George N. Neise (February 16, 1917 – April 14, 1996) was an American character actor. He made over 120 film and television appearances between 1942 and 1978.
Early years
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Neise was the son of Edwin Neise and Bertha Hagen.[1] He graduated from the University of Wisconsin, where he studied finance.[2]
Career
Neise began his career playing soldiers in war-themed films.[note 1][2]
Beginning in 1937, Neise acted in radio in Chicago, playing a variety of roles in programs. He acted in stock theater with the Peninsula Players in the summers of 1938 and 1939.[2] His Broadway credits include Grandma's Diary (1948).[3]
Neise served for four-and-a-half years as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.[2] After that, he became an in-demand character actor, playing everything from Greek kings to angry bosses to airline pilots.
He may be best remembered for the dual role as the patronizing pharmacist Ralph Dimsal and powerful Ancient Greek king, Odius in the Three Stooges feature The Three Stooges Meet Hercules. He also appeared as Martian Ogg and an unnamed airline pilot in the trio's next feature The Three Stooges in Orbit.
Neise played in television dramas such as Perry Mason, in which he made five appearances. Because of the dishonest character roles he played, he was the murder victim in four of the episodes: Albert Tydings in the 1957 episode, "The Case of the Baited Hook," Wilfred Borden in the 1959 episode "The Case of the Calendar Girl," Morley Theilman in the 1962 episode "The Case of the Shapely Shadow," and Stacey Garnett in the 1965 episode "The Case of the Golden Girls." Neise continued being cast as a 'heavy', appearing as a safe cracker in Official Detective TV series episode The Blind Man in 1957. He also appeared on sitcoms such as The Dick Van Dyke Show, Green Acres, The Andy Griffith Show, Mister Ed, The Addams Family, Gilligan's Island, Hogan's Heroes, Adam-12, and Get Smart.
Death
Neise died from cancer at his home in Hollywood on April 14, 1996, at age 79.[1]
^Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 1176. ISBN978-0-7864-6477-7.
