George N. Neise

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George N. Neise (February 16, 1917 – April 14, 1996) was an American character actor who appeared in more than 120 films and television shows from 1942 to 1978. He was born in Chicago, the son of Edwin Neise and Bertha Hagen, and studied finance at the University of Wisconsin. Neise began acting in radio in Chicago in 1937 and also performed in summer stock theater with the Peninsula Players in 1938 and 1939. His Broadway credit was Grandma's Diary (1948). He served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps for about four-and-a-half years during World War II.

After the war, Neise became a busy character actor, playing a wide range of roles from kings to bosses to pilots. He is perhaps best remembered for dual roles in The Three Stooges Meet Hercules, as Ralph Dimsal, a patronizing pharmacist, and Odius, the ancient Greek king. He also appeared as Martian Ogg and an unnamed airline pilot in The Three Stooges in Orbit. On television, he played Nat Wyndham on Wichita Town (1959–1960) and appeared in many Westerns, including The Lone Ranger, Death Valley Days, Cheyenne, Zorro, Have Gun – Will Travel, The Rifleman, and Maverick. He also acted in Trackdown, which served as the pilot for Wanted: Dead or Alive.

Neise had five appearances on Perry Mason, often as the villain; four times the characters were murdered: The Case of the Baited Hook (1957), The Case of the Calendar Girl (1959), The Case of the Shapely Shadow (1962), and The Case of the Golden Girls (1965). He also appeared in Official Detective in The Blind Man (1957). His TV work included 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. In an episode of The Honeymooners, he played Mr. Faversham, the play director who convinces Ralph to take the lead in the Raccoon Lodge Play.

Neise died of cancer at his home in Hollywood, California, on April 14, 1996, at age 79. He was survived by his wives Danielle Gentile and Lorna Thayer and five children.