George Shephard Houghton (June 4, 1914 – December 15, 2016) was an American actor and dancer, who appeared mainly in small uncredited roles in films from 1927 until 1976, but also guested on numerous TV series. He had small roles in ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

'' and '' The Wizard of Oz''. At the time of his death in 2016 he was the oldest known surviving cast or crew member from both movies.

Early life

Houghton was born in

Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...

on June 4, 1914.

Career

Houghton was a dancer during his early career and taught actress

Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragedy, ...

how to

waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wa ...

for a role in ''Conquest'' (1937). In 1939, Houghton appeared in two movie classics, first as Ozmite and a Winkie Guard in the '' Wizard of Oz'' and as a Southern dandy in ''

''. He played many recurring roles, beginning with ''

The Jack Benny Program ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televis ...

'' in 1950. In the early 1950s he worked for television, mostly as a dancer. He worked on the program until 1965. He appeared in ''

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 ...

'', in which he appeared in only the first three episodes. In addition to these productions, he worked on the ''

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'' show from 1951-57. He also appeared on episodes of ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...

'', ''

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 cli ...

'', ''

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'', '' Mr. Lucky'', ''

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'', and ''

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''. The 1960s, he appeared in ''

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'', ''

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'', ''

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'', and ''

The Loretta Young Show ''The Loretta Young Show'' (originally known as ''Letter to Loretta'') is an American anthology drama television series broadcast on Sunday nights from September 2, 1953, to June 4, 1961, on NBC for a total of 165 episodes. The series was hosted ...

''. In movies, Houghton appeared as a slave in ''

Spartacus Spartacus ( el, Σπάρτακος '; la, Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising ...

'' and as a dancer in '' Hello, Dolly!''. In the 1970s, he worked on ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. Moor ...

''. His last role was as a juror in the final episodes of ''

Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...

''. He retired from acting later that year.

Personal life

In 1935, he married Jane Rosily Kellogg; the couple divorced in 1945. He married actress Geraldine Farnum in 1946; the couple had two children but divorced in 1948. He married Mel Carter in 1975.

Death

Houghton died on December 15, 2016 in Hoodsport, Washington at the age of 102. He outlived all the major cast, the original Tin Man

Buddy Ebsen Buddy Ebsen (born Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr., April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003), also known as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen, was an American actor and dancer, whose career spanned seven decades. One of his most famous roles was as Jed Clampett in the CBS ...

, and most of the

Munchkin A Munchkin is a native of the fictional Munchkin Country in the Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum. They first appear in the classic children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900) where they welcome Dorothy Gale to their city in O ...

actors. Shep Houghton Telegraph obituary
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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Houghton, Shep 1914 births 2016 deaths American male silent film actors 20th-century American male actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male dancers American centenarians Male actors from Salt Lake City Men centenarians