George Gaynes Passes Away at 98

This is a sad day for 80's movie buffs and Punky Brewster fans.

I have to admit a weakness here: 80's cinema and television.  One of my favorite movie franchises is Police Academy.  When I was a kid I loved these movies.  It was comedy in all flavors: slapstick, physical, dry humor.....I loved it.  One of the slapstick characters in that franchise was "Commandant Eric Lassard" played by Actor George Gaynes.

I was sad to browse the inter webs today to find that George passed away earlier this week. Don't get me wrong, he lived to be 98 and that is certainly a life LONG-lived.  In fact there were a lot of tribute videos posted already so I'm thinking lot of people completed these videos in anticipation of his passing- or they assumed he had already passed away. Gaynes stepped away from acting in 2003 after appearing in Just Married starring Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy (not exactly ending on an up note in terms of theatrical excellence.)

George was also known as "Henry Warnimont" on the hit TV sit com Punky Brewster. The show was one of the first to address the Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion shortly after the disaster happened with millions of American children watching live from their schools.

It's just another reminder that those movies were so many (many many) years ago. Police Academy fans will appreciate that last line.

RIP George.  Thank you for making my childhood that much better.