George Peppard

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George Peppard, Jr. (October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was a popular American film and television actor.

He secured a major role early in his career when he starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), but he is probably more known for his role as Col. John "Hannibal" Smith in the cult 1980s television show The A-Team, where he is the cigar-chomping leader of a renegade commando squadron.

George Peppard died of pneumonia as a result of complications of lung cancer.

1 Biography
2 Personal life
3 Trivia
4 Popular culture
5 Filmography
6 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

George Peppard, Jr. was born in Michigan. The son of building contractor George Peppard, Sr. and opera singer Vernelle Rohrer,he graduated from Dearborn High School in Dearborn, Michigan.George Peppard had a fascination with boxing early in life. Peppard enlisted in the Marine Corps and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the Artillery, leaving the Marines at the end of his first tour. He studied Civil Engineering at Purdue University where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi. He also attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

[edit] Peppard's Acting Career

Peppard made his stage debut in 1949 at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. He then enrolled in The Actors Studio in New York. His first work on Broadway led to his first television appearance, with a young Paul Newman, in The United States Steel Hour (1956). Peppard’s Broadway appearance in "The Pleasure of His Company" (1958) led to a MGM contract. Prior to a strong film debut in The Strange One (1957), he was discovered playing Robert Mitchum's illegitimate son in the popular melodrama Home from the Hill (1960).

His good looks, elegant manner and superior acting skills landed Peppard his most famous film role as Paul Varjak in Breakfast at Tiffany's with Audrey Hepburn. This role boosted him to a major film actor from its debut in 1961 through the late 60's. Peppard later developed a tendency to choose tough guy roles in big, ambitious pictures where he was somewhat overshadowed by ensemble casts. An example is his strong military role as German pilot Bruno Stachel, an obsessively competitive officer pilot from humble beginnings who challenges the Prussian aristocracy during World War I in The Blue Max (1966).

Due to the complications of alcoholism, his career led to a string of B films by the early 70's ^{[citation needed]}. Among these was the 1970 western Cannon for Cordoba, in which Peppard played the steely Captain Rod Douglas, who has been put in charge of gathering a group of soldiers to take part in a dangerous mission into Mexico. Although it also featured the talents of actors such as Pete Duel and Nico Minardos, it is not among Peppard's best remembered efforts. Neither was his role as "Space Cowboy" in Roger Corman's science fiction B-movie, Battle Beyond the Stars. Peppard moved to television with a leading role in the TV series Banacek (1972 - 1974), (part of the NBC Mystery Movie series). He appeared in Doctors' Hospital (1975) and several other television films. Still interested in film but with the offered film roles becoming increasingly uninteresting, he acted in, directed and produced the drama "Five Days from Home" (1979).

[edit] The A-Team

In the mid 80’s, George Peppard reemerged as a television star for his role as Col. John "Hannibal" Smith in the cult show The A-Team, acting along side Mr. T, Dirk Benedict, and Dwight Schultz. The A-Team was a crack team of renegade commandos on the run from the military for a crime they did not commit, while working as soldiers of fortune. John “Hannibal” Smith was the leader of the A-Team, distinguished by his cigar-smoking, black leather gloves, disguises, and catch phrase, "I love it when a plan comes together." The show ran on NBC from 1983-1986 and lasted 5 seasons. It made George Peppard known to a younger generation.

[edit] Personal life

Peppard married four times, and was the father of three children:

Helen Davies — 1954–1964: two children, Bradford and Julie
Elizabeth Ashley — 1966–1972: his co-star in The Carpetbaggers. One son, Christian
Sherrry Boucher — 1975–1979
Alexis Adams — 1984–1986

Peppard finally gave up drinking in 1978 and spent his later years trying to help other alcoholics enter into recovery.

A life long smoker, Peppard was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1992, and resultantly quit. This also forced his retirement from acting, and being passionate about politics as a life long Democrat, he spent his final years championing health care reform.

He died of pneumonia on May 8, 1994 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 65. He is buried in Northview Cemetery in Dearborn, Michigan.

[edit] Trivia

Studied at The Actors Studio, with acting coach Lee Strasberg. One of his classmates was Rip Torn.
He knew he had not made the most of his talents or skills. He is quoted as saying: I was my own worst enemy and that Mine isn’t a string of victories. It’s no golden past. I am no George Peppard fan
He resented the fact that Mr. T became a bigger star on The A-Team. In the show Bring Back the A-Team (2006), Dirk Benedict recalled a time when George refused to even speak to T directly and asked him (Dirk) to relay his messages.
Was considered for Vin in The Magnificent Seven and The Killers (1964 film)
Peppard's height was 6'0".
In an infamous episode of the game show Password Plus, Peppard complained about all the forms and contracts that he had to fill out before being a guest on the show. There was a mixed reaction of applause and boos from the audience for this outburst, and the normally unflappable host Allen Ludden was visibly annoyed.

[edit] Popular culture

In the Seinfeld episode "The Strongbox", Jerry has purchased cuff links worn by Jerry Lewis in Cinderfella. He plans to use them as a conversation starter with Lewis when he goes to an upcoming roast at the Friar's Club. George tells Jerry that having the same first name is good enough for a conversation starter. After mocking George’s comment, George tells Jerry about how that technique worked for him when he met George Peppard recently. Jerry informs George that Peppard "has been dead for years." George, covering for his innaccuracy/lie, replies to Jerry, "Well, whoever he was, he knew a heck of a lot about the A-Team".

In "The Couch", another Seinfeld episode, George has to read Breakfast at Tiffany's for a book club, but watches the movie instead. At the book club, George comments how good Peppard's' performance was in the film, and corrects himself after realizing he was the only one who saw the film, and did not read the book.