George Hearn (born June 18, 1934) is an American actor and bass-baritone singer, primarily in Broadway musical theatre.
Some of his Broadway credits include Albin in La Cage aux Folles, the title role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Max von Mayerling in Sunset Boulevard, John Dickinson in 1776, Mr. Otto Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in Wicked.
For his work, he won two Tony Awards for La Cage aux Folles and Sunset Boulevard. As well as being nominated for three others. He also was nominated for an Laurence Olivier Award for La Cage aux Folles and won an Emmy Award for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Early years Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Hearn studied philosophy at Southwestern at Memphis, now Rhodes College before he embarked on a career in the theater, training for the stage with actress turned acting coach Irene Dailey. Most of Hearn's early performances were in traditional productions at the New York Shakespeare Festival and theaters at Lincoln Center.
Career Hearn's career began in 1963 when he played Sir Dinidan in a national tour of Camelot with Biff McGuire and Jeannie Carson, standing by for McGuire, who played King Arthur. He first garnered a notice as John Dickinson in the acclaimed 1969 musical 1776 and as Liv Ullmann's leading man in the musical version of I Remember Mama (1979).
On March 4, 1980, he replaced Len Cariou in the title role of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd opposite Dorothy Loudon. Later in 1980 Hearn and the show's original star, Angela Lansbury, headed the show's touring company, then reprised their roles for a Showtime production of the musical, which won him an Emmy Award for his portrayal."Hearn Listing" Internet Movie Database
In 1983 Hearn created the role of Albin in the original Broadway production of La Cage aux Folles written by Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman. Hearn originated the gay anthem "I Am What I Am".Rich, Frank. "Stage: The Musical 'Cage Aux Folles'"The New York Times, August 22, 1983 He won the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics' Circle Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Albin. Hearn also appeared in the West End production (which opened in May 1986).
In 1985, Hearn starred as Long John Silver in an Edmonton production of Pieces of Eight, a musical adaptation of Treasure Island. Despite its credentials, including a new score by composer Jule Styne, it never was staged again.Q&A Ken Mandelbaum broadway.com, February 28, 2005
Hearn and Lansbury remained friends, and the actress invited him to guest star on several episodes of her CBS sleuth series Murder, She Wrote in the early 1990s."Hearn Listing" Internet Movie Database
He won a second Tony award for his role as Max Von Mayerling in the original Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard.
On July 20, 2004, Hearn returned to Broadway for the first time in four years, starring as the Wizard in the Broadway musical Wicked, remaining until May 29, 2005.Gans, Andrew. "Wicked Welcomes Trio of New Stars July 20" , Playbill, July 20, 2004Gans, Andrew. "Thompson, Shelley and Hearn Depart Broadway's Wicked May 29" , Playbill, May 29, 2005 Hearn later returned to the musical for a limited two-week engagement from January 17 through February 1, 2006.
In 2008 he starred in a production of The Visit by John Kander and Fred Ebb alongside Chita Rivera at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia. The Visit opened to positive reviews on May 13, 2008, and closed June 22, 2008.Jones, Kenneth."The Visit, With Rivera, Hearn and Jacoby, Opens May 27" , Playbill, May 27, 2008
Hearn's recordings include Sunset Boulevard (1994 Los Angeles Cast, and later the Broadway Cast Recording), Sweeney Todd Live at the New York Philharmonic, Mack & Mabel (1988 London Concert Cast), I Remember Mama (1985 Studio Cast), Follies in Concert (1985 Live Performance), and A Stephen Sondheim Evening (1983 Concert Cast).amazon.com listing
Hearn was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame on January 29, 2007.Gans, Andrew."LuPone, Hearn, Wilson and the Late Wasserstein and Wilson Among Theater Hall of Fame Inductees" , Playbill, October 10, 2006
Personal life Hearn's spouses include Susan Babel, Mary Harrell, with whom he had one son, actress Dixie Carter, Sweeney Todd co-star Betsy Joslyn, and later Leslie Simons, a dancer he met while working on La Cage aux Folles. Hearn and Simons had two sons together before her death in July 2026.Bernstein, Fred. "HAVENS",The New York Times, October 13, 2006Q&A with Hearn broadway.com, September 12, 2004 He currently resides in Essex, New York.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1989 See You in the Morning Martin 1992 Sneakers Gregor Ivanovich 1993 The Vanishing Arthur Bernard 1994 The Pagemaster Captain Ahab Voice 1996 All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 Red 1997 The Devil's Own Peter Fitzsimmons 1998 Barney's Great Adventure Grandpa Greenfield 2006 Flags of Our Fathers Elderly Walter Gust
