Bob Hastings

Robert Francis Hastings (April 18, 1925 – June 30, 2014)[1] was an American radio, film, and television character actor. He also provided voices for animated cartoons.[2] He was best known for his portrayal of annoying suck-up Lt. Elroy Carpenter, on McHale's Navy[3] and voicing Commissioner James Gordon in the DCAU.

This article is about the actor. For the public relations professional with a similar name, see Robert T. Hastings Jr.
Bob Hastings
Hastings in 2008
Born
Robert Francis Hastings

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

Early life

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.

Career
Hastings 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 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”. He also appeared in Captain Video playing the brother of "The Video Ranger", who was in turn played by Hastings' brother, Don Hastings.[7]:162

Hastings portrayed Edward Foyle in the NBC drama Kitty Foyle (1958).[7]:568

1960s–1970s

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 Brothers 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?.

Hastings in 1962 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, with Jay North, most notably as Coach Gilmore in the 1963 episode "The Big Basketball Game". He appeared three times from 1961 to 1962 on the CBS sitcom Pete and Gladys, with Harry Morgan and Cara Williams.

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. 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. According to an interview,[8] he got along so well with the people that he became one of the few regulars on the tour.

Hastings was in the 1968 Universal film Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady? starring Bob Denver, as well as The Bamboo Saucer (1968), Angel in My Pocket (1969), The Love God? (1969) starring Don Knotts, and The Boatniks (1970). In 1971 Hastings was cast in the comedy movie 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 was in the 1978 movie Harper Valley PTA in which he played Skeeter Duggan, a member of the PTA board who had been kidnapped at the orders of its dishonest president to commit election fraud, and played "Cousin Phantom of the Opera" in the 1981 television movie The Munsters' Revenge.

In 1967, Hastings recorded an LP for Home Records Incorporated, one titled Bob Hastings Sings For The Family (HR-101), with 12 songs arranged and conducted by Bob Caudana.

Voice-over work

Hastings has also done voice work for animation and commercials, including Beany on Beany and Cecil, The Raven on the Munsters series, Superboy in The New Adventures of Superboy cartoons of the 1960s, D.D. on Hanna-Barbera's Clue Club, and the voice of Commissioner Jim Gordon in the popular Batman: The Animated Series and its various spinoffs in the DC animated universe, such as Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures and several Batman video games.[2]

His earlier work in animation includes doing the voice Henry Glopp on Hanna-Barbera's animated series Jeannie in 1973[7]:527-528 and additional voices on Challenge of the Super Friends.

Personal life and death

Hastings was the older brother of longtime As the World Turns star Don Hastings. He was married to Joan (Rice) Hastings for 66 years and has four children, 10 grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren. He toured the country as a participant in various Old-Time Radio Conventions, reading scripts for such shows as Archie Andrews and The Bickersons. He appeared at the 2013 Cincinnati Nostalgia Expo, the Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound Showcase 2013 in Bellevue, Washington, in June, and at the Friends of Old Time Radio Convention in Newark, New Jersey, in October 2010.

He died on June 30, 2014, from prostate cancer at age 89.[9] His funeral Mass was held in Burbank, California's Saint Finbar Catholic Church.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1961The Great ImpostorState Department OfficialUncredited
1962Moon PilotMotoristUncredited
1963The Twilight Zone SamEpisode: I Dream of Genie
1964McHale's NavyLt. Elroy Carpenter
1965McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force
1966SuperboySuperboy
1967Hogan's Heroes Igor PiotkinA Russian Is Coming
1968Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady?Lyle Chatterton
1968The Bamboo SaucerGarson
1969Angel in My PocketTed Palish
1969The Love God?Shrader
1970The BoatniksChief Walsh
1971How to Frame a FiggChris Groat
1971The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker2nd Baseball Fan
1971"Green Acres (Season 6) "Sheriff
1972The Poseidon AdventureM. C.
1973Charley and the AngelNews Reporter
1973The All-American BoyAriel Van Daumee
1974Airport 1975Freeman's Friend at AirportUncredited
1976No Deposit, No ReturnPeter
1977 Spider-ManMonahan
1978Harper Valley PTASkeeter
1981Separate WaysJack
1984SnowballingCarol Tolson
1992Shadow ForceMayor Talbert
1992-1994Batman: The Animated SeriesCommissioner James Gordon, Rose Cafe Chef, Team Doctor, Armored Car Driver, Henchman, Thief, Truck DriverVoice; 50 episodes
1993Batman: Mask of the PhantasmCommissioner GordonVoice
1994The Adventures of Batman & RobinCommissioner GordonVoice
1997-1998Superman: The Animated SeriesCommissioner GordonVoice; 2 episodes
1997-1999The New Batman AdventuresCommissioner GordonVoice; 8 episodes
1998Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZeroCommissioner GordonVoice
2001Batman: VengeanceCommissioner GordonVoice
2002Gotham GirlsCommissioner GordonVoice; 4 episodes
2003Batman: Mystery of the BatwomanCommissioner GordonVoice
2003Static ShockCommissioner GordonVoice; 1 episode
2003Batman: Rise of Sin TzuCommissioner GordonVoice

References
  1. Wilson, Scott (August 19, 2016). "Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed". McFarland – via Google Books.
  2. Staff writer (July 5, 2014) "Bob Hastings, actor" The Washington Post, page B5. Retrieved July 6, 2014
  3. Team, The Deadline; Team, The Deadline (July 2, 2014). "R.I.P. Bob Hastings".
  4. Bob Hastings Biography, filmreference.com; accessed August 12, 2015.
  5. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
  6. "Back Issue #99". Issuu.
  7. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 28-29. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  8. Time Travel Radio interview Time Travel Radio
  9. "'McHale's Navy' Star Bob Hastings Dies at Age 89", abcnews.go.com; accessed May 5, 2017.
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