The actor with extensive credits and a longtime activist in the Screen Actors Guild passed away at the age of 86 in Santa Monica, California, after battling with an illness.
- Jul 21, 2015
AceShowbiz - George Coe, an original cast member of "Saturday Night Live", passed away at the age of 86 on Saturday, July 18. According to Variety, the veteran actor died in Santa Monica, California, after a long battle with an unspecified illness.
Coe's extensive career spanned for more than 50 years. He began his Broadway theater career in 1957, including his performance as M. Lindsey Woolsey in Jerry Herman's "Mame". As an original member of The Not Ready for Prime Time Players, he was credited as a cast member for the first episode of "SNL" in October 1975.
Besides "SNL", Coe's TV credits included "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Max Headroom", "Gilmore Girls", "The Golden Girls" and "The West Wing". His career also expanded not only as a performer on camera but also on voiceover. Most recently, he voiced the character of Woodhouse on FX's animated series "Archer" and the Autobot Wheeljack in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon".
Coe is also known for his contribution to the Screen Actors Guild. He served more than a dozen years on the SAG national board of directors and held the vice president title for two years. He was awarded the Ralph Morgan Award for his union service to the guild in 2009.
Following Coe's passing, SAG-AFTRA made a statement to pay tribute to the late actor. "It is with heavy hearts that our SAG-AFTRA family says goodbye to George Coe," said SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard in the statement. "He was a stalwart unionist and a tremendous presence in our union for many years. He served his fellow actors and the labor movement with conviction and pride. Our deepest condolences go out to his family."
