George Peppard

George Peppard (October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an American actor. He secured a major role as struggling writer Paul Varjak when he starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), and later portrayed a character based on Howard Hughes in The Carpetbaggers (1964). On television, he played the title role of millionaire insurance investigator and sleuth Thomas Banacek in the early-1970s mystery series Banacek. He played Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, the cigar-smoking leader of a renegade commando squad in the 1980s action television series The A-Team.

Infobox

Born

(1928-10-01)October 1, 1928Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

Died

May 8, 1994(1994-05-08) (aged 65)Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Education

Purdue UniversityCarnegie Mellon University (BFA)

Occupation

Actor

Years active

1951–1994

Spouses

mw- Helen Davies (m. 1954; div. 1964) Elizabeth Ashley (m. 1966; div. 1972) Sherry Boucher (m. 1975; div. 1979) Alexis Adams (m. 1984; div. 1986)

Children

Tables

· Filmography

1957

The Strange One

Role(s)

Cadet Robert Marquales

Notes

Film debut

1959

Pork Chop Hill

Role(s)

Corporal Chuck Fedderson

1960

Home from the Hill

Role(s)

Raphael "Rafe" Copley

The Subterraneans

Role(s)

Leo Percepied

1961

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Role(s)

Paul Varjak

1962

How the West Was Won

Role(s)

Zeb Rawlings

1963

The Victors

Role(s)

Corporal Frank Chase

1964

The Carpetbaggers

Role(s)

Jonas Cord

1965

Operation Crossbow

Role(s)

Lieutenant John Curtis

The Third Day

Role(s)

Steve Mallory

1966

The Blue Max

Role(s)

Lieutenant Bruno Stachel

1967

Tobruk

Role(s)

Captain Kurt Bergman

Rough Night in Jericho

Role(s)

Dolan

1968

P.J.

Role(s)

P.J. Detweiler

What's So Bad About Feeling Good?

Role(s)

Pete

1969

Pendulum

Role(s)

Captain Frank Matthews

1970

The Executioner

Role(s)

John Shay

Cannon for Cordoba

Role(s)

Captain Red Douglas

1971

One More Train to Rob

Role(s)

Harker Fleet

1972

The Groundstar Conspiracy

Role(s)

Tuxan

1974

Newman's Law

Role(s)

Vince Newman

1977

Damnation Alley

Role(s)

Major Eugene Denton

1979

Five Days from Home

Role(s)

T.M. Pryor

Notes

also director and producer

From Hell to Victory

Role(s)

Brett Rosson

An Almost Perfect Affair

Role(s)

Himself

Notes

Uncredited

1980

Battle Beyond the Stars

Role(s)

Cowboy

1981

Your Ticket Is No Longer Valid

Role(s)

Jim Daley

Race for the Yankee Zephyr

Role(s)

Theo Brown

1982

Hit Man [fr]

Role(s)

McFadden

1989

Zwei Frauen

Role(s)

Mr. Martin

1992

The Tigress

Role(s)

Sid Slaughter

Notes

Final film role

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1957	The Strange One	Cadet Robert Marquales	Film debut
1959	Pork Chop Hill	Corporal Chuck Fedderson
1960	Home from the Hill	Raphael "Rafe" Copley
1960	The Subterraneans	Leo Percepied
1961	Breakfast at Tiffany's	Paul Varjak
1962	How the West Was Won	Zeb Rawlings
1963	The Victors	Corporal Frank Chase
1964	The Carpetbaggers	Jonas Cord
1965	Operation Crossbow	Lieutenant John Curtis
1965	The Third Day	Steve Mallory
1966	The Blue Max	Lieutenant Bruno Stachel
1967	Tobruk	Captain Kurt Bergman
1967	Rough Night in Jericho	Dolan
1968	P.J.	Detweiler
	What's So Bad About Feeling Good?	Pete
	House of Cards	Reno Davis
1969	Pendulum	Captain Frank Matthews
1970	The Executioner	John Shay
1970	Cannon for Cordoba	Captain Red Douglas
1971	One More Train to Rob	Harker Fleet
1972	The Groundstar Conspiracy	Tuxan
1974	Newman's Law	Vince Newman
1977	Damnation Alley	Major Eugene Denton
1979	Five Days from Home	Pryor	also director and producer
1979	From Hell to Victory	Brett Rosson
1979	An Almost Perfect Affair	Himself	Uncredited
1980	Battle Beyond the Stars	Cowboy
1981	Your Ticket Is No Longer Valid	Jim Daley
1981	Race for the Yankee Zephyr	Theo Brown
1982	Hit Man [fr]	McFadden
1989	Zwei Frauen	Mr. Martin
1992	The Tigress	Sid Slaughter	Final film role

