George Peppard - Had Fame but not True Stardom

A major stellar classic war movie for Peppard’s career was -- The Blue Max (1966) which he plays an WWI fighter pilot aiming for the esteemed medal – the Blue Max.

By 1972 a pilot movie came out entitled Banacek, where Peppard played the role of an insurance investigator. This movie launched a TV series entitled Banacek (1972-1973), which gave Peppard a familiar television presence for a year. This lead to another year of TV series entitled Doctors’ Hospital, which he played the lead role, Dr. Jake Goodwin, chief surgeon of a Los Angeles hospital.

The early 80’s gave Peppard a long run on Television in the great series The A-Team (1983-1987) in which four Vietnam vets (Dirk Benedict -- later who’s sci-fi fame came with Battle Star Galactica, Dwight Schultz -- played 'Howling Mad' Murdock and the famous Mr. T) framed for a crime they didn't commit, they help the innocent while wanted by the military.

Two major action/crime movies followed in his later part of his career. Man Against the Mob (1988). Peppard plays a 1930s Los Angeles police detective who leads an elite squad against organized crime. This was followed with another movie: Man Against the Mob, The Chinatown Murders (1989).

Some major points in George Peppard’s life was that he had been married five times and had fought and conquered a serious alcohol problem in 1978 which gave him cause to help other alcoholics and to work for various charitable organizations. He could be steadfast in his decisions.

He tried out and got the lead role of Blake Carrington on the TV series Dynasty, but was fired from the role for disagreements with producers.

One major movie that you should see if you are a crime buff is the mysterious murder case movie Guilty or Innocent: The Sam Sheppard Case (1975).

Sadly, George Peppard died of cancer in 1994 at the age of 64. He himself was a classic example of unsung heroes and an actor that had fame but not true stardom. Nonetheless, a great entertainer.

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