George Gaynes (born George Jongejans; May 16, 1917 – February 15, 2016) was an American singer, actor and comedy performer of stage, screen and television, voice artist and World War II veteran. Born to Dutch and Russian parents in Finland, he grew up in France, England and Switzerland and was a US citizen for most of his life. Gaynes died at his home in North Bend, Washington on February 15, 2016. He was 98.
Gaynes' most recognized role's in cinema was arguably that of Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy series and the comedy film Tootsie. To television fans, he is perhaps best known as the curmudgeonly but lovable foster parent Henry Warnimont on the NBC series Punky Brewster; as high-powered theatrical producer Arthur Feldman on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, in which Gaynes' real-life wife, Allyn Ann McLerie, co-starred as his love interest; and as Frank Smith, the mob boss brought down by Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) on the soap opera General Hospital.G
