George Hearn (born June 18, 1934) is a Tony Award-winning American actor and singer, primarily in Broadway musical theatre.
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 legendary 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.
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). Later that year he replaced Len Cariou in the title role of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd opposite Dorothy Loudon. Hearn and the show's original star, Angela Lansbury, later 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.
In 1985, Hearn starred as Long John Silver in an Edmonton production of Pieces of Eight, a musical adaptation of Treasure Island. Despite its impressive credentials, including composer Jule Styne, it never was staged again.
Hearn and Lansbury remained friends, and the actress invited him to guest star on several episodes of her long-running CBS sleuth series Murder, She Wrote in the early 1990s.
On July 20, 2004, Hearn returned to Broadway for the first time in 6 years starring as the Wizard in the Broadway Musical Wicked. He succeeded Joel Grey and remained with the show until May 29, 2005. He was replaced by Ben Vereen.
His 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).
Hearn's spouses include Susan Babel (? - ?) (divorced); Mary Harrell (? - 1962) (divorced, one child (1962); Dixie Carter (1977 - 1979) (divorced); Betsy Joslyn (1979-1984), and Leslie Simons (1985 - present, two children.
Accomplished actor/singer in numerous Broadway plays since 1966.
Has won Broadway's Tony Award twice: in 1984 as Best Actor (Musical) for "La Cage aux Folles," and in 1995 as Best Actor (Featured Role - Musical) for playing the role of Max the Chauffeur in "Sunset Boulevrd," a role originally created by Erich von Stroheim in Billy Wilder 's Sunset Blvd. (1950). He also received three other Tony nominations: one time as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play), in 1980 for a revival of "Watch on the Rhine," and two additional times as Best Actor (Musical), in 1983 for "A Doll's Life" and in 2000 for "Putting It Together."
He was cast in Sweeney Todd as a last-minute replacement for a baritone who couldn't make it at the last minute.
Has an older son (b. 1962) old enough to be the father of his two younger sons (b. 1997 and 1999).