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1975 The Silence Captain Nichols TV movie 1976 The Adams Chronicles Henry Clay Miniseries Sea Marks Colm Primrose TV movie 1979 Sanctuary of Fear Monsignor Kerrigan 1982 A Piano for Mrs. Cimino George Cimino Great Performances Sweeney Todd Episode: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 1985 The Equalizer Senator Blanding Episode: "The Equalizer" 1990 The Young Riders Elijah Quinn Episode: "Blood Moon" LA Law Dr. Westbrook Episode: "God Rest Ye Murray Gentlemen" 1990–1992 Murder She Wrote Elliott Von Stuben/Sean Culhane 3 episodes 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation Dr. Berel Episode: "First Contact" The Golden Girls Frank Nann Episode: "Henny Penny, Straight No Chaser" Fire in the Dark Arthur TV movie False Arrest Prosecutor 1992 Fish Police W.K. the Weenie King Voice, Episode: "Beauty's Only Fin Deep" Tom & Jerry Kids Show Additional Voice Voice, Episode: "Penthouse Mouse/12 Angry Sheep/The Ant Attack" 1993 Jonny's Golden Quest President Voice, TV movieCheers George Episode: "Rebecca Gaines, Rebecca Loses" Captain Planet and the Planeteers Mr. Wheeler Voice, 2 episodes 1993–1994 SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron Professor Hackle Voice, 4 episodes 1994 Garfield and Friends Mr. Block Voice, Episode: "The Man Who Hated Cats/Deja Vu/Canned Laughter" 1995 Annie: A Royal Adventure! Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks TV movie Daisy-Head Mayzie The Mayor Voice, TV special 1999 Law & Order Independent Counsel William Dell Episode: "Sideshow" Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End Dr. Hartley TV movie 2001 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Charles Southerland Episode: "Repression" Sweeney Todd in Concert Sweeney Todd TV movie
Stage Year Title Role Notes 1963 Camelot Sir Dinadanu/s King Arthuru/s Merlyn US National Tour 1966 A Time for Singing Ianto Morgan Broadway 1968 Henry IV, Part 1 PoinsDelacorte TheaterHenry IV, Part 1 lortel.org, accessed June 26, 2016 1969–1972 1776 John Dickinson Broadway & US National Tour 1973 The Changing Room Trevor Broadway 1975 Hamlet Horatio 1977 An Almost Perfect Person Dan Michael Connally 1979 I Remember Mama Papa 1980 Watch on the Rhine Kurt Muller 1980–1981 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetSweeney Todd Broadway & US National Tour 1982 A Doll's Life Actor, Torvald Helmer, Johan BleckerBroadwayWhodunnit Andreas Capodistriou 1983–1987 La Cage aux Folles Albin MougeotteBroadway & West End 1985 Follies Benjamin Stone Lincoln Center1988 The Chosen Reb SaundersAh, Wilderness! Sid DavisBroadway1989 Love Letters Andrew Makepeace Ladd III Ghetto Jacob GensBroadway 1989–1990 Meet Me in St. Louis Alonzo Smith 1992 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd Paper Mill Playhouse 1993–1997 Sunset Boulevard Max von MayerlingBroadway & US National Tour 1997–1998 The Diary of Anne Frank Otto FrankBroadway 1999–2000 Putting It Together The Husband2000 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd Concert South Pacific Emile de Becque 2001 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd 2002 A Little Night Music Fredrik Egerman Ravinia Festival 2004–2006 Wicked The Wonderful Wizard of OzBroadway 2008 The Visit Anton SchellSignature Theatre, Arlington, VA 2009 Camelot King ArthurRavinia Festival 2010 Annie Get Your Gun Buffalo Bill 2010–2011 Dracula Abraham Van Helsing 2012 Scandalous James Kennedy, Brother BobBroadway
Awards and nominations YearAward CategoryWorkResult1980Tony AwardsBest Performance by a Featured Actor in a PlayWatch on the Rhine1983Tony AwardsBest Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalA Doll's LifeCableACE AwardsActor in a Theatrical or Musical ProgramSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street1984Tony AwardsBest Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalLa Cage aux FollesDrama Desk AwardsOutstanding Actor in a MusicalOuter Critics Circle AwardsOutstanding Actor in a Musical1985Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music ProgramSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street1986Laurence Olivier AwardsOutstanding Performance of the Year by an Actor in a MusicalLa Cage aux Folles1995Tony AwardsBest Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalSunset BoulevardDrama Desk AwardsOutstanding Actor in a Musical2000Tony AwardsBest Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalPutting It Together
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