George Cisar (July 28, 1912 – June 13, 1979) was an American actor who performed in more than one hundred roles in two decades as a
character actor
A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to ...
in film and television, often in prominent
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywoo ...
productions. He frequently played background parts such as policemen or bartenders.
Career

In 1949, Cisar co-starred with a young
Mike Wallace
Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. He interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade career. He was one of the original correspo ...
in the short-lived police drama ''
Stand By for Crime''.
In 1957 he appeared on ''
Highway Patrol
A highway patrol, or state patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is prima ...
'' as a car salesman.
Among Cisar's more frequent roles was from 1960 to 1963 as Sgt. Theodore Mooney in thirty-one episodes of
CBS's ''
Dennis the Menace''. Series co-star
Gale Gordon
Gale Gordon (born Charles Thomas Aldrich Jr., February 20, 1906 – June 30, 1995) was an American character actor perhaps best remembered as Lucille Ball's longtime television foil—and particularly as cantankerously combustible, tightfist ...
took the name "Theodore Mooney" and added the middle initial "J." for his character,
Theodore J. Mooney, a tough-minded banker on
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...
's second sitcom, ''
The Lucy Show
''The Lucy Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962 to 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to '' I Love Lucy''. A significant change in cast and premise for the fourth season (1965–1966) divides the program into two distin ...
''. Cisar also appeared as the postman in a 1962 episode of ''
Leave It To Beaver'' (S6E9 - “Beaver Joins A Record Club”).
Cisar appeared in a 1965 episode of ''
The Cara Williams Show
''The Cara Williams Show'' is an American situation comedy starring Cara Williams which centers on a married couple who try to conceal their marriage from their employer. Original episodes aired from September 23, 1964, until April 21, 1965 on CBS ...
'' with
Cara Williams
Cara Williams (born Bernice Kamiat; June 29, 1925 – December 9, 2021) was an American film and television actress. She was best known for her role as Billy's Mother in ''The Defiant Ones'' (1958), for which she was nominated for the Academy A ...
and portrayed character Donald Hollinger's father in ''
That Girl
''That Girl'' is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from September 8, 1966 to March 19, 1971. It starred Marlo Thomas as the title character Ann Marie, an aspiring (but only sporadically employed) actress, who moves from her hometown of Brews ...
'', the
Marlo Thomas
Margaret Julia "Marlo" Thomas (born November 21, 1937) is an American actress, producer, author, and social activist. She is best known for starring on the sitcom ''That Girl'' (1966–1971) and her children's franchise '' Free to Be... You and ...
sitcom which aired on
ABC, and Cyrus Tankersley on CBS's ''
The Andy Griffith Show
''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color.
Th ...
'' and its sequel ''
Mayberry, R.F.D.
''Mayberry R.F.D.'' (abbreviation for Rural Free Delivery) is an American television series produced as a spin-off continuation of ''The Andy Griffith Show''. When star Andy Griffith decided to leave his series, most of the supporting character ...
''
Unbilled in his first film, 1948's ''
Call Northside 777
''Call Northside 777'' is a 1948 reality-based newspaper drama directed by Henry Hathaway. The film parallels the true story of a Chicago reporter who proved that a man jailed for murder was wrongly convicted 11 years before. James Stewart star ...
'', he was credited at the bottom of the cast list in his next feature, 1949's ''
Johnny Holiday''. His final film appearance, also near the end of the list, was as Joe the barber in the 1970
Southern racial drama, ''
...tick...tick...tick...''.
Nine years later, Cisar died in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...
, at the age of 66.
Selected filmography
*''
Call Northside 777
''Call Northside 777'' is a 1948 reality-based newspaper drama directed by Henry Hathaway. The film parallels the true story of a Chicago reporter who proved that a man jailed for murder was wrongly convicted 11 years before. James Stewart star ...
'' (1948) - Policeman (uncredited)
*''
Batman and Robin Batman and Robin are a superhero duo appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Batman and Robin may also refer to:
Comics and literature
* ''Batman and Robin'' (comic strip), a newspaper comic strip, started in 1943
*''All Star Ba ...
'' (1949, Serial) - Policeman in Alley
h. 1(uncredited)
*''
Johnny Holiday'' (1949) - Barney Duggan
*''
Cell 2455 Death Row
''Cell 2455, Death Row: A Condemned Man's Own Story'' is a 1954 memoir that is the first of four books written on death row by convicted robber, rapist and kidnapper Caryl Chessman (27 May 1921 – 2 May 1960). Sentenced to death in 1948 under Ca ...
