Robert Francis Hastings (April 18, 1925 – June 30, 2014)[1] was an American actor.[2] He was best known for his portrayal of Lt. Elroy Carpenter on McHale's Navy and voicing Commissioner James Gordon in the DC Animated Universe.[3]
Bob Hastings | |
|---|---|
 Hastings in 2008 | |
| Born | Robert Francis Hastings April 18, 1925 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | June 30, 2014 (aged 89) Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1936–2013 |
| Spouse |
Joan Rice-Hastings (m. 1948) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Don Hastings (brother) |
Early life
editHastings was born in Brooklyn, New York to Charles and Hazel Hastings. His father was a salesman.[4] He started out as a boy singer on National Barn Dance,[5]: 251-252 Doug Gray's Singing Gang and Coast to Coast on a Bus.[6] He also portrayed Jerry on the radio program The Sea Hound.[5]: 298
Career
edit
After Hastings returned from military service, he played the role of Archie Andrews in a series based on the Archie comic book series on NBC Radio from 1945 to 1953.[5]
Hastings moved to television in 1949, performing in early science-fiction series, including Atom Squad. In 1954, he was the featured pitch-man (acting as an amateur magician) for Bakers Instant Cocoa Mix television commercials. His first recurring role was as a lieutenant on Phil Silvers' Sergeant Bilko series in the late 1950s. At that time he also guest-starred on Walter Brennan's ABC sitcom The Real McCoys, in an episode titled “How to Paint a House”.[citation needed] He also appeared in Captain Video playing the brother of "The Video Ranger", who was, in turn, played by Hastings' real-life brother, Don.[7]: 162 Hastings portrayed Edward Foyle in the NBC drama Kitty Foyle (1958).[7]: 568
1960s–1970s
editMost of his career was spent in television, including two episodes of CBS's Green Acres as an Air Force officer and as a sheriff. Hastings was cast as Lt. Bolt in the 1960 episode "Space Man" of the CBS military sitcom/drama Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper. Hastings guest-starred in the ABC/Warner Bros. sitcom Room for One More, starring Andrew Duggan and Peggy McCay, on the Robert Young CBS sitcom/drama Window on Main Street, as Russian pilot Igor Piotkin on Hogan's Heroes, and on the NBC police sitcom Car 54, Where Are You?. In 1962, he played a railroad executive in the episode "Substitute Sheriff" of the NBC Western series The Tall Man. He appeared five times on CBS's Dennis the Menace, most notably as Coach Gilmore in the 1963 episode "The Big Basketball Game". He appeared in three episodes of the sitcom Pete and Gladys.
Hastings portrayed the aide to Captain Binghamton (Joe Flynn), the yes-man Lieutenant Elroy Carpenter on ABC's McHale's Navy,[7]: 673 humorously called "Carpy" and "Little Leadbottom" by McHale and his men. Hastings played Captain Ramsey on ABC's General Hospital. He hosted the game show Dealer's Choice[7]: 245 and had a recurring role as bar owner Tommy Kelsey on All in the Family.[7]
After McHale's Navy, Hastings was a regular on the Universal Studios lot, where Universal paid actors during downtime to be on the grounds and talk to tourists. He appeared in the 1968 Universal film Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady?, as well as The Bamboo Saucer (1968), Angel in My Pocket (1969), The Love God? (1969), and The Boatniks (1970). In 1971, Hastings was cast in the comedy film How to Frame a Figg, also starring Don Knotts, and also had roles in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The All-American Boy (1973) and No Deposit, No Return (1976). He appeared in Harper Valley PTA (1978) as Skeeter Duggan, a member of the PTA board who had been kidnapped at the orders of its dishonest president to commit election fraud.[citation needed]
Voice-over work
editHastings also did voice work for animation and commercials, including Superboy in The New Adventures of Superboy cartoons of the 1960s, D.D. on Hanna-Barbera's Clue Club, and James Gordon in the DC Animated Universe, as well as several Batman video games.[2] His earlier work in animation included voicing Henry Glopp on Hanna-Barbera's animated series Jeannie and Fred Flintstone and Friends as well as voicing characters on Challenge of the Superfriends.
