They Eat Their Own

George Maharis' biography at imdb.com starts out: "A most handsome, virile, not to mention charismatic rebel in 60s Hollywood..."

A product of Astoria, Queens where there is to this day no shortage of handsome, virile and charismatic descendants of Greek immigrants, George initially started as a singer and managed to record a few albums actually ending up as a guest on Judy Garland's show even after achieving fame as a television actor. Perhaps it was his virility and charisma along with more than adequate physical attributes that brought him into acting. After going some of the usual routes to get there, including off-Broadway, George became a household name when his TV show Route 66 made its way into the Nation's living rooms during the first third of the 1960s.

From the Gay Fireside Companion (Leigh W. Rutledge):

"Route 66 -- about two idealistic adventurers criss-crossing the country in a souped-up Corvette, in search of truth, jobs and girls ... it catapulted both Maharis and his co-star, Martin Milner, to fame. ... Maharis received hundreds of fan letters a week ... mostly from women ... Among producers and directors, however, Maharis was regarded more warily: as enormously talented but also, difficult, inflexible and arrogant.

"In 1963, Maharis was suspended from Route 66, ostensibly because of repeated absences from the set due to a bad case of hepatitis."

IMDB goes on:

"The seductive image of a fast rising star apparently got to George and he proved increasingly troublesome as he grew in stature. A bout with hepatitis and his ongoing clashes with both producers and co-star Milner led to his leaving the hit series after three years. The show didn't survive long without him. Brash and confident, he aggressively pursued films but found mostly duds...he was never able to recapture his former 'bad boy' glory. An affirmed bachelor, his later years were spent focusing on impressionistic painting. He is now fully retired."

IMDB fails to mention some important events in Mr. Maharis' life. Leigh W. Rutledge was not about to pass them by:

"He was first arrested in 1967 in the restroom of a Hollywood restaurant, and was charged with 'lewd conduct' after he allegedly solicited an undercover vice officer...

"Another arrest followed in 1974, for 'performing an act of oral copulation' with a 33-year-old male hairdresser in a gas station washroom in West Los Angeles. Maharis was booked on charges of 'sex perversion' and 'lewd conduct.' He pleaded not guilty. Later, the charge was reduced to 'trespassing,' and Maharis entered a plea of no contest. He was fined $500 and given three years probation."



George inherited an undisclosed sum of money from a benefactor and he retired from public life. One can only speculate on the wisdom he might impart to today's 'industry' types. If only that other musical George, Mr. Michael, descendant of Greeks had hearkened to history and not repeated it.



By the way, unlike many of his contemporaries Maharis never officially married. He didn't even make a hurried, harried flight into one after those arrests. Never had a beard. He wouldn't have looked so good with one. Once a rebel ...