George Petrie; Veteran TV and Movie Actor

George O. Petrie, a veteran character actor whose career spanned Broadway, radio, films and a remarkable half a century on television, including Jackie Gleason’s “The Honeymooners,” has died.

Petrie died Sunday, his 85th birthday, in Los Angeles.

The versatile actor made his first appearance on television in 1947 on “Kraft Television Theatre” and recently appeared as Sid, the deadpan comic film editor, on the popular series “Mad About You.”

He also was remembered as a Gleason series and “Honeymooners” regular, the Ewing family lawyer in “Dallas” and as “Don” Rudy Aiuppo in the series “Wiseguy.”

Born in New Haven, Conn., Petrie graduated from USC and began his career on stage. During his Army service in World War II, he performed in Broadway shows that benefited the armed services.

After the war, Petrie turned to radio, with title roles in the network series “The Amazing Mr. Malone,” “The Falcon” and “Gregory Hood and Charlie Wild.” He had supporting roles on “Mr. District Attorney” and “Theatre Guild on the Air.”

Petrie performed in a number of films, including “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Hud,” “Gypsy” and “Boomerang.”

But he was best known for his vast work in television.

In the 1950s, Petrie was a regular in the soap operas “Search for Tomorrow,” “As the World Turns” and “The Edge of Night.”

He became a frequent guest star on the most popular series of the changing decades: “Gunsmoke,” “Perry Mason,” “The Twilight Zone,” “The Andy Griffith Show,” “Gomer Pyle,” “Rawhide,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Who’s the Boss,” “St. Elsewhere,” “Hill Street Blues” and “The Drew Carey Show.”

Petrie is survived by his wife, Patricia, son, David, and daughter, Lisa.

Services are scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the Old North Church, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.

The family has asked that memorial donations be made to the Actors Fund, 1501 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10036.