George Furth

Date of Death: August 11, 2008 (75)

Birth Place: Chicago, IL, USA

Get George Furth Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

George Furth BIO

Furth was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of George and Evelyn (née Tuerk) Schweinfurth. He was of German and Irish ancestry, and was raised as a Christian Scientist. He received a bachelor of science in speech at Northwestern University in 1954 and received his master's degree from Columbia University.

A life member of the Actors Studio, Furth made his Broadway debut as an actor in the 1961 play A Cook for Mr. General, followed by the musical Hot Spot two years later. He was also known for his collaborations with Stephen Sondheim: the highly successful Company, the ill-fated Merrily We Roll Along, and the equally ill-fated drama Getting Away with Murder. Furth wrote the plays Twigs, The Supporting Cast, and Precious Sons as well as the book for the Kander and Ebb musical The Act.

One of Furth's latter writing projects was a foray into an area where he had not previously explored. He wrote the lyrics for a musical revue, with music by Doug Katsaros. Furth and Katsaros shaped the work with San Francisco director Mike Ward into The End-a new musical revue. The piece was performed at San Francisco's New Conservatory Theatre Center during the summer of 2004 and was billed as a "Pre-U.S. Tour Workshop Production". The piece was reworked twice, with the title changing to Last Call and Happy Hour, respectively.

Frequently cast as a bespectacled, ineffectual milquetoast, Furth appeared in The Boston Strangler, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (as a devoted railroad employee travelling in the car that contains the safe that Butch and his gang twice rob), Myra Breckinridge, Blazing Saddles, Shampoo (as a bank officer dealing with Warren Beatty’s character’s loan request), Oh, God! (as a newspaper editor who refuses to publicize John Denver’s character’s claims that God has communicated with him), The Cannonball Run, The Man with Two Brains, and Bulworth. His many television credits include Tammy; McHale's Navy; Ironside; I Dream of Jeannie; That Girl; Green Acres; The Monkees; Batman; The Odd Couple; Bonanza; Happy Days; All in the Family; Murphy Brown; L.A. Law; Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman; Murder, She Wrote; Little House on the Prairie; Love, American Style; Adam-12; F Troop; and the 1980 TV movie The Scarlett O'Hara War, in which he portrayed George Cukor. He was a regular in the cast of the short-lived 1976 sitcom The Dumplings.

He adapted his play Twigs as a 1975 television production, starring Carol Burnett.

Furth died at a hospital in Santa Monica, California on August 11, 2008, at age 75.

George Furth STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1996
Voice of Other Doctor

[Broadway]
Concert [Broadway], 1973
Special Guest

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1963
Performer

Harley

Sumber Tubb, Jr.

[Broadway]
1961
Jordan

[Off-Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Off-Broadway Production, 1959
Performer

Writing

Playwright
Bookwriter
Bookwriter


George Furth TV Shows

All in the Family Gordon Crenshaw, Whitney Fitzroy IV

Bonanza Jim Pender, Horace Keylot

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Jedediah Bancroft

Murder, She Wrote Jerry Bozell, Fred Owens, Farley Pressman

Sisters Mr. Rattner

Tammy Dwayne Whitt

The Monkees Henry, Ronnie Farnsworth

The Odd Couple Belkin, Harvey Bixley

The Trials of Rosie O'Neill Judge Binghampton, Judge Binghamton

George Furth Awards and Nominations

George Furth Videos

George Furth News


Video: Meryl Streep and Martin Short Visit MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

Meryl Streep and Martin Short visited Merrily We Roll Along on Saturday night and stopped backstage after the show. Check out video here!

Review: COMPANY at Kennedy Center

Phone rings, door chimes, in comes a dazzling reimagined production of Stephen Sondheim’s and George Furth’s classic, COMPANY, to the Kennedy Center stage.

Wake Up With BroadwayWorld March 15, 2024

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is March 15, 2024 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

COMPANY to be Presented at the Benedum Center in April

The Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's and George Furth's COMPANY, winner of five 2022 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, will be on stage at the Benedum Center for eight performances. See how to purchase tickets.

Seth Rudetsky Will Host MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Town Hall

SiriusXM On Broadway will present an exclusive Town Hall special with the six stars of the  Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.

Video: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Cast Talkback at Rooftop Writers Initiative

Merrily We Roll Along opened doors to the winners of the Rooftop Writers Initiative for a talkback with the Broadway cast, moderated by Benj Pasek. Watch video from the talkback here!

