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Fantasy Island and Route 66 Actor, George Maharis Dead at 94

Fantasy Island and Route 66 Actor, George Maharis Dead at 94
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BEVERLY HILLS, CA (CelebrityAccess) – Veteran actor George Maharis with his rugged good looks and charm, known for his roles in Route 66 and Fantasy Island, has died at 94 years old. Marc Bahan, Maharis’ friend and caretaker, announced his death via social media, revealing the actor died on Wednesday (May 25) at his home in Beverly Hills. The cause of death has not been revealed, but WTOP reports it was complications from hepatitis.

A native New Yorker, one of seven children born to Greek immigrants, Maharis was raised in Hell’s Kitchen. His family owned a restaurant and wanted him to join the family business.

George Maharis - Wikipedia
Maharis, 1962 (Photo: Wikipedia)

“Growing up in Hell’s Kitchen, at least for me, was all about ‘I’m not gonna stay here,’ ” he said in a 2007 interview. “Life is all about the journey, the going. I had to get out.”

He hoped to be a singer but damaged his vocal cords, so he switched to acting. After training under Lee Strasberg and Sanford Meisner at the Actors Studio, he began appearing in off-Broadway plays.

In Route 66, Maharis played Buz Murdock, starring in its first three seasons and earning the late actor a Primetime Emmy Award nod for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Acotr in a Leading Role in a Series. The show was a rare series that filmed on location, moving to new towns and cities for each episode. It featured guest stars including Robert Redford, James Caan, Robert Duvall, and Alan Alda.

Before Route 66, Maharis was featured in the soap opera, Search for Tomorrow before cast in Naked City.

Route 66 wa a spin-off of Naked City and officially launched his acting career. After those three seasons, Maharis was forced to leave the show, becoming hospitalized with hepatitis.

Maharis’ other acting credits include films such as Quick Before It Melts (1964) Sylvia (1965), A Covenant with Death (1967) and The Happening (1967).

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