· Television

1956

The United States Steel Hour

Role(s)

Piney Woods

Notes

Episode: Bang the Drum Slowly

1956–1957

Role(s)

Kraft Television Theatre

Notes

Various

1957

The Kaiser Aluminum Hour

Role(s)

Lynch

Notes

Episode: A Real Fine Cutting Edge

Studio One

Notes

Episode: A Walk in the Forest

The Alcoa Hour

Role(s)

Eddie Pierce

Notes

Episode: The Big Build-Up

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Role(s)

Evan Wallace

Notes

Episode: The Diplomatic Corpse

1957–1958

Role(s)

Matinee Theatre

1958

Suspicion

Role(s)

Lee

Notes

Episode: The Eye of Truth

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Role(s)

Dennis Walsh

Notes

Episode: Little Moon of Alban

1960

Startime

Role(s)

Pat Lawrence

Notes

Episode: Incident at a Corner

1964

Theatre of Stars

Role(s)

Buddy Wren

Notes

Episode: The Game with Glass Pieces

1972

The Bravos

Role(s)

Major John David Harkness

Notes

Television Film

1972–1974

Role(s)

Banacek

Notes

Thomas Banacek

1975

The Week of Fear

Role(s)

Dr. Jake Goodwin

Notes

Television Film

Guilty or Innocent: The Sam Sheppard Murder Case

Role(s)

Dr. Samuel Sheppard

1975–1976

Role(s)

Doctors' Hospital

Notes

Dr. Jake Goodwin

1979

Crisis in Mid-Air

Role(s)

Nick Culver

Notes

Television Film

Torn Between Two Lovers

Role(s)

Paul Rasmussen

1982

Twilight Theatre

1983–1987

Role(s)

The A-Team

Notes

Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith

1984

Tales of the Unexpected

Role(s)

Sergeant Guedo

Notes

Episode: The Dirty Detail

1988

Man Against the Mob

Role(s)

Frank Doakey

Notes

Television Film

1989

Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders

1990

Night of the Fox

Role(s)

Colonel Harry Martineau/Max Vogel

1994

Matlock

Role(s)

Max Morgan

Notes

Episode: The P.I. (final appearance)

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1956	The United States Steel Hour	Piney Woods	Episode: Bang the Drum Slowly
1956–1957	Kraft Television Theatre	Various	Episodes: The Long FlightFlying Object at Three O'Clock High
1957	The Kaiser Aluminum Hour	Lynch	Episode: A Real Fine Cutting Edge
	Studio One		Episode: A Walk in the Forest
	The Alcoa Hour	Eddie Pierce	Episode: The Big Build-Up
	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Evan Wallace	Episode: The Diplomatic Corpse
1957–1958	Matinee Theatre		Episodes: End of the Rope, Part 1End of the Rope, Part 2Aftermath
1958	Suspicion	Lee	Episode: The Eye of Truth
1958	Hallmark Hall of Fame	Dennis Walsh	Episode: Little Moon of Alban
1960	Startime	Pat Lawrence	Episode: Incident at a Corner
1964	Theatre of Stars	Buddy Wren	Episode: The Game with Glass Pieces
1972	The Bravos	Major John David Harkness	Television Film
1972–1974	Banacek	Thomas Banacek
1975	The Week of Fear	Dr. Jake Goodwin	Television Film
1975	Guilty or Innocent: The Sam Sheppard Murder Case	Dr. Samuel Sheppard	Television Film
1975–1976	Doctors' Hospital	Dr. Jake Goodwin
1979	Crisis in Mid-Air	Nick Culver	Television Film
1979	Torn Between Two Lovers	Paul Rasmussen
1982	Twilight Theatre
1983–1987	The A-Team	Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith
1984	Tales of the Unexpected	Sergeant Guedo	Episode: The Dirty Detail
1988	Man Against the Mob	Frank Doakey	Television Film
1989	Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders	Frank Doakey
1990	Night of the Fox	Colonel Harry Martineau/Max Vogel
1994	Matlock	Max Morgan	Episode: The P.I. (final appearance)

