George Maharis was an actor best known for his starring role on the 1960s TV series “Route 66.”
- Died: May 24, 2023 (Who else died on May 24?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Beverly Hills, California at the age of 94.
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George Maharis’ legacy
Maharis’ best-known role was one of his earliest, debuting on “Route 66” in 1960 after he had appeared in a handful of plays and TV episodes. He portrayed one of a pair of young men traveling across the U.S. in a Chevrolet Corvette in search of adventure. The show shot on location all over the U.S., an unusual approach for the time. Maharis remained with “Route 66” into its third season, citing health reasons for leaving the show, though some have speculated that he clashed with studio heads over his homosexuality, which provided the catalyst for his departure. He was the last of the show’s stars still living, predeceased by costar Martin Milner (1931–2015) and Maharis’ replacement, Glenn Corbett (1933–1993).
While appearing on “Route 66,” Maharis began a recording career, scoring a Top 40 hit in 1962 with “Teach Me Tonight.” He starred in the short-lived TV show “The Most Deadly Game” and appeared in movies such as “Sylvia,” “The Satan Bug,” “The Happening,” “The Desperados,” and “Logan’s Run.” Maharis’ many TV appearances included “Night Gallery,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Kojak,” “Fantasy Island,” and “Murder, She Wrote.” In 1973, he posed for the centerfold of the second issue of Playgirl.
Maharis was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
Maharis on filming “Route 66”
“It was very, very interesting, because no matter where you went, every town had its own personality. It was totally different from the other town you went to, even if it was only 50 to 60 miles away.” —from an interview for Route 66 News
Tributes to George Maharis
Full obituary: The New York Times
