George Mathews (October 10, 1911 – November 7, 1984)[1] was an American actor whose film career stretched from an uncredited appearance in Stage Door Canteen in 1943 to Going Home in 1971.[citation needed]
Matthews's stage career began during the Great Depression when he became manager of an Italian stock theater company. Athough he knew no Italian and had no experience as a stage manager, he took the job to end his jobless status. At one point the actor who portrayed the good cop in the play was sick, and Mathews was drafted to fill in for him. Mathews said the impresario "thought I made such a good cop that he turned the role over to me permanently. That was the beginning of my acting career."[3]
Mathews was often cast as heavies or hardened military types. He appeared in both the stage (1942–43) and film version (1944) of The Eve of St. Mark, as Sergeant Ruby. He also portrayed a comedic thug in Pat and Mike (1952).
He appeared on Broadway in the Garson Kanin-directed musical comedy Do Re Mi (1960–62), as Fatso O'Rear. He later appeared on Broadway in Catch Me If You Can in 1965.[1]
In 1962, he appeared in Have Gun – Will Travel, Season 6, Episode 6. That same year, he played ex-fighter, “Champ”, in the Season 7 Episode 28 of Gunsmoke, “The Dealer”.[4] He demonstrated his comedic talent in the short-lived television comedy series Glynis (1963), playing ex-cop Chick Rogers, who assists a mystery writer and amateur sleuth, played by Glynis Johns, in solving "whodunnits".
Perhaps his most memorable role was as the bully "Harvey" in 'The Bensonhurst Bomber' episode of The Honeymooners. He retired from the screen in 1972.
Personal life and death
Mathews died from heart disease in Caesars Head, South Carolina, aged 73, in 1984.[5] He was married to stage actress Mary (Haynsworth) Mathews from 1951 until his death in 1984.[6]