References

The New York Times
https://web.archive.org/web/20100323124033/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/10/obituaries/george-peppard-dies-stage-and-screen-actor-65.html
Ashley 1978, pp. 76–77.
Press and Guide
https://businessdirectory.pressandguide.com/news/a-team-movie-has-dearborn-tie/article_0573ce86-2bc2-5c58-a897-690d99b092c0.html
Stars in the Corps: Movie Actors in the United States Marines
https://books.google.com/books?id=l3Z78rt_oHsC&q=Stars+in+the+Corps:+Movie+Actors+in+the+United+States+Marines
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-kelly-faces-busy-t/171311376/
Chicago Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-peppard-engineered-stard/171311467/
Ludington Daily News
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pOxOAAAAIBAJ&pg=5310%2C3058093
Pittsburgh In Stages: Two Hundred Years of Theater
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM1B6iuvvgQ
Air Progress
The News and Courier
https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings/title/hkpxfluvcrykupykxhhdgmzmgnwusnos_ip-10-166-46-173_1745892446844
Chicago Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-meeting-a-new-george-pe/171311649/
Variety
https://archive.org/details/variety199-1955-08/page/n267/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1966/07/10/archives/a-nice-guy-cast-as-a-movie-star.html
Variety
https://archive.org/details/variety202-1956-03/page/n272/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1956/04/30/archives/tv-on-camera-three-expert-series-offers-poetry-drama-and-comedy-in.html
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/07/archives/sinatra-to-make-appearance-here-returning-to-the-paramount-with.html
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/29/archives/focusing-on-new-faces-end-as-a-man-serves-as-first-movie-stint-for.html
The Christian Science Monitor
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1956/09/24/archives/role-is-offered-to-anne-baxter-jed-harris-flies-to-coast-to.html
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1956/11/20/archives/theatre-drama-by-nash-shelley-winters-stars-in-girls-of-summer.html
Variety
https://archive.org/details/variety204-1956-11/page/n199/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22
Variety
https://archive.org/details/variety204-1956-10/page/n384/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22
Chicago Daily Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-weeks-best/171311693/
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1957/04/13/archives/screen-the-strange-one-ben-gazzara-stars-in-new-film-at-astor.html
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1957/09/03/archives/minotaur-gets-trial-run.html
Variety
https://archive.org/details/variety208-1957-09/page/78/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22
Los Angeles Times
https://latimes.newspapers.com/clip/60868425/moon-of-alban-excellent-work/
Variety
https://archive.org/details/variety210-1958-03/page/n293/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1958/04/05/archives/columbia-to-film-time-of-dragons-buys-new-novel-by-alice.html
The Christian Science Monitor
Variety
https://archive.org/details/variety210-1958-05/page/n74/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1958/10/23/archives/theatre-pleasure-of-his-company-delightful-comedy-is-staged-at.html
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-films-beckon-stage/171311731/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-metro-signs-anka-f/171311779/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-new-impetus-lent-a/171311828/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-young-men-of-movie/171311874/
Chicago Daily Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-movie-to-recall-the-chau/171311907/
Chicago Sunday Tribune Magazine
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-theyll-make-good-in-ho/171311939/
Chicago Daily Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-home-from-the-hill-is/171311979/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-mgm-reactivates-tr/171312034/
Chicago Daily Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-2-films-at-once-keep-veg/171312073/
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1960/08/07/archives/ina-balin-scheduled-to-make-two-appearances-in-roles-on-dramatic.html
Variety
https://archive.org/details/variety221-1961-01/page/n401/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22
Wasson 2010, p. 114.
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-breakfast-to-star/171312130/
Wasson 2010, p. 147.
Los Angeles Times Calendar
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-george-peppard-giv/171312158/
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1961/01/19/archives/hubbub-of-movies-avoided-by-actor-george-peppard-turns-down-bids-to.html
Chicago Daily Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-george-peppard-picks-up/171312202/
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1961/05/21/archives/hollywood-epic-metro-will-film-how-west-was-won-in-cinerama-from.html
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-peppards-weary-of/171312239/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-hunter-speechless/171312270/
