Biography for
George Peppard More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

1 October 1928, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Date of Death

8 May 1994, Los Angeles, California, USA (pneumonia)

Birth Name

George Peppard Jr.

Height

6' (1.83 m)

Mini Biography

Handsome and elegant George Peppard occasionally displayed considerable talent through his career, but was too often cast in undemanding action roles. Following Broadway and television experience, he made a strong film debut in The Strange One (1957). He started getting noticed when he played Robert Mitchum's illegitimate son in the popular melodrama Home from the Hill (1960). He then established himself as a leading man, giving arguably his most memorable film performance as Audrey Hepburn's love interest in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). Seen by the studios as a promising young star, Peppard was subsequently cast in some of the major blockbusters of the early/mid-'60s: How the West Was Won (1962), The Victors (1963), The Carpetbaggers (1964) and Operation Crossbow (1965). He reached the peak of his popularity in another such lavish production, The Blue Max (1966), in which he effectively played an obsessively competitive German flying officer during WWI. By the late 1960s, however, he seemed to settle as a tough lead in more average, often hokum, adventures, including House of Cards (1968), Cannon for Cordoba (1970) and The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972). In the early 1970s his declining popularity was temporarily boosted thanks to the TV series "Banacek" (1972). With his film roles becoming increasingly uninteresting, he acted in, directed and produced the drama Five Days from Home (1979), but the result was rather disappointing. In the mid-'80s he again obtained success on television as the leader of "The A-Team" (1983).

IMDb Mini Biography By: pchemoc389@rogers.com

Spouse

Laura Taylor	(10 September 1992 - 8 May 1994) (his death)
Alexis Adams	(8 December 1984 - 1986) (divorced)
Sherry Boucher	(30 January 1975 - 26 October 1979) (divorced)
Elizabeth Ashley	(17 April 1966 - 28 February 1972) (divorced) 1 child
Helen Davies	(30 January 1954 - 1964) (divorced) 2 children

Trivia

Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at the age of 17.

Born to George Peppard Sr., a building contractor, and his wife Vernelle Rohrer, an opera singer.

Father of Christian Peppard.

Had a cancerous tumor removed from lung, so he quit smoking after many years (1992).

Born at 8:29 pm EST.

Attended Purdue University and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

His widow Laura Taylor was a banker in West Palm Beach, Florida when they met.

In 1978, he conquered a serious drinking problem.

Studied at the famed Actors' Studio, with reknown acting coach, Lee Strasberg. One of his classmates was Rip Torn

Spent much of the latter years of his life helping alcoholics and working for various charitable organizations.

Told the media how relieved he was shortly after "The A-Team" (1983) ended in 1986 because he likened the mega-hit show to "an out-of-control freight train that would never stop!"

Was originally chosen to play Blake Carrington on the TV series "Dynasty" (1981), but was fired from the role after disagreements with the show's producers.

Graduated from Dearborn High School in Dearborn, Michigan.

Member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity at Purdue University.

He was in the running to replace Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes in "Alias Smith and Jones" (1971).

He was the original choice for Steve McQueen's role in The Magnificent Seven (1960).

Was a passionate Democrat, and championed health care reform before his death.

Before his performing career began, George was a news announcer at radio station KQV in PIttsburgh, Pennsylvania for a short time.

Made an infamous appearance on "Password Plus" (1979), expressing dissatisfaction with NBC executives watching them "as if you're some sort of crook" (1979).

Buried in Northview Cemetery in Dearborn, Michigan.

Father of Brad Peppard, Julie Peppard, and Christian Peppard.

Personal Quotes

"Mine isn't a string of victories. It's no golden past. I'm no George Peppard fan." - to New York Post columnist Cindy Adams

"I turned into my own worst enemy." - Peppard said about his drinking after ex-wife Elizabeth Ashley wrote about it in her 1978 autobiography.

"Some people do better on their own. I don't. It sounds stupid to say, but it's true. I like women. I like them when they're little tiny babies, and I like them when they're old ladies, and I like them all in between. They please me."

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