Bob Hastings

Summary

Robert Francis Hastings (April 18, 1925 – June 30, 2014)[1] was an American actor.[2] He was best known for his portrayal of Lt. Elroy Carpenter on McHale's Navy and voicing Commissioner James Gordon in the DC Animated Universe.[3]

Bob Hastings
Hastings in 2008
Born
Robert Francis Hastings

(1925-04-18)April 18, 1925
DiedJune 30, 2014(2014-06-30) (aged 89)
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California, U.S.[1]
OccupationActor
Years active1936–2013
Spouse
Joan Rice-Hastings
(m. 1948)
Children4

Early life edit

Hastings was born in Brooklyn, New York, a son of Charles and Hazel Hastings. His father was a salesman.[4] He started out as a boy singer on National Barn Dance,[5]: 251-252 Doug Gray's Singing Gang and Coast to Coast on a Bus.[6] He also portrayed Jerry on the radio program The Sea Hound.[5]: 298  Hastings served during World War II as a navigator on B-29s in the United States Army Air Corps.[citation needed]

Career edit

 
Hastings as Archie Andrews in a 1946 publicity photo

After Hastings returned from military service, he played the role of Archie Andrews in a series based on the Archie comic book series on NBC Radio from 1945 to 1953.[5] Hastings also voiced many characters on the radio show X Minus One, sometimes providing the voice for multiple characters in a single episode.[citation needed]

Hastings moved to television in 1949, performing in early science-fiction series, including Atom Squad. In 1954, he was the featured pitch-man (acting as an amateur magician) for Bakers Instant Cocoa Mix television commercials. His first recurring role was as a lieutenant on Phil Silvers' Sergeant Bilko series in the late 1950s. At that time he also guest-starred on Walter Brennan's ABC sitcom The Real McCoys, in an episode titled “How to Paint a House”.[citation needed] He also appeared in Captain Video playing the brother of "The Video Ranger", who was, in turn, played by Hastings' real-life brother, Don.[7]: 162  Hastings portrayed Edward Foyle in the NBC drama Kitty Foyle (1958).[7]: 568 

1960s–1970s edit

Most of his career was spent in television, including two episodes of CBS's Green Acres as an Air Force officer and as a sheriff. Hastings was cast as Lt. Bolt in the 1960 episode "Space Man" of the CBS military sitcom/drama Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper. Hastings guest-starred in the ABC/Warner Bros. sitcom Room for One More, starring Andrew Duggan and Peggy McCay, on the Robert Young CBS sitcom/drama Window on Main Street, as Russian pilot Igor Piotkin on Hogan's Heroes, and on the NBC police sitcom Car 54, Where Are You?. In 1962, he played a railroad executive in the episode "Substitute Sheriff" of the NBC Western series The Tall Man. He appeared five times on CBS's Dennis the Menace, most notably as Coach Gilmore in the 1963 episode "The Big Basketball Game". He appeared three times (1961-62) on the sitcom Pete and Gladys.

Hastings portrayed the aide to Captain Binghamton (Joe Flynn), the yes-man Lieutenant Elroy Carpenter on ABC's McHale's Navy,[7]: 673  humorously called "Carpy" and "Little Leadbottom" by McHale and his men. Hastings played Captain Ramsey on ABC's General Hospital. He was also the voice of the Raven on episodes of CBS's The Munsters.[citation needed] He hosted the game show Dealer's Choice[7]: 245  and had a recurring role as bar owner Tommy Kelsey on All in the Family.[7]

After McHale's Navy, Hastings was a regular on the Universal Studios lot, where Universal paid actors during downtime to be on the grounds and talk to tourists. He appeared in the 1968 Universal film Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady?, as well as The Bamboo Saucer (1968), Angel in My Pocket (1969), The Love God? (1969), and The Boatniks (1970). In 1971, Hastings was cast in the comedy film How to Frame a Figg, also starring Don Knotts, and also had roles in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The All-American Boy (1973) and No Deposit, No Return (1976). Hastings also appeared in Harper Valley PTA (1978) as Skeeter Duggan a member of the PTA board who had been kidnapped at the orders of its dishonest president to commit election fraud. Hastings also played Cousin Phantom of the Opera in the 1981 television film The Munsters' Revenge.[citation needed]

Voice-over work edit

Hastings also did voice work for animation and commercials, including Superboy in The New Adventures of Superboy cartoons of the 1960s, D.D. on Hanna-Barbera's Clue Club, and James Gordon in the DC Animated Universe, as well as several Batman video games.[2] His earlier work in animation included voicing Henry Glopp on Hanna-Barbera's animated series Jeannie and Fred Flintstone and Friends as well as voicing characters on Challenge of the Superfriends.

Personal life edit

The older brother of longtime As the World Turns star Don Hastings, Hastings married Joan Rice in 1948. They were married for 66 years and, at the time of his death, the couple had four children, 10 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.[8]

Bob Hastings died on June 30, 2014, from prostate cancer at age 89.[8] His funeral mass was held in Burbank, California's Saint Finbar Catholic Church.[citation needed]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
1961 The Great Impostor State Department Official Uncredited
1962 Moon Pilot Motorist Uncredited
1968 Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? Lyle Chatterton
1968 The Bamboo Saucer Garson
1969 Angel in My Pocket Ted Palish
1969 The Love God? Shrader
1970 The Boatniks Chief Walsh
1971 How to Frame a Figg Chris Groat
1971 The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker Baseball Fan #2
1972 The Poseidon Adventure M.C.
1973 Charley and the Angel News Reporter
1973 The All-American Boy Ariel Van Daumee
1974 Airport 1975 Freeman's Friend at Airport Uncredited
1976 No Deposit, No Return Peter
1978 Harper Valley PTA Skeeter
1981 The Munsters' Revenge Phantom of the Opera
1981 Separate Ways Jack
1984 Snowballing Carol Tolson
1992 Shadow Force Mayor Talbert
1993 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Commissioner Gordon Voice[9]
1998 Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero Commissioner Gordon Voice, direct-to-video[9]
2003 Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman Commissioner Gordon Voice, direct-to-video[9]