Ashley 1978, p. 68.
Ashley 1978, p. 72.
Ashley 1978, p. 74.
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-actor-george-peppa/171312910/
Variety
https://archive.org/details/variety-1964-03/page/n159/mode/1up?
Chicago Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-sinatra-hires-cameraman/171312956/
Los Angeles Times
The Christian Science Monitor
https://www.proquest.com/docview/510788886
"This is the story of Director Jack Smight's life in entertainment written by himself"
https://web.archive.org/web/20191126185030/https://medium.com/@lajp/this-is-the-story-of-director-jack-smights-life-in-entertainment-written-by-himself-2e735a65f837
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-peppard-will-play/171313169/
The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-george-peppard-1434902.html
Los Angeles Times
https://latimes.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-actor-sues-studio/171313222/
Ashley 1978, pp. 98–99.
Los Angeles Times
https://latimes.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-peppard-looks-like/171313260/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-a-multi-picture-de/171313331/
Ashley 1978, p. 99.
Ashley 1978, p. 99–100.
Ashley 1978, p. 101.
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-redford-given-blu/171313398/
The Washington Post and Times-Herald
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-mgm-plans-14-films/171313476/
The Buffalo News
Ashley 1978, pp. 122–123.
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-peppard-ely-on-to/171313509/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-peppard-firm-sets/171313611/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-film-industry-maki/171313661/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-george-peppard-in/171313904/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-george-peppard-he/171313944/
Chicago Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-banacek-a-polish-americ/171314003/
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1972/02/13/archives/actor-cleared-in-assault.html
Chicago Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-clear-actor-peppard-of-a/171314203/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-peppard-cleared-of/171314233/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-george-peppard-el/171314282/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-cicely-to-portray/171314377/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-la-times-supplemen/76141988/
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/1975/04/22/archives/nine-new-series-in-fall-set-by-nbc-curtis-ford-peppard-and-lee.html
Starburst
https://archive.org/details/Starburst_Magazine_008_1979-04_Marvel-UK/page/n12/mode/1up/search/%22george+peppard%22?q=%22george+peppard%22
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-pendulum-swings-to/171314427/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-peppard-film-fami/171314446/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-roots-il-places/171314505/
The Life (and Wife) of Allen Ludden
https://books.google.com/books?id=eKmdDwAAQBAJ&q=%22george+peppard%22+%22password%22&pg=PT432
Chicago Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-peppard-on-lookout-for/171314530/
hollywoodfyi.com
https://web.archive.org/web/20050806083533/http://www.hollywoodfyi.com/bo_hopkins_dynasty.htm
TheGuardian.com
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/sep/25/joan-collins-on-love-loss-and-lust-at-90-you-have-to-eat-life-or-life-will-eat-you?
Orlando Sentinel
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-missed-dynasty-ro/171314561/
The Windsor Star
The Globe and Mail
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-nbcs-a-team-fil/171314591/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-unresolved-dilemma/171314612/
Los Angeles Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-peppard-dynastys/171314651/
The Philadelphia Inquirer
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-poindexter-fin/171314702/
The Philadelphia Inquirer
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-from-a-team/171314754/
The Northern Echo
https://archive.today/20150118193927/http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2006/05/24/770111.Not_really_a_team_player/
Philadelphia Daily News
Los Angeles Times
St. Petersburg Times
https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-peppard-drops-everything/171314817/
Chicago Tribune
https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-on-being-ernest/171314853/
Curbed
https://www.curbed.com/2015/3/2/9985654/lena-dunham-buys-27m-los-angeles-home
hookedonhouses.net
https://web.archive.org/web/20180324155152/https://hookedonhouses.net/2015/03/12/lena-dunham-buys-house-with-hollywood-history/
Bang Out of Order ISBN 978-1-90284-321-6 ch. 14
The Great Movie Stars: The International Years
https://books.google.com/books?id=P8IHAQAAIAAJ&q=peppard
Sun-Sentinel
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1992-04-05-9202010495-story.html#:~:text=PEPPARD%20PROUD%20AS%20A%20LION%20OVER%20NEW%20STAGE,something%20wonderful%2C%20worth%20bragging%20about%20to%20the%20hilltops
BAFTA
http://awards.bafta.org/keyword-search?keywords=Peppard