George Gaynes, best known for his role of a grumpy foster parent on the 80s sitcom "Punky Brewster" and Commandant Lassard on "Police Academy," died on Monday at his daughter's home in North Bend, Wash. He was 98, The New York Times reported.
"Punky Brewster" followed the story of Henry Warnimont (Gaynes), a building manager, and his relationship with an abandoned young girl (Soleil Moon Frye) that he adopts, according to Variety.
Gaynes' silver screen credits also include 1982's "Tootsie", in which he played the role of a soap opera star who has a crush on his new co-star, Dorothy Michaels, unaware that Michaels is Dustin Hoffman's character in drag.
Gaynes appeared in all seven "Police Academy" as Lassard and also featured in other films like "The Way We Were, " "Altered States" and "Wag the Dog." Gaynes also had a successful television career, making appearances in several shows including "The Defenders," "Mission: Impossible," "Bonanza," "The Six Million Dollar Man" "Hawaii Five-0" and "General Hospital," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Gaynes, who was a renowned singer, was born in Helsinki, Finland in 1917 and started his acting career with a stint on Broadway in the 50s. He retired in 2003 after starring in the Ashton Kutcher-Brittany Murphy comedy, "Just Married."
Gaynes is survived by his wife, actress Allyn Ann McLerie, his daughter, granddaughter and two great-granddaughters. He lost his son, Matthew, in a car accident in 1989.
