George Hearn

George Hearn (born June 18, 1934) is an American actor and singer, primarily in Broadway musical theatre.
== Early years ==
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Hearn studied philosophy at Southwestern at Memphis, now Rhodes College before he embarked on a career in the theater, training for the stage with actress turned acting coach Irene Dailey. Most of Hearn's early performances were in traditional productions at the New York Shakespeare Festival and theaters at Lincoln Center.[1]
== Career ==
Hearn's career began in 1963 when he played Sir Dinidan in a national tour of Camelot with Biff McGuire and Jeannie Carson, standing by for McGuire, who played King Arthur. He first garnered a notice as John Dickinson in the acclaimed 1969 musical 1776 and as Liv Ullmann's leading man in the musical version of I Remember Mama (1979).[1]
On March 4, 1980 he replaced Len Cariou in the title role of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd opposite Dorothy Loudon. Later in 1980 Hearn and the show's original star, Angela Lansbury, headed the show's touring company, then reprised their roles for a Showtime production of the musical, which won him an Emmy Award for his portrayal.[2][3]
In 1983 Hearn created the role of Albin in the original Broadway production of La Cage aux Folles written by Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman. Hearn originated the gay anthem "I Am What I Am".[4] He won the Tony Award, Drama Desk Awardand Outer Critics' Circle Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Albin. Hearn also appeared in the West End production (which opened in May 1986).
In 1985, Hearn starred as Long John Silver in an Edmonton production of Pieces of Eight, a musical adaptation of Treasure Island. Despite its credentials, including composer Jule Styne, it never was staged again.[5]
Hearn and Lansbury remained friends, and the actress invited him to guest star on several episodes of her CBS sleuth series Murder, She Wrote in the early 1990s.[6]
He won a second Tony award for his role as Max Von Mayerling in the original Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard, and was nominated again for playing Otto Frank in the 2000 revival of The Diary of Anne Frank.
On July 20, 2004, Hearn returned to Broadway for the first time in four years, starring as the Wizard in the Broadway musical Wicked, remaining until May 29, 2005.[7][8] Hearn later returned to the musical for a limited two-week engagement from January 17 through February 1, 2006.
In 2008 he starred in a production of The Visit by John Kander and Fred Ebbalongside Chita Rivera at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia. The Visit opened to positive reviews on May 13, 2008 and closed June 22, 2008.[9]
Hearn's recordings include Sunset Boulevard (1994 Los Angeles Cast, and later the Broadway Cast Recording), Sweeney Todd Live at the New York Philharmonic, Mack & Mabel (1988 London Concert Cast), I Remember Mama (1985 Studio Cast), Follies in Concert (1985 Live Performance), and A Stephen Sondheim Evening (1983 Concert Cast).[10]
Hearn was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame on January 29, 2007.[11]
== Personal life ==
Hearn's spouses include Susan Babel, Mary Harrell, with whom he had one son; Dixie Carter (1977–1979), girlfriend Betsy Joslyn (1979–1984), and current wife Leslie Simons. Hearn and Simons have two sons.[1][12][13] He currently resides in Essex, New York.
== Filmography ==
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1975	The Silence 	Captain Nichols 	TV movie
1976	Sea Marks 	 	
1979	Sanctuary of Fear 	 	
1982	A Piano for Mrs. Cimino 	 	
1982	Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Sweeney Todd 	
1989	See You in the Morning 	Martin 	
1990	The Young Riders 	Elijah Quinn 	Guest Star. Season 2, Episode 4: "Blood Moon"
1991	The Golden Girls 	Guest Star 	Episode: "Henny Penny, Straight No Chaser"
1991	Fire in the Dark 	 	
1992	Murder She Wrote 	 	Episode: "The Wind Around the Tower"
1992	Sneakers 	Gregor 	
1993	The Vanishing 	Arthur Bernard 	
1994	The Pagemaster 	Captain Ahab 	Voice role
1995	Annie: A Royal Adventure! 	Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks	TV movie
1996	All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 	Red 	Voice role
1997	The Devil's Own 	Peter Fitzsimmons 	
1998	Barney's Great Adventure 	Grandpa 	
1999	Sarah Plain and Tall: Winter's End 	 	
2001	Sweeney Todd in Concert 	 	
2006	Flags of Our Fathers 	 	
=== Stage ===
Year	Title 	Notes
1966	A Time for Singing 	
1968	Henry IV Part 1 	Public Theater, Delacorte Theater[14]
1969	1776 	
1973	The Changing Room 	
1975	Hamlet 	
1979	I Remember Mama 	
1980	Sweeney Todd 	
1982	A Doll's Life 	
1983	La Cage aux Folles 	
1989	Ghetto 	
1989	Meet Me in St. Louis 	
1994	Sunset Boulevard 	
1997	The Diary of Anne Frank	
1999	Putting It Together 	
2004	Wicked 	
2008	The Visit 	Signature Theatre, Arlington, VA
2012	Scandalous 	
== Awards and nominations ==
Year	Award 	Category 	Work 	Result
1980	Tony Award 	Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical 	Watch on the Rhine 	Nominated
1983	Tony Award 	Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical 	A Doll's Life 	Nominated
1983	CableACE Award 	Actor in a Theatrical or Musical Program 	Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Won
1984	Tony Award 	Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical 	La Cage aux Folles 	Won
1984	Drama Desk Award 	Outstanding Actor in a Musical 	La Cage aux Folles 	Won
1984	Outer Critics Circle Award	Outstanding Actor in a Musical 	La Cage aux Folles 	Won
1985	Primetime Emmy Award 	Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program	Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Won
1986	Laurence Olivier Award 	Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actor in a Musical 	La Cage aux Folles 	Nominated
1995	Tony Award 	Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical 	Sunset Boulevard 	Won
1995	Drama Desk Award 	Outstanding Actor in a Musical 	Sunset Boulevard 	Nominated
2000	Tony Award 	Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical 	Putting It Together 	Nominated
Category:Hanna-Barbera people
Category:Males
Category:Humans
Category:American male voice actors
Category:Yogi Bear
Category:Huckleberry Hound
Category:Scooby-Doo
Category:All Dogs Go to Heaven
Category:The Pebble and the Penguin
Category:Thumbelina (1994 film)
Category:An American Tail
Category:The Land Before Time
Category:Alvin and the Chipmunks