RIP George Gaynes

[Isgrimnur]

Variety

George Gaynes, who portrayed an irritable foster parent on the ’80s sitcom “Punky Brewster,” the bewildered commandant in seven “Police Academy” films and a soap opera star with a crush on Dorothy Michaels, whom he doesn’t know is Dustin Hoffman’s character in drag, in the hit feature comedy “Tootsie,” died on Monday in North Bend, Wash. He was 98.

Gaynes, who was not only a character actor but a baritone singer, made hundreds of appearances both on TV comedies and dramas, as well as 35 films (counting both features and and made-for-TV movies) and many plays, musical comedies and even operas in the U.S. and Europe.

While Gaynes became immediately recognizable to TV viewers and filmgoers, he never achieved name recognition, let alone stardom.

On “Punky Brewster,” Gaynes played building manager Henry Warnimont, who finds an abandoned girl (Soleil Moon Frye) and becomes her foster parent and eventually her adoptive father. The sweet relationship between the two of them was the heart of the show.

[McNutt]

He was very a very funny guy. I hadn't heard from him in so long that I had assumed he passed away when I thought of him awhile back.

[Jeff V]

I had assumed he passed away when I thought of him awhile back.

You have that sort of telekinetic power?

[Daehawk]

I thought he was long gone. I mean he was in his 70s in the 1980s!! Wow good long run. RIP.