Personal life
editThe older brother of longtime As the World Turns star Don Hastings, Hastings married Joan Rice in 1948. They were married for 66 years and, at the time of his death, the couple had four children, 10 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.[8]
Death
editBob Hastings died on June 30, 2014, from prostate cancer at age 89.[8] His funeral mass was held in Burbank, California's Saint Finbar Catholic Church.[1]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | The Great Impostor | State Department Official | Uncredited |
| 1962 | Moon Pilot | Motorist | Uncredited |
| 1968 | Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? | Lyle Chatterton | |
| 1968 | The Bamboo Saucer | Garson | |
| 1969 | Angel in My Pocket | Ted Palish | |
| 1969 | The Love God? | Shrader | |
| 1970 | The Boatniks | Chief Walsh | |
| 1971 | How to Frame a Figg | Chris Groat | |
| 1971 | The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker | Baseball Fan #2 | |
| 1972 | The Poseidon Adventure | M.C. | |
| 1973 | Charley and the Angel | News Reporter | |
| 1973 | The All-American Boy | Ariel Van Daumee | |
| 1974 | Airport 1975 | Freeman's Friend at Airport | Uncredited |
| 1976 | No Deposit, No Return | Peter | |
| 1978 | Harper Valley PTA | Skeeter | |
| 1981 | The Munsters' Revenge | Phantom of the Opera | |
| 1981 | Separate Ways | Jack | |
| 1984 | Snowballing | Carol Tolson | |
| 1992 | Shadow Force | Mayor Talbert | |
| 1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Commissioner Gordon | Voice[9] |
| 1998 | Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero | Commissioner Gordon | Voice, direct-to-video[9] |
| 2003 | Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman | Commissioner Gordon | Voice, direct-to-video[9] |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | The Tom Ewell Show | Hub Norton | Episode: "No Fun in the Sun" |
| 1961 | Window on Main Street | Warren | Episode: "A Doctor Comes to Town" |
| 1961 - 1962 | Gunsmoke | Bill Craig / Whip | Episodes: “The Squaw” /“Call Me Dodie” |
| 1963 | Mister Ed | Secret Service Man | Episode: "Ed and the Secret Service" |
| 1963 | The Twilight Zone | Sam | Episode: "I Dream of Genie" |
| 1963 | The New Casper Cartoon Show | Various voices | 26 episodes |
| 1964–1966 | The Munsters | Charlie the Raven | Voice, 10 episodes; uncredited |
| 1964 | McHale's Navy | Lt. Elroy Carpenter | |
| 1965 | McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force | ||
| 1966–1969 | The Adventures of Superboy | Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superboy | Voice, 34 episodes |
| 1966 | Superboy | Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superboy | Voice |
| 1966–1970 | The New Adventures of Superman | Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superboy | Voice, 68 episodes |
| 1967 | Batman | Major Beasley | Episode: "Penguin Sets a Trend" |
| 1967 | Hogan's Heroes | Igor Piotkin | Episode: "A Russian Is Coming" |
| 1967–1968 | The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure | Young Clark Kent / Superboy | Voice, 36 episodes |
| 1968–1969 | The Batman/Superman Hour | Superboy / Young Clark Kent | Voice, 34 episodes |
| 1968 | I Dream of Jeannie | Homer Banks | Episode: "Have You Heard the One About the Used Car Salesman?" |
| 1971-? | All in the Family | Kelsey | |
| 1971 | Green Acres | Sheriff | 1 episode |
| 1972 | The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie | Bull / Captain Shad | Voice, episode: "Gidget Makes the Wrong Connection (a.k.a. The Odd Squad)" |
| 1972 | Room 222 | Bud Nagle | Episode: "Just Call Me Mr. Shigematsu" |
| 1973 | Jeannie | Henry Glopp | Voice, 16 episodes |
| 1973 | The New Scooby-Doo Movies | Henry Glopp / Additional voices | Voice, 7 episodes |
| 1974 | Devlin | Additional voices | 16 episodes |
| 1975 | The Great Grape Ape Show | Additional voices | 16 episodes |
