George Frances Carey Sawaya (August 14, 1923 – September 17, 2003) was an American actor and stuntman. He was best known for playing the role of Detective Lopez on Jack Webb's '' Dragnet''.

Life and career

Sawaya was born in

Los Angeles, California 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 world' ...

. He served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. Sawaya began his career in 1951, first appearing in the film ''

The Lady Says No ''The Lady Says No'' is a 1951 American comedy film directed by Frank Ross, starring Joan Caulfield and David Niven, photographed by James Wong Howe, and featuring sequences filmed at Fort Ord, Pebble Beach and Carmel, California. The supporti ...

'', which starred

Joan Caulfield Beatrice Joan Caulfield (June 1, 1922 – June 18, 1991) was an American actress and model. After being discovered by Broadway producers, she began a stage career in 1943 that eventually led to signing as an actress with Paramount Pictures. In th ...

and

David Niven James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in '' Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...

. He then made his debut as a stunt performer in 1952, where he appeared in the film ''

The Narrow Margin ''The Narrow Margin'' is a 1952 American film noir starring Charles McGraw and Marie Windsor. Directed by Richard Fleischer, the RKO picture was written by Earl Felton, based on an unpublished story written by Martin Goldsmith and Jack Le ...

''. Sawaya performed as a double for actor

Charles McGraw Charles McGraw (born Charles Crisp Butters; May 10, 1914 – July 29, 1980) was an American stage, film and television actor whose career spanned more than three decades. Early life McGraw was born to Beatrice (née Crisp) and Francis P. B ...

for the film. In the same year, he appeared in the films, '' With a Song in My Heart'', starring Susan Hayward; ''

Here Come the Marines ''Here Come the Marines'' is a 1952 comedy film starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on June 29, 1952 by Monogram Pictures and is the twenty-sixth film in the series. Plot After Slip is drafted into the Marines, the rest of the gang ...

'', starring

Leo Gorcey Leo Bernard Gorcey (June 3, 1917– June 2, 1969) was an American stage and film actor, famous for portraying the leader of a group of hooligans known variously as the Dead End Kids, the East Side Kids and, as adults, The Bowery Boys. Gorcey was ...

and ''

What Price Glory What Price Glory? may refer to: * ''What Price Glory?'' (1926 film), directed by Raoul Walsh * ''What Price Glory'' (1952 film), directed by John Ford * ''What Price Glory?'' (play), a 1924 play by Maxwell Anderson and Laurence Stallings; basis for ...

'', starring James Cagney,

Corinne Calvet Corinne Calvet (April 30, 1925 – June 23, 2001), born Corinne Dibos, was a French actress who appeared mostly in American films. According to one obituary, she was promoted "as a combination of Dietrich and Rita Hayworth", but her person ...

and

Dan Dailey Daniel James Dailey Jr. (December 14, 1915 – October 16, 1978) was an American dancer and actor. He is best remembered for a series of popular musicals he made at 20th Century Fox such as '' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947). Biography Early life D ...

. Sawaya had then appeared in numerous films and television programs with actor

Ernest Borgnine Ernest Borgnine (; born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular perfor ...

. Sawaya appeared and performed as a stunt performer in numerous films, such as, ''

Desert Legion ''Desert Legion'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Alan Ladd. Plot Ladd stars as a soldier in the French Foreign Legion who stumbles across a lost city in the desert mountains of Algeria in North Africa ...

'' (1953); ''

Day of Triumph ''Day of Triumph'' is a 1954 American drama film directed by Irving Pichel and John T. Coyle, from a screenplay by Arthur T. Horman. The film stars Lee J. Cobb, Robert Wilson, James Griffith, and Joanne Dru. This was the last film directed by Ir ...

'' (1954); ''

The Prodigal ''The Prodigal'' is a 1955 Eastmancolor biblical epic CinemaScope film made by MGM starring Lana Turner and Edmund Purdom. It was based on the New Testament parable about a selfish son who leaves his family to pursue a life of pleasure. The f ...

