George Maharis
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| George Maharis | |
 George Maharis as Buz Murdock on Route 66, 1962 |
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| Born | September 1, 1928 Astoria, New York |
| Notable roles | Buz Murdock |
George Maharis (born September 1, 1928 in Astoria, New York) is an American actor.
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[edit] Early years
Maharis was one of seven children born to Greek immigrants. Although his father was in the restaurant business, Maharis had early ambitions to be a professional singer. After injuring his vocal chords through overuse, however, he switched to acting. He studied at the Actor's Studio and appeared in Off-Broadway productions of Jean Genet's Deathwatch and Edward Albee's The Zoo Story. Soon he was on television as well, in such showcases as Studio One, Kraft Theater, Goodyear Theater, Stirling Silliphant's Naked City and Otto Preminger's Exodus.
[edit] Route 66
In 1960, Maharis shot to stardom with his successful turn as Buz Murdock in the popular TV series Route 66, which co-starred Martin Milner as formerly rich, now orphaned Tod Stiles. The show featured the two rebel-hunks traveling throughout the United States along Route 66 (and elsewhere) in a spicy new Corvette that belonged to Milner's character. The series featured directors as acclaimed as Sam Peckinpah and Arthur Hiller, as well as guest stars as renowned as Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Buster Keaton, Ethel Waters and Martin Sheen. Even in such company, Maharis' own acting skills did not go unnoticed, as he received an Emmy nomination in 1962 for his continuing performance as Buz.
Unfortunately, Maharis departed without completing his third season on the series, reportedly due to conflicts with Milner over acting styles. Maharis's participation that season had been spotty due to health problems, including two bouts of infectious hepatitis beginning in April 1962.[1] Maharis insisted that he left Route 66 entirely for health reasons, due to the long hours and grueling conditions he frequently experienced while shooting episodes on location. "I have to protect my future," Maharis said in a 1963 interview. "If I keep going at the present pace, I'm a fool. Even if you have $4,000,000 in the bank, you can't buy another liver."[2] This interpretation of events was disputed by series producers Stirling Silliphant and Herbert B. Leonard, who believed that the health issue camouflaged Maharis' desire to break his contract and make movies. After Maharis' departure, the show's appeal declined. Glenn Corbett stepped in as Milner's new sidekick on the road, Linc Case, but a year later, Route 66 was cancelled.
[edit] Later Career
For Maharis, a string of unsuccessful films followed, including Quick Before It Melts (1964), The Satan Bug and Sylvia (both 1965), A Covenant with Death and The Happening (both 1967) and The Desperados (1969). Returning to series television in 1970, Maharis starred as criminologist Jonathan Croft in the ABC adventure series The Most Deadly Game, co-starring Ralph Bellamy as Mr. Arcane. The series lasted twelve episodes, ending in January 1971. However, Maharis remained a popular sex symbol and in July 1973 posed nude for Playgirl's second issue.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Maharis guest-starred in dozens of hit television series, including Fantasy Island, Kojak, McMillan and Wife, Barnaby Jones, Police Story and Switch, as well as Murder She Wrote in 1990. His most significant film role of this era is probably as Count Machelli, King Cromwell's War Chancellor (who is not what he seems) in The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982). In the 1980s he also frequently starred in Las Vegas dinner theater. In 1993 he performed in his, to date, final film, Doppelganger. Maharis is now reported to be "fully retired."
[edit] Art and Music
Maharis released several LPs and numerous singles through Epic Records earlier in his career. After this period, he continued to perform in nightclubs, and pursued a secondary career as an impressionist painter.
[edit] Selected discography
Albums
- 1962 George Maharis Sings!, Epic LN 24001
- 1962 Portrait in Music, Epic BN 26021
- 1962 Just Turn Me Loose!, Epic LN 24037
- 1962 Where Can You Go for a Broken Heart?, Epic 26064
- 1963? Make Love to Me, Epic BN 26079
- 1995 George Maharis & John Davidson (CD, songs from George Maharis Sings!), Sony 28950
- 2000 George Maharis Sings!/Portrait in Music (compilation CD), Collectibles ASIN B00004TRWR
45 RPM Singles (Epic, at least one reissued on Memory Lane)
- "Teach Me Tonight" (b/w "Baby Has Gone Bye Bye")
- "After the Lights Go Down Low" (b/w "Teach Me Tonight"), Epic 5-9504
- "Don't Fence Me In" (b/w "Alright, Okay, You Win")
- "They Knew About You" (b/w "Love Me As I Love You"), Epic 5-9522
- "Where Can You Go (for a broken heart)" (b/w "Kiss Me"), Epic 9600
- "That's How It Goes", Epic 9613
- "Lonely People Do Foolish Things" (b/w "I'm Coming Back for You"), Epic 9753
- "You Always Hurt The One You Love", (b/w "Quien Sabe? (Who Knows? Who Knows?)") Epic 9844
[edit] Trivia
Filmmaker Mercedes Maharis, maker of the controversial 2005 documentary Cochise County USA - Cries From The Border, is married to Maharis's brother Robert.