'' (1955) - Captain (uncredited)
*''
5 Against the House'' (1955) - Casino Guard (uncredited)
*''
Teen-Age Crime Wave'' (1955) - Fred - Man at Bar (uncredited)
*''
The Crooked Web'' (1955) - Don Gillen (uncredited)
*''
Inside Detroit'' (1956) - Druggist (uncredited)
*''
The Harder They Fall'' (1956) - Fight Manager (uncredited)
*''
Over-Exposed'' (1956) - Club Customer Photographed by Lila (uncredited)
*''
Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956) - Fence (uncredited)
*''
The Werewolf'' (1956) - Hoxie
*''
Scandal Incorporated
''Scandal Incorporated'' is a 1956 American crime film directed by Edward Mann and written by Milton Mann. The film stars Robert Hutton, Patricia Wright, Paul Richards, Robert Knapp, Havis Davenport and Reid Hammond. It was released on Octobe ...
'' (1956) - Willie Anderson
*''
The Opposite Sex'' (1956) - Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
*''
Emergency Hospital'' (1956) - Mr. Fanmorn (uncredited)
*''
Scandal Incorporated
''Scandal Incorporated'' is a 1956 American crime film directed by Edward Mann and written by Milton Mann. The film stars Robert Hutton, Patricia Wright, Paul Richards, Robert Knapp, Havis Davenport and Reid Hammond. It was released on Octobe ...
'' (1956) - Bus Driver (uncredited)
*''
The Great American Pastime
''The Great American Pastime'' is a 1956 American comedy film about Little League baseball, directed by Herman Hoffman and starring Tom Ewell, Anne Francis, and Ann Miller. It was made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Plot
In a small New York town calle ...
'' (1956) - Bailiff (uncredited)
*''
Don't Knock the Rock
''Don't Knock the Rock'' is a 1956 American musical film starring Alan Dale and Alan Freed. Directed by Fred F. Sears, the film also features performances by Bill Haley & His Comets, Little Richard, The Treniers, and Dave Appell and the Appleja ...
'' (1956) - Influential Citizen Tom Everett
*''
Hot Summer Night'' (1957) - Manager (uncredited)
*''
The Shadow on the Window'' (1957) - Proprietor (uncredited)
*''
Designing Woman
''Designing Woman'' is a 1957 American Metrocolor romantic comedy film, in CinemaScope, about two young, whirlwind-romanced newlywed professionals and their misadventures in adjusting to each other's lifestyles. Vincente Minnelli directed the fi ...
'' (1957) - Fred Seixas, Card Playing Crony (uncredited)
*''
The Giant Claw'' (1957) - Admonishing Man on Airliner (uncredited)
*''
The Abductors'' (1957) - Officers of the Law
*''
The Buckskin Lady'' (1957) - Cranston
*''
Man on Fire'' (1957) - Bailiff (uncredited)
*''
Chicago Confidential'' (1957) - Manager of the Green Dragon Nightclub (uncredited)
*''
My Gun Is Quick'' (1957) - Customs Inspector (uncredited)
*''
The Brothers Rico'' (1957) - Pete Selsun - Dude Cowboy (uncredited)
*''
Jailhouse Rock'' (1957) - Jake - Bartender (uncredited)
*''
The World Was His Jury'' (1958) - Afterdeck Bos'n (uncredited)
*''
Jet Attack'' (1958) - Col. Catlett
*''
Teacher's Pet'' (1958) - Bongo Club Patron (uncredited)
*''
The Party Crashers'' (1958) - Willy (uncredited)
*''
Some Came Running'' (1958) - Hubie Nelson (uncredited)
*''
Andy Hardy Comes Home'' (1958) - Bailiff (uncredited)
*''
I Mobster'' (1959) - Cab Driver (uncredited)
*''
The Big Circus
''The Big Circus'' is a 1959 film starring Victor Mature as a circus owner struggling with financial trouble and a murderous unknown saboteur. It was produced and cowritten by Irwin Allen, later known for a series of big-budget disaster films.
Pl ...
'' (1959) - Bill - Reporter (uncredited)
*''
Attack of the Giant Leeches
''Attack of the Giant Leeches'' (originally to be called ''The Giant Leeches'') is an independently made, 1959 black-and-white science fiction-horror film, produced by Gene Corman and directed by Bernard L. Kowalski. It stars Ken Clark, Yvette ...