| 1976 | Insight | Johnny Mitchell | Episode: "All Out" |
| 1976 | Clue Club | D.D. | 16 episodes |
| 1977 | Spider-Man | Monahan | Television film |
| 1977 | CB Bears | Loudmouse | Voice, 13 episodes |
| 1977–1979 | Wonder Woman | Gatekeeper / George | 2 episodes |
| 1977–1978 | The Skatebirds | D.D. | 16 episodes |
| 1977–1978 | The Robonic Stooges | D.D. | |
| 1977–1978 | Fred Flintstone and Friends | Henry Glopp | Voice, 95 episodes |
| 1977 | The All-New Super Friends Hour | Corky / Scott / Additional voices | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | Buford and the Galloping Ghost | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1978 | Yogi's Space Race | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1978 | Challenge of the Superfriends | Pied Piper / Space Genius / Additional voices | Voice, episode: "The Pied Piper From Space" |
| 1978–1979 | The Galloping Ghost | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1978–1979 | The Buford Files | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1978–1979 | Galaxy Goof-Ups | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1978–1986 | General Hospital | Captain Burt Ramsey | 26 episodes |
| 1979 | Casper and the Angels | Additional voices | 13 episodes |
| 1979–1980 | Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo | Additional voices | 16 episodes |
| 1979–1980 | The New Shmoo | Additional voices | 16 episodes |
| 1979 | The Incredible Hulk | Earl | Episode: "My Favorite Magician" |
| 1979 | Three's Company | John Callan | Episode: "The Love Barge" |
| 1980 | The Waltons | Carl | Episode: "The Last Straw" |
| 1980 | Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels | Additional voices | Episode: "Cavey and the Volcanic Villain" |
| 1980–1982 | Super Friends | Additional voices | 22 episodes |
| 1982 | Jokebook | Additional voices | 3 episodes |
| 1992–1994 | Batman: The Animated Series | Commissioner James Gordon | Voice, 50 episodes[9] |
| 1997–1998 | Superman: The Animated Series | Commissioner Gordon | Voice, 2 episodes[9] |
| 1997–1999 | The New Batman Adventures | Commissioner Gordon | Voice, 8 episodes[9] |
| 2002 | Gotham Girls | Commissioner Gordon | Voice, 4 episodes; web series |
| 2003 | Static Shock | Commissioner Gordon | Voice, episode: "Hard as Nails"[9] |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Adventures of Batman & Robin | Commissioner Gordon | Voice |
| 2001 | Batman: Vengeance | Commissioner Gordon | Voice[9] |
| 2001 | Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy | Mayor Manac | Voice[9] |
| 2003 | Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu | Commissioner Gordon | Voice |
| 2010 | Mafia II | The Judge | Voice[9] |
References
edit- ^ a b Wilson, Scott (August 19, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3d ed.). McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-2599-7 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Bob Hastings, actor". The Washington Post. July 5, 2014. p. B5. Archived from the original on 2014-07-02. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
- ^ "R.I.P. Bob Hastings". Deadline Hollywood. July 2, 2014.
- ^ Bob Hastings Biography, filmreference.com; Accessed August 12, 2015.
- ^ a b c Terrace, Vincent (September 2, 2015). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-4766-0528-9.
- ^ "Backstage Pass: Bob Hastings, the Voice of Commissioner Gordon". Back Issue. September 2017. p. 30 – via Issuu.
- ^ a b c d e Terrace, Vincent (January 10, 2014). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
- ^ a b "'McHale's Navy' Star Bob Hastings Dies at Age 89". USA Today. Associated Press. July 2, 2014. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Bob Hastings (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 8, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
External links
edit
- Bob Hastings at IMDb
- Bob Hastings at the TCM Movie Database
