View Full Version : What became of George Petrie and the other regular "extras"?


cliff2001
09-21-2006, 12:43 AM
There were a few actors that played the other roles in all the honeymooners episodes. George Petrie appeared in almost every episode. I recently read that he died of lymphoma in 1997. Anyone know of other things he did over the years?

How about Frank Marth? Eddie Hanley? John Griggs? Other regulars? Are they still alive?

C

W.B.
09-21-2006, 02:00 AM
I seem to recall John Griggs and Zamah Cunningham died in 1967, and Eddie Hanley and Ethel Owen also passed away in 1997, the same year as Mr. Petrie. Then there was Les Damon, who died in 1962; Cliff Hall (the Raccoon Lodge president, who was known to radio audiences as Jack Pearl's straight man ['Vas you dere, Sharlie?']), who bought the farm in 1972; Dick Bernie, sometime in the 1960's; Anne Seymour, in 1988; Victor Rendina, in 1985; Alexander Clark (a.k.a. Andre and Herbert J. Whiteside), in 1995; and Luis Van Rooten (the short-fused landlord Mr. Johnson), in 1973.

Mr. Marth, to the best of my knowledge, is still among the living.

Don't know about Johnny Morgan (one of the 1960's Gleason Actors), though.

Mr. Television
09-21-2006, 10:53 AM
George Petrie was a recurring member of the cast of Dallas from 1979-1991. He played the Ewings lawyer Harv Smithfield. He also appeared in one of the reunion movies which may have been his last role.

T-Greg
09-21-2006, 12:23 PM
George Petrie was married to Patty Pope. She appeared with him in the episode when they elope, but I can't think of the name. Frank Marth is still living. He's 84 years old.

VIDEOWACK
09-21-2006, 02:27 PM
George Petrie was married to Patty Pope. She appeared with him in the episode when they elope, but I can't think of the name. Frank Marth is still living. He's 84 years old.

Greg, it was "GAME CALLED ON ACCOUNT OF MARRIAGE". :wave:

T-Greg
09-21-2006, 03:04 PM
Thanks Rob. Remember Burt and Rita Weidemeyer in "Alice and the Blonde". Rita was played by Freda Larsen (I believe that was her name) and she later was married to Gleason writer Arnie Rosen, if I remember correctly. Though I researched her previously, I never could find out what ever happened to her.

VIDEOWACK
09-21-2006, 03:22 PM
Thanks Rob. Remember Burt and Rita Weidemeyer in "Alice and the Blonde". Rita was played by Freda Larsen (I believe that was her name) and she later was married to Gleason writer Arnie Rosen, if I remember correctly. Though I researched her previously, I never could find out what ever happened to her.

Aside from seeing her at the '85 R.A.L.P.H. Convention, I'm not sure either.

T-Greg
09-21-2006, 03:31 PM
I wonder if Bob Columbe or Peter Crescenti keep in touch with any of the cast (the role players, that is).

W.B.
09-21-2006, 04:33 PM
Thanks Rob. Remember Burt and Rita Weidemeyer in "Alice and the Blonde". Rita was played by Freda Larsen (I believe that was her name) and she later was married to Gleason writer Arnie Rosen, if I remember correctly. Though I researched her previously, I never could find out what ever happened to her.
As for Bert Wedemeyer, he was played by Frank Behrens - who died a year before Gleason. And George Mathews, who played Harvey in "The Bensonhurst Bomber," died in late 1984, months after appearing at a R.A.L.P.H. convention. Humphrey Davis, who played the train conductor in "Unconventional Behavior," died the same year as Gleason. I could go on and on . . .

T-Greg
09-21-2006, 04:37 PM
As for Bert Wedemeyer, he was played by Frank Behrens - who died a year before Gleason. And George Mathews, who played Harvey in "The Bensonhurst Bomber," died in late 1984, months after appearing at a R.A.L.P.H. convention. Humphrey Davis, who played the train conductor in "Unconventional Behavior," died the same year as Gleason. I could go on and on . . .

I used to have a list of every known character that was in a Honeymooners episode and the episode(s) they appeared in. I have it on a diskette some where.

VIDEOWACK
09-21-2006, 06:33 PM
I used to have a list of every known character that was in a Honeymooners episode and the episode(s) they appeared in. I have it on a diskette some where.

There was also Leslie Barrett who played the wimpy bald-headed guy in BENSONHURST BOMBER ("my friend Harvey is even bigger than you") he, along with George Matthews was at the convention too....I will dig out my photos of them and post them soon.

Let's not forget Luis Van Rooten (Mr. Johnson, the landlord who died in 1973), Ralph Stantley (Joe Malone in "Stars Over Flatbush", as well as many other roles on the live show who died in 1972) and Bill Zuckert (Garrity, from "$99,000 Answer"...."Look, why don't you shut up, you're driving everybody crazy"), who passed on in 1997.

MrBand
09-21-2006, 06:58 PM
Sandy Renda, who played the little boy smitten with Alice in "When In Rome," is an accomplished guitarist in the NY/NJ area and performs semi-regularly as a guest on a public access program (the Steve Ames Show) in NJ.

VIDEOWACK
09-21-2006, 08:10 PM
Sandy Renda, who played the little boy smitten with Alice in "When In Rome," is an accomplished guitarist in the NY/NJ area and performs semi-regularly as a guest on a public access program (the Steve Ames Show) in NJ.

I had the pleasure of a phone chat with Jomar Cidoni, who played that same little boy in the 1966 re-make, "Confusion-Italian Style". I picked his brain a bit regarding working on the show....a very nice fellow to talk to!

RedSamRackham
02-13-2016, 02:32 PM
Aside from seeing her at the '85 R.A.L.P.H. Convention, I'm not sure either.
Although Freda Rosen may've done nothing in TV or movies beyond Rita Wedemayer, that character was a great parody of a Marilyn Monroe wannabe. ☺

RedSamRackham
02-13-2016, 02:35 PM
As for Bert Wedemeyer, he was played by Frank Behrens - who died a year before Gleason. And George Mathews, who played Harvey in "The Bensonhurst Bomber," died in late 1984, months after appearing at a R.A.L.P.H. convention. Humphrey Davis, who played the train conductor in "Unconventional Behavior," died the same year as Gleason. I could go on and on . . .
George "Harvey the Bully" Mathews went on to appear as a neighbor of Lucas McCain on the Rifleman, a gangster on a Car 54 Where Are You? episode and as a guardian angel in a New Jersey drivers education movie.

Marvo301
02-13-2016, 05:38 PM
Did you know that the character "Rob Petrie" on The Dick Van Dyke Show was named after George Petrie whom Carl Reiner knew and admired?