George D. Wallace
| George D. Wallace | |
|---|---|
| Born |
George Dewey Wallace June 8, 1917 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 22, 2005 (aged 88) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Years active | 1950—2004 |
| Spouse(s) | Jane A. Johnston (1964—2005; his death) |
George Dewey Wallace (June 8, 1917 — July 22, 2005) was an American stage and screen actor.
Wallace co-starred with Mary Martin in the Broadway musical Jennie and was nominated for a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for playing the male lead in New Girl in Town opposite Gwen Verdon. But today he may be best remembered for playing Commando Cody in the movie serial Radar Men from the Moon.
Wallace was born in New York City. When he was 13 his family moved to McMechen, West Virginia. While still in his teens Wallace worked as a coal miner and also joined the Civilian Conservation Corps.
He joined the United States Navy in 1936 and served for eight years through World War II. Wallace served in the U.S. Pacific Fleet, where he earned the title of light heavyweight champion.
After leaving the Navy, Wallace worked as a bartender in Hollywood, California. One night gossip columnist Jimmie Fidler was in the bar and heard Wallace singing along with the jukebox for tips. Fidler was impressed with Wallace's voice and introduced him to some contacts at the film studios.
In 1952 Wallace auditioned for a character part in Radar Men from the Moon and landed the starring role of Commando Cody. To play Cody, Wallace's outfit consisted of a leather jacket, a silver bullet-shaped helmet, and an atomic-powered rocket pack controlled by three dials: up/down, fast/slow and on/off. Wallace appeared to fly in the serial by lying face-down on a long two-by-four that stuck out horizontally from a platform in front of a rear-projection screen.
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