'' (1959) - Lem Sawyer
*''
Edge of Eternity'' (1959) - Dealer (uncredited)
*''
Vice Raid'' (1959) - Marty Heffner
*''
Bat Masterson
Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...
'' (1959) - Sheriff
*''
All the Fine Young Cannibals'' (1960) - Cop (uncredited)
*''
Elmer Gantry
''Elmer Gantry'' is a satirical novel written by Sinclair Lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of America in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. The novel's protagonis ...
'' (1960) - Salesman in Saloon (uncredited)
*''
One Foot in Hell
''One Foot in Hell'' is the third studio album by the American heavy metal band Cirith Ungol. The original LP was produced by Brian Slagel and Cirith Ungol. It was released in August 1986 on Metal Blade Records and re-released in March 1999 b ...
'' (1960) - Barfly (uncredited)
*''
The George Raft Story
''The George Raft Story'' is a 1961 American biographical film of Hollywood film star George Raft. Ray Danton portrays Raft and the film was directed by Joseph M. Newman. The picture was retitled ''Spin of a Coin'' for release in the United King ...
'' (1961) - Markham (uncredited)
*''
Terror at Black Falls'' (1962) - Crowley - Bartender
*''
Married Too Young'' (1962) - Miltie
*''
It Happened at the World's Fair
''It Happened at the World's Fair'' is a 1963 American musical film starring Elvis Presley as a crop-dusting pilot. It was filmed in Seattle, Washington, site of the Century 21 Exposition. The governor of Washington at the time, Albert Rosellini, ...
'' (1963) - Craps Shooter (uncredited)
*''
Johnny Cool'' (1963) - George - Bartender (uncredited)
*''
My Favorite Martian
''My Favorite Martian'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 29, 1963, to May 1, 1966, for 107 episodes. The show stars Ray Walston as "Uncle Martin" (the Martian) and Bill Bixby as Tim O'Hara. The first two seasons, totaling ...
'' (1963, TV Series) - Patrolman #1 / Policeman
*''
Viva Las Vegas
''Viva Las Vegas'' is a 1964 American musical film directed by George Sidney and starring Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret. The film is regarded by fans and film critics as one of Presley's best films, and it is noted for the on-screen chemistry ...
'' (1964) - Manager of Swingers (uncredited)
*''
7 Faces of Dr. Lao'' (1964) - Drunken Townsman (uncredited)
*''
A House Is Not a Home'' (1964) - Dr. Saunders
*''
The Candidate'' (1964) - Senator Tully
*''
Girl Happy
''Girl Happy'' is a 1965 American musical romantic comedy and beach party film starring Elvis Presley in his eighteenth feature. The movie won a fourth place prize Laurel Award in the category Top Musical of 1965. It featured the song " Puppet ...
'' (1965) - Bartender at the Kit Kat Club (uncredited)
*''
A Very Special Favor'' (1965) - Conventioneer at Hotel (uncredited)
*''
Made in Paris
''Made in Paris'' is a 1966 American romantic comedy film starring Louis Jourdan, Ann-Margret, Richard Crenna, Edie Adams, and Chad Everett. The film was written by Stanley Roberts and directed by Boris Sagal.
Plot
A redheaded American girl fr ...
'' (1966) - Barney - Bartender (uncredited)
*''
Billy the Kid Versus Dracula'' (1966) - Joe Flake
*''
The Glass Bottom Boat'' (1966) - Fat Man (uncredited)
*''
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book '' Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939 ...
'' (1966) - rumpot in window (uncredited)
*''
The Addams Family
''The Addams Family'' is a fictional family created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. They originally appeared in a series of 150 unrelated single-panel cartoons, about half of which were originally published in ''The New Yorker'' over a ...
'' (1966, TV Series) - Montrose, Ophelia’s boyfriend
*''
Eight on the Lam'' (1967) - Arthur, at Laundromat (uncredited)
*''
Speedway'' (1968) - Portly Bald-Headed Man (uncredited)
*''
The Split'' (1968) - Charlie - Hotel Doorman (uncredited)
*''
Skidoo'' (1968) - Charlie - Crime Committee Witness (uncredited)
*''
Tick, Tick, Tick'' (1970) - Barber (final film role)
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cisar, George
1912 births
1979 deaths
American male television actors
People from Cicero, Illinois
Male actors from Illinois
Male actors from Los Angeles
20th-century American male actors
American male film actors