George Riddle

Though he has a few film credits to his name, actor George Riddle is best known as a stage performer. His most notable association is with the musical "The Fantasticks," the longest-running show in off-Broadway history. Riddle has performed different parts over 5,000 times from 1963 through 2001 in various productions. He made his screen debut with a small part in the failed 1980 Alan Arkin comedy "Simon" and appearing as a bartender in the hit 1981 Dudley Moore comedy "Arthur." One of Riddle's few major national television roles came in the 1988 television movie "The Trial of Standing Bear," in which he co-starred as Civil War general George Crook, who frequently argued for Indians' rights when not fighting them on behalf of the American government. Though he has had trouble finding memorable film parts since, Riddle has thrived on stage, appearing in many touring musical productions. Among his most notable career highlights were a stint performing alongside James Belushi in an early '80s New York revival of Gilbert & Sullivan's operetta "The Pirates of Penzance" and an early '90s turn as the father of the titular Will Rogers in the popular "Will Rogers' Follies." In 2011, Riddle's career was boosted when he became a recurring performer on the satirical TV show "The Onion News Network." George Riddle died on June 2, 2023 in North Plainfield, NJ at the age of 86.