'' (1955); ''

Andy Hardy Comes Home ''Andy Hardy Comes Home'' is a 1958 comedy film directed by Howard W. Koch. It is the 16th and final film in the Andy Hardy series, with Mickey Rooney reprising his signature role. It was produced 12 years after the previous Hardy film, and was a ...

'' (1958); ''

The Walking Target ''The Walking Target'' is a 1960 crime film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Joan Evans, Merry Anders, and Ronald Foster. The screenplay concerns an ex-con who, upon release from prison, sets out to retrieve the $260,000 he hid before h ...

'' (1960); ''

Five Weeks in a Balloon ''Five Weeks in a Balloon, or, A Journey of Discovery by Three Englishmen in Africa'' (french: Cinq semaines en ballon) is an adventure novel by Jules Verne, published in 1863. It is the first novel in which he perfected the "ingredients" of hi ...

'' (1962); '' Come Blow Your Horn'' (1963); ''

Fort Courageous ''Fort Courageous'' is a 1965 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and written by Richard H. Landau. The film stars Fred Beir, Don "Red" Barry, Hanna Landy, Harry Lauter, Walter Reed and Joe Patridge. The film was released on May 1 ...

'' (1965); '' Batman'' (1966); '' Hello, Dolly!'' (1969); ''

Tora! Tora! Tora! ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' ( ja, トラ・トラ・トラ！) is a 1970 epic war film that dramatizes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The film was produced by Elmo Williams and directed by Richard Fleischer, Toshio Masuda and Kinji ...

'' (1970); '' Blazing Saddles'' (1974); '' St. Ives'' (1976); and ''

Blade Runner ''Blade Runner'' is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, and written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos, it is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick' ...

'' (1982). His final film role was in the 1984 film '' Repo Man''. Sawaya began his television debut in 1952, where he played the role of the Hispanic character "Detective Lopez" on Jack Webb's '' Dragnet'' until 1957. He then made an appearance in the western series ''

The Man Behind the Badge ''The Man Behind the Badge '' is a half-hour American television police drama series which aired on CBS from October 11, 1953, to October 3, 1954. originally hosted by Norman Rose. In its second syndicated season, the host became character ...

''. Sawaya also made an appearance in the

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

and

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

television series ''

Yancy Derringer ''Yancy Derringer'' is an American action/ adventure series that was broadcast on CBS from 1958 to 1959, with Jock Mahoney (1919–1989) in the title role. The show was produced by Derringer Productions and filmed in Hollywood by Desilu Produ ...

''. He made guest-starring appearances in '' Bonanza'', '' The Wild Wild West'', '' Mannix'', ''

Star Trek: The Original Series ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship and its crew. It later acquired the retronym of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' (''TOS'') to distinguis ...

'', ''

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a secret ...

'', ''

The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network from September 13, 1974 to January 10, 1980, and remains in syndication. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investiga ...

'', ''

The Time Tunnel ''The Time Tunnel'' is an American color science fiction TV series written around a theme of time travel adventure starring James Darren and Robert Colbert. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science-fiction television series and ...

'', '' Mission: Impossible'', ''

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, M ...

'', '' Columbo'' and ''

Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s, with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, an ...

''. He also made an appearance in the

legal drama A legal drama is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in which a system of justice play ...

television series ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'' episode, "The Case of the Malicious Mariner". His final television credit was from the science fiction television series ''

The Powers of Matthew Star ''The Powers of Matthew Star'' is an American sci-fi television series that aired on NBC on Friday evenings from September 17, 1982 until April 8, 1983. It starred Peter Barton as the title character, the alien prince Matthew "E'Hawke" Star of ...

'', which starred Peter Barton and

Louis Gossett Jr Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (born May 27, 1936) is an American actor. Born in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, He had his stage debut at the age of 17, in a school production of '' You Can't Take It with You.'' Shortly after he successfully ...

Death

Sawaya died in September 2003 in

Studio City, California Studio City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 192 ...

