# George Coe
**George Coe** (born George Julian Cohen; May 10, 1929 – July 18, 2015) was an American character actor, director, and producer whose six-decade career ran from Broadway to film, television, and voice work. He was one of the original members of *Saturday Night Live*'s Not Ready for Prime Time Players, received an Academy Award nomination for the short comedy *De Düva: The Dove*, and in later life voiced the valet Woodhouse on the FX animated series *Archer*.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) • [2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | May 10, 1929, Jamaica, Queens, New York; July 18, 2015, Santa Monica, California, aged 86[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0168642/) |
| Birth name | George Julian Cohen; son of a diamond dealer, raised on Long Island[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) |
| Oscar nomination | 1969, for the 14-minute Bergman parody *De Düva: The Dove*, which he starred in, produced, and co-directed[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) |
| SNL | One of the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players; appeared on the premiere episode in 1975 and in the first three episodes[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_coe) |
| Notable film roles | Jim O'Connor in *Kramer vs. Kramer* (1979); Claude Axhelm in *The Stepford Wives* (1975); Judge Weathers in *The Mighty Ducks* (1992)[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) • [5](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/237101-George-Coe) |
| Voice of Woodhouse | *Archer*, seasons 1 through 4 (2009 onward); the character was written out after Coe's death[6](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Woodhouse) |
| Union service | About 14 years on the Screen Actors Guild national board, including service as a vice president[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) • [1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) |
## Early life and training
Coe was born in [Jamaica, Queens](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamaica-queens), grew up on [Long Island](https://www.edgepedia.org/long-island) as the son of a diamond dealer, and graduated from the Admiral Farragut Academy, a naval prep school, before attending [Hofstra University](https://www.edgepedia.org/hofstra-university) in Hempstead, New York.[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) He served on a Navy submarine during the Korean War and received a commendation for morale-boosting comedy programs he created and aired over the ship's radio.[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) After military service he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe)
## Stage career
His stage career began in the late 1950s on Broadway.[7](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/interviews/a36664/archer-adam-reed-remembers-george-coe/) In 1963 the *New York Times* called him a "talented farceur" for playing 22 roles in the cabaret musical *Money*.[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) He appeared in the original Broadway productions of [Stephen Sondheim](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-sondheim)'s *Company*, *What Makes Sammy Run?*, *Mame* starring [Angela Lansbury](https://www.edgepedia.org/angela-lansbury), and [Harold Prince](https://www.edgepedia.org/harold-prince)'s *On the Twentieth Century*.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) In *Company* he played David, one of the three husbands who sing "Sorry-Grateful" and one of the five men in "Have I Got a Girl for You."[8](https://playbill.com/article/original-company-co-star-george-coe-dies-at-86-com-353565) Later stage work included a starring role in *God's Man in Texas* at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html)
## De Düva: The Dove
In 1968 Coe made *De Düva: The Dove*, a 14-minute black-and-white parody of [Ingmar Bergman](https://www.edgepedia.org/ingmar-bergman)'s films that credited itself with a presumably coveted "Golden Escargot" award.[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) He starred in the film alongside [Madeline Kahn](https://www.edgepedia.org/madeline-kahn) and co-directed and co-produced it; in 1969 it earned an Academy Award nomination for best short subject, live action subjects.[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) • [9](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/coe-george) By the early 1970s he had set his directing career aside and turned to acting full time.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_coe)
## Saturday Night Live
When *Saturday Night Live* premiered on October 11, 1975, Coe was listed in the opening credits among the Not Ready for Prime Time Players.[10](https://eathealthy365.com/the-full-career-and-life-timeline-of-george-coe/) At 46 he was significantly older than the rest of the young cast and was used sparingly, most famously in the first episode's short film "The Impossible Truth."[10](https://eathealthy365.com/the-full-career-and-life-timeline-of-george-coe/) Rotten Tomatoes records that he was cut from the show after appearing in the first three episodes;[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_coe) the Television Academy's biography says he appeared on the premiere episode and several times thereafter in a variety of small roles.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) He was an older foil to younger, more manic cast members such as [Chevy Chase](https://www.edgepedia.org/chevy-chase) and [John Belushi](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-belushi), and as a parody pitchman he promoted absurd products such as the Golden Needles, combining "the ancient art of Chinese acupuncture with the modern convenience of Haitian voodoo."[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html)
