuck Boske | Epispde: "Armed" (S 1:Ep 14) |
| 1955 | The Public Defender | Simms | Episode: "The Sapphire Mink" (S 2:Ep 32) |
| 1955 | Science Fiction Theatre | Dr. Dan Scott | Episode: "Beyond Return" (S 1:Ep 32) |
| 1956 | Climax! | Lawyer | Episode: "Faceless Adversary" (S 2:Ep 33) |
| 1956 | Science Fiction Theatre | Dr. Warren Stark | Episode: "Signals from the Heart" (S 2:Ep 1) |
| 1956 | Science Fiction Theatre | Dr. Henry Maxton | Episode: "The Unguided Missile" (S 2:Ep 8) |
| 1956 | Telephone Time | William Smith | Episode: "Grandpa Changes the World" (S 1:Ep 16) |
| 1956 | Science Fiction Theatre | Prof. Norman Hughes | Episode: "The Throwback" (S 2:Ep 19) |
| 1956 | Broken Arrow | Capt. Dennis Farrell | Episode: "Medicine Men" (S 1:Ep 6) |
| 1956 | Science Fiction Theatre | Dr. Edgar Barnes | Episode: "Doctor Robot" (S 2:Ep 30) |
| 1956 | Broken Arrow | Capt. Dennis Farrell | Episode: "Rebellion" (S 1:Ep 22) |
| 1957 | Dr. Christian | Rufus Corning | Episode: "Revenge" (S 1:Ep 16) |
| 1957 | Science Fiction Theatre | Dr. Jim Wallaby | Episode: "The Strange Lodger" (S 2:Ep 39) |
| 1957 | Zane Grey Theater | Holton | Episode: "Village of Fear" (S 1:Ep 210 |
| 1957 | The Gray Ghost | Manning | Episode: "Renegade Rangers" (S 1:Ep 28) |
| 1957 | Navy Log | Guest | Episode: "The Lady and the Atom" (S 2:Ep 23) |
| 1957 | Dr. Christian | Walters | Episode: "The Alien" (S 1: Ep 25) |
| 1957 | Navy Log | Barry | Episode: "The Marines Have Landed" (S 2:Ep 35) |
| 1957 | Broken Arrow | Capt. Dennis Farrell | Episode: "White Man's Magic" (S 2:Epp 1) |
| 1958 | Flight | Kovacs | Episode: "Flight Surgeon" (S 1:Ep 4) |
| The Restless Gun | Quint | Episode "A Pressing Engagement" | |
| 1965 | General Hospital | Lee Baldwin | Contract role: 1965–1976; 1977–1986 Recurring role: 1990; 1992–2004, (final appearance) |
| 1958 | Perry Mason "The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife" S1 Ep26 | Howard Black | Contract role: 1958 |
| 1997-2000 | Port Charles | Lee Baldwin | Recurring role |