, at the age of 80. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Selected filmography

* ''

'' (1951) - Minor Role (uncredited) * '' With a Song in My Heart'' (1952) - Soldier (uncredited) * ''

'' (1952) - Reporter (uncredited) * ''

Down Among the Sheltering Palms "Down Among the Sheltering Palms" is a popular song. The music was written by Abe Olman, the lyrics by James Brockman and Leo Wood. The song was published in 1914 by Olman who heavily marketed it in the Chicago region. Music publisher Leo Fei ...

'' (1952) - Native (uncredited) * ''

'' (1952) - Soldier (uncredited) * ''

'' (1952) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

Tropic Zone The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

'' (1953) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

'' (1953) - Soldier (uncredited) * ''

The Desert Song ''The Desert Song'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colo ...

'' (1953) - Riff Guard (uncredited) * '' A Lion Is in the Streets'' (1953) - Townsman (uncredited) * '' Dragnet'' (1954) - McQueen (uncredited) * ''

'' (1954) - James the Less (uncredited) * ''

'' (1955) - Kavak * ''

The Black Sleep ''The Black Sleep'' is a 1956 American independent horror film directed by Reginald LeBorg, and written by John C. Higgins from a story by Gerald Drayson Adams. It stars Basil Rathbone, Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine, Bela Lugosi, and Akim Tam ...

'' (1956) - K6 - Sailor * ''

Emergency Hospital ''Emergency Hospital'' is a 1956 American drama film directed by Lee Sholem and written by Don Martin. The film stars Walter Reed, Margaret Lindsay, John Archer, Byron Palmer, Rita Johnson and Peg La Centra. The film was released on November 2, ...

'' (1956) - Jack (uncredited) * ''

Hot Cars ''Hot Cars'' is a 1956 American film noir crime film directed by Don McDougall and written by Don Martin and Richard H. Landau. The film stars John Bromfield, Carol Shannon, Joi Lansing, Ralph Clanton, Mark Dana, Charles Keane and George Sawa ...

'' (1956) - Lt. Holmes (uncredited) * ''

Bop Girl Goes Calypso ''Bop Girl Goes Calypso'' is a 1957 American United Artists film directed by Howard W. Koch and starring Judy Tyler. It features calypso music by the Bobby Troup Trio and bassist Jim Aton. Plot Working on a thesis, college student Bob Hilton ...

'' (1957) - Short Record Company Representative (uncredited) * ''

'' (1958) - Party Guest (uncredited) * ''

'' (1960) - Brodney's Driver (uncredited) * ''

Police Dog Story ''Police Dog Story'' is a 1961 American crime film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring James Brown and Merry Anders.Man-Trap ''Man-Trap'' is a 1961 American neo-noir film about a Korean War veteran who becomes involved in a scheme to steal $3.5 million from a Central American dictator. The film was directed by Edmond O'Brien and stars Jeffrey Hunter, David Janssen an ...

'' (1961) - Truck Driver (uncredited) * ''

Everything's Ducky ''Everything's Ducky'' is a 1961 comedy film directed by Don Taylor and written by Benedict Freedman and John Fenton Murray. The film stars Mickey Rooney, Buddy Hackett, Jackie Cooper, Joanie Sommers, Roland Winters and Elizabeth MacRae. The ...

'' (1961) - Simmons * ''

Hands of a Stranger ''Hands of a Stranger'' is a 1962 American horror film directed by Newt Arnold and is unofficially the fourth film adaptation of '' The Hands of Orlac''. Plot When the hands of pianist Vernon Paris are destroyed in a taxicab accident, he recei ...

'' (1962) - Tony Wilder * ''

Escape from Zahrain ''Escape from Zahrain'' is a 1962 American Panavision adventure film directed by Ronald Neame and starring Yul Brynner. The film is based on the novel ''Appointment in Zahrain'' by Michael Barrett (1960). Plot The film is set in the fictional s ...

'' (1962) - Arab Guard Refinery Gate (uncredited) * ''

'' (1962) - Nomad Chief (uncredited) * '' Diary of a Madman'' (1963) - Wagon Driver * ''

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

'' (1963) - Soldier (uncredited) * ''

Drums of Africa ''Drums of Africa'' is a 1963 American adventure film set in Africa, directed by James B. Clark. It used footage from the 1950 film of ''King Solomon's Mines''. Plot Three adventurers fight slave traders in the Congo. Cast *Frankie Avalon a ...