## Film and television
Coe became a familiar supporting player in film and television for four decades. His screen credits include *The Stepford Wives* (1975, as Claude Axhelm), *Kramer vs. Kramer* (1979, as Jim O'Connor, the advertising boss who fires [Dustin Hoffman](https://www.edgepedia.org/dustin-hoffman)'s character), *The First Deadly Sin*, *[Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins](https://www.edgepedia.org/remo-williams-the-adventure-begins)*, *Blind Date*, *Cousins*, *The Mighty Ducks*, and *Funny People*.[5](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/237101-George-Coe) • [2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) *Kramer vs. Kramer* went on to win the [Academy Award for Best Picture](https://www.edgepedia.org/academy-award-for-best-picture).[10](https://eathealthy365.com/the-full-career-and-life-timeline-of-george-coe/)
On television he played Judge Wallace R. Vance on *L.A. Law* (1986–1991), Ben Cheviot on *Max Headroom* (1987), Leo Kurtz on *Somerset* (1971–72), and Dick Novak on *Goodnight, Beantown* (1983), and appeared in dozens of guest roles.[9](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/coe-george) • [1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) His credits include *Hill Street Blues*, *Murder, She Wrote*, *The Golden Girls*, *thirtysomething*, *Murphy Brown*, *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, *The West Wing* (as a crusty U.S. senator who staged a filibuster for autism funding), *Curb Your Enthusiasm*, and *Grey's Anatomy*.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) • [2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html)
## Voice work
Beginning in 2009, at age 80, Coe voiced Woodhouse, Sterling Archer's devoted, long-suffering valet on *Archer*, for the show's first four seasons and made appearances in seasons five and six.[10](https://eathealthy365.com/the-full-career-and-life-timeline-of-george-coe/) • [6](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Woodhouse) The *Archer* creator [Adam Reed](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-reed) recalled that "two seconds into George's takes, everyone sat bolt upright."[7](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/interviews/a36664/archer-adam-reed-remembers-george-coe/) He also voiced characters in *Transformers: Dark of the Moon* (2011), in which he was Que and Wheeljack, and appeared in *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim* (2011).[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0168642/)
## Screen Actors Guild
Coe served on the [Screen Actors Guild](https://www.edgepedia.org/screen-actors-guild) national board for about 14 years, including as a vice president of the board, and received a national SAG award in 2009, saying at the time that without union representation he would have been "the world's oldest living busboy."[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe) • [2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) Although a longtime advocate of the union, he was one of 16 members who sued the guild in 2013 alleging mismanagement of foreign royalties.[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html)
## Personal life and death
Coe was married to Karen Foray, Nancy Baker, and Susan Allsopp Massaron.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0168642/) His survivors included his wife Susan, twin daughters Amy Bickers and Jennifer Coe, and four grandchildren.[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) He battled lymphoma for about 20 years, jokingly calling it "cancer lite," and died on July 18, 2015, in a Santa Monica convalescent facility at age 86, after a long illness.[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_coe) His daughter said he never aspired to be a leading man: "He loved being part of an ensemble."[2](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html) After his death, the *Archer* character Woodhouse was written out of the series, with his death announced in the show as a heroin overdose.[6](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Woodhouse)
## References
1. [George Coe, Television Academy biography](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/george-coe)
2. [George Coe, actor who was original 'SNL' member, dies at 86, Los Angeles Times (July 20, 2015)](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-george-coe-20150721-story.html)
3. [George Coe (1929–2015), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0168642/)
4. [George Coe, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_coe)
5. [George Coe filmography, AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/237101-George-Coe)
6. [Woodhouse, Archer Wiki](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Woodhouse)
7. [Archer Creator Adam Reed Remembers Woodhouse Actor George Coe, Esquire (July 24, 2015)](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/interviews/a36664/archer-adam-reed-remembers-george-coe/)
8. [Original Company Co-Star George Coe Dies at 86, Playbill (July 2015)](https://playbill.com/article/original-company-co-star-george-coe-dies-at-86-com-353565)
9. [Coe, George, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/coe-george)
10. [A Complete Timeline of George Coe's Life and Career](https://eathealthy365.com/the-full-career-and-life-timeline-of-george-coe/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Co to C*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license