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1961 The Tom Ewell Show Hub Norton Episode: "No Fun in the Sun"
1961 Window on Main Street Warren Episode: "A Doctor Comes to Town"
1961 - 1962 Gunsmoke Bill Craig / Whip Episodes: “The Squaw” /“Call Me Dodie”
1963 Mister Ed Secret Service Man Episode: "Ed and the Secret Service"
1963 The Twilight Zone Sam Episode: "I Dream of Genie"
1963 The New Casper Cartoon Show Various voices 26 episodes
1964–1966 The Munsters Charlie the Raven Voice, 10 episodes; uncredited
1964 McHale's Navy Lt. Elroy Carpenter
1965 McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force
1966–1969 The Adventures of Superboy Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superboy Voice, 34 episodes
1966 Superboy Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superboy Voice
1966–1970 The New Adventures of Superman Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superboy Voice, 68 episodes
1967 Batman Major Beasley Episode: "Penguin Sets a Trend"
1967 Hogan's Heroes Igor Piotkin Episode: "A Russian Is Coming"
1967–1968 The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure Young Clark Kent / Superboy Voice, 36 episodes
1968–1969 The Batman/Superman Hour Superboy / Young Clark Kent Voice, 34 episodes
1968 I Dream of Jeannie Homer Banks Episode: "Have You Heard the One About the Used Car Salesman?"
1971-? All in the Family Kelsey
1971 Green Acres Sheriff 1 episode
1972 The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie Bull / Captain Shad Voice, episode: "Gidget Makes the Wrong Connection (a.k.a. The Odd Squad)"
1972 Room 222 Bud Nagle Episode: "Just Call Me Mr. Shigematsu"
1973 Jeannie Henry Glopp Voice, 16 episodes
1973 The New Scooby-Doo Movies Henry Glopp / Additional voices Voice, 7 episodes
1974 Devlin Additional voices 16 episodes
1975 The Great Grape Ape Show Additional voices 16 episodes
1976 Insight Johnny Mitchell Episode: "All Out"
1976 Clue Club D.D. 16 episodes
1977 Spider-Man Monahan Television film
1977 CB Bears Loudmouse Voice, 13 episodes
1977–1979 Wonder Woman Gatekeeper / George 2 episodes
1977–1978 The Skatebirds D.D. 16 episodes
1977–1978 The Robonic Stooges D.D.
1977–1978 Fred Flintstone and Friends Henry Glopp Voice, 95 episodes
1977 The All-New Super Friends Hour Corky / Scott / Additional voices 2 episodes
1978 Buford and the Galloping Ghost Additional voices 13 episodes
1978 Yogi's Space Race Additional voices 13 episodes
1978 Challenge of the Superfriends Pied Piper / Space Genius / Additional voices Voice, episode: "The Pied Piper From Space"
1978–1979 The Galloping Ghost Additional voices 13 episodes
1978–1979 The Buford Files Additional voices 13 episodes
1978–1979 Galaxy Goof-Ups Additional voices 13 episodes
1978–1986 General Hospital Captain Burt Ramsey 26 episodes
1979 Casper and the Angels Additional voices 13 episodes
1979–1980 Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Additional voices 16 episodes
1979–1980 The New Shmoo Additional voices 16 episodes
1979 The Incredible Hulk Earl Episode: "My Favorite Magician"
1979 Three's Company John Callan Episode: "The Love Barge"
1980 The Waltons Carl Episode: "The Last Straw"
1980 Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels Additional voices Episode: "Cavey and the Volcanic Villian"
1980–1982 Super Friends Additional voices 22 episodes
1982 Jokebook Additional voices 3 episodes
1992–1994 Batman: The Animated Series Commissioner James Gordon Voice, 50 episodes[9]
1997–1998 Superman: The Animated Series Commissioner Gordon Voice, 2 episodes[9]
1997–1999 The New Batman Adventures Commissioner Gordon Voice, 8 episodes[9]
2002 Gotham Girls Commissioner Gordon Voice, 4 episodes; web series
2003 Static Shock Commissioner Gordon Voice, episode: "Hard as Nails"[9]

Video games edit

Year Title Role Notes
1994 The Adventures of Batman & Robin Commissioner Gordon Voice
2001 Batman: Vengeance Commissioner Gordon Voice[9]
2001 Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy Mayor Manac Voice[9]
2003 Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu Commissioner Gordon Voice
2010 Mafia II The Judge Voice[9]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Wilson, Scott (August 19, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3d ed.). McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-2599-7 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b "Bob Hastings, actor". The Washington Post. July 5, 2014. p. B5. Archived from the original on 2014-07-02. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  3. ^ "R.I.P. Bob Hastings". Deadline Hollywood. July 2, 2014.
  4. ^ Bob Hastings Biography, filmreference.com; Accessed August 12, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Terrace, Vincent (September 2, 2015). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-4766-0528-9.
  6. ^ "Backstage Pass: Bob Hastings, the Voice of Commissioner Gordon". Back Issue. September 2017. p. 30 – via Issuu.
  7. ^ a b c d e Terrace, Vincent (January 10, 2014). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
  8. ^ a b "'McHale's Navy' Star Bob Hastings Dies at Age 89". USA Today. Associated Press. July 2, 2014. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Bob Hastings (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 8, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.

External links edit