Actor George Maharis, best known for his role as Buz Murdock in the 1960s drama "Route 66," died at age 94.
The news was confirmed by his longtime friend and caregiver Marc Bahan, who revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that Maharis died Wednesday at his Beverly Hills home.
"George is well known for his stardom in 'Route 66,' stage productions, singing, artist, and above all a great guy who would do anything for anyone," Bahan wrote Saturday in a Facebook post. "My dear friend, you'll be terribly missed."
Born Sept. 1, 1928, in Astoria, Queens, to Greek immigrants, Maharis spent 18 months with the U.S. Marines after completing school before he pursued his passion for acting by studying at the Actors Studio, according to the New York Post.
Maharis landed his first acting job in 1958 when he was cast in the off-Broadway production of Jean Genet's "Deathwatch."
He went on to appear in Edward Albee's first produced play, "The Zoo Story," as well as in the 1960 film "Exodus," and CBS soap opera "Search for Tomorrow," but Maharis' career truly gained momentum after he was featured in a 1959 episode of "Naked City," which led to him clinching the role of Buz Murdock in the spinoff by creator Stirling Silliphant — "Route 66."
Maharis' portrayal of one of the show's three main characters earned him an Emmy nomination in 1962. However, health issues, including hepatitis, forced Maharis to leave the CBS drama that same year during its third season.
He made a brief return but suffered a relapse.
It took over two years for Maharis to find regular work again. He appeared in dozens of other films including "Quick Before It Melts" (1964), "Sylvia" (1965), "A Covenant with Death" (1967) and "The Happening" (1967) as well as the TV shows "The Most Deadly Game," "Mission: Impossible," and "Fantasy Island."
Maharis' final acting credit was in the 1993 film "Doppelganger," starring Drew Barrymore and George Newbern.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.