Patti LuPone to Launch A LIFE IN NOTES Multi-City Tour This Spring

This spring three-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone will perform her new concert Patti LuPone: A Life in Notes on a multi-city tour.

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY & More Lead Washington, DC's March 2024 Top Theatre Shows

Washington, DC is never lacking outstanding theatre, whether epic Broadway shows, engrossing dramas or bold fringe offerings. BroadwayWorld is rounding up our top recommended theatre every month. Selections for March 2024 include The Lehman Trilogy and more.

Kathleen Chalfant, Jonathan Raviv, and More Set for HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES at NYTW

New York Theatre Workshop has announced the full cast & creative team for Here There Are Blueberries, co-written by NYTW Usual Suspect and Tony & Emmy Award nominee Moisés Kaufman & Emmy Award nominee Amanda Gronich, and conceived & directed by Moisés Kaufman.

Wake Up With BroadwayWorld February 28, 2024

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is February 28, 2024 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

Video: Watch Maria Friedman Sing Sondheim in Rehearsals for LEGACY

Maria Friedman is getting ready to hit the stage at her home away from home (the Hudson Theatre) where her one-night-only concert event Legacy will soon play. Catch a sneak peek of Friedman in rehearsals in this video.

Santino Fontana Joins LEGACY: MARIA FRIEDMAN & FRIENDS at the Hudson Theatre

Tony Award winner Santino Fontana will join the new, one-night-only concert event Legacy: An Evening with Maria Friedman & Friends celebrating Stephen Sondheim, Marvin Hamlisch and Michel Legrand. Learn how to purchase tickets.

Video: Get A First Look at a New Montage for COMPANY on Tour

Get a first look at an all-new montage for the national tour of the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's and George Furth's Company. 

THE WIZ, COMPANY, and More Set For The Smith Center for the Performing Arts' 2024-25 Broadway Season

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts has announced its latest lineup of Broadway productions for 2024/2025 The new season features 10 stage productions direct from Broadway that have collectively been showered with 33 Tony Awards®, 18 Drama Desk Awards and five Laurence Olivier Awards. Learn which shows are included.

Patti LuPone to Perform at Young People's Chorus of NYC's Gala Concert and Benefit Dinner

Young People’s Chorus of New York City will present its annual gala in March, featuring Patti LuPone. Learn how to purchase tickets.

Broadway Buying Guide: February 12, 2024- Get Tickets to MOULIN ROUGE!, SWEENEY TODD, and More

Looking for the best deals on Broadway shows? Welcome to our new weekly guide to the most popular shows listed on BroadwayWorld. Check out which shows are selling this week, February 12, 2024.

Eisemann Center to Present PATTI LUPONE: A LIFE IN NOTES in March

Eisemann Center Presents will continue the 2023-2024 Season with Patti LuPone: A Life in Notes next month. Learn more about the concert featuring the legendary 3-time Tony Award winner here!

COMPANY, DEAR EVAN HANSEN And More The AT&T Performing Arts Center's Spectacular 24/25 Broadway Season!

The AT&T Performing Arts Center unveils its 2024/2025 Broadway at the Center lineup in Dallas. Check out the exciting series of shows!

COMPANY is Coming to Grand Theatre's Auburn Stage This March

Musical Theatre Productions will return this March to the Grand Theatre's Auburn Stage with COMPANY. See performance dates and learn how to purchase tickets.

Mallory Bechtel Joins MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Film

Mallory Bechtel has joined the cast of the Merrily We Roll Along film adaptation. The Richard Linklater-directed movie musical stars Paul Mescal as Franklin Shepard, Ben Platt as Charley Kringas, and Beanie Feldstein as Mary Flynn.

George Furth FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

George Furth has appeared on Broadway in 4 shows.

George Furth has not appeared in the West End

George Furth has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable nominations include Best Book of a Musical at the Tony Awards for the show "Company," Best Musical at the Drama Desk Awards for "Company," Outstanding Book at the Drama Desk Awards for "Company," and Best Musical at the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for "Company."

George Furth has won several awards for his work in the musical "Company." He received the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book, and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.

George Furth has written 6 shows including Company (Bookwriter), The Act (Bookwriter), The Supporting Cast (Playwright), Merrily We Roll Along (Bookwriter), Precious Sons (Playwright), Getting Away With Murder (Playwright).

Get George Furth Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Videos