'' (1963) - Arab * '' Come Blow Your Horn'' (1963) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

'' (1965) - Indian #2 * ''

Convict Stage ''Convict Stage'' is a 1965 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and written by Daniel Mainwaring. The film stars Harry Lauter, Don "Red" Barry, Jodi Mitchell, Hanna Landy, Joe Patridge and Eric Matthews. The film was released on J ...

'' (1965) - Adam Scott * ''

The Money Trap ''The Money Trap'' is a 1965 American crime drama film directed by Burt Kennedy, written by Walter Bernstein based on the novel of the same name by Lionel White, and starring Glenn Ford, Elke Sommer, and Rita Hayworth. The supporting cast featur ...

'' (1965) - Angelo (uncredited) * ''The Lollipop Cover'' (1965) - The Fighter * '' Batman'' (1966) - Quetch * '' The Young Warriors'' (1967) * '' Sol Madrid'' (1968) - Dietrich Gunman * '' Panic in the City'' (1968) - Karl Sinden (Mr. X) * ''

The Boston Strangler The Boston Strangler is the name given to the murderer of 13 women in the Boston, Massachusetts, area during the early 1960s. The crimes were attributed to Albert DeSalvo based on his confession, details revealed in court during a separate case, ...

'' (1968) - Police Officer (uncredited) * '' More Dead Than Alive'' (1969) - Guard Captain * ''

Sam Whiskey ''Sam Whiskey'' is a 1969 American Western comedy film directed in DeLuxe Color by Arnold Laven and starring Burt Reynolds, Angie Dickinson, Clint Walker and Ossie Davis. "Way ahead of its time," said Reynolds of the film. "I was playing light ...

'' (1969) * '' Justine'' (1969) - Tough (uncredited) * ''

Private Duty Nurses ''Private Duty Nurses'' is a 1971 American film written and directed by George Armitage. It is a sequel to '' The Student Nurses'' (1970) for New World Pictures. Roger Corman says they got the idea for the title after being sent a letter of compla ...

'' (1971) - Ahmed * '' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972) - Bos'n Mate (uncredited) * ''

The Don Is Dead ''The Don Is Dead'' is a 1973 American crime film directed by Richard Fleischer and written by Christopher Trumbo, Michael Butler, and Marvin H. Albert, adapted from Albert's novel of the same name. It stars Anthony Quinn, Frederic Forrest, R ...

'' (1973) - Garcia (uncredited) * '' Blazing Saddles'' (1974) - Townsman (uncredited) * ''

Earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fr ...

'' (1974) - Deputy Sheriff (uncredited) * '' The Devil's Rain'' (1975) - Steve Preston * '' Embryo'' (1976) - Policeman * '' St. Ives'' (1976) - Arab Bagman * ''

The Domino Principle ''The Domino Principle'' is a 1977 neo-noir thriller film starring Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, Mickey Rooney and Richard Widmark. The film is based on the novel of the same name and was adapted for the screen by its author Adam Kennedy. It was d ...

'' (1977) - Assassination Victim (uncredited) * ''

I Wanna Hold Your Hand "I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded on 17 October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment. With advance orders ...

'' (1978) - (uncredited) * '' The Concorde ... Airport '79'' (1979) - Girard * ''

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid ''Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid'' is a 1982 American neo-noir mystery comedy film directed, co-written by, and co-starring Carl Reiner and co-written by and starring Steve Martin. Co-starring Rachel Ward, the film is both a parody of and a homage to ...

'' (1982) - Hood #3 * '' Repo Man'' (1984) - First Repo Victim (final film role)

References

External links

* * *
Rotten Tomatoes profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sawaya, George 1923 births 2003 deaths People from Los Angeles Male actors from Los Angeles Male actors from California American male film actors American male television actors American stunt performers 20th-century American male actors Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)