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BEVERLY HILLS (CNS) - Actor George Maharis, who co-starred on the hit 1960s series "Route 66" and appeared in dozens of other television shows, has died at the age of 94, his longtime friend and caregiver said in a Facebook post Saturday.
"George Maharis passed away on Wednesday, May 25," Marc Bahan wrote. "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. My dear friend, you'll be terribly missed."
Maharis died at his Beverly Hills home after contracting hepatitis, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which cited Bahan.
Maharis rose to fame on the hybrid crime drama-anthology series, which aired on CBS from 1960 to 1964 and followed the adventures of two buddies traveling across the United States in a Chevrolet Corvette convertible.
In 1962, the role earned Maharis an Emmy nomination.
His character, Buz Murdock, disappeared midway through the third season while Maharis recovered from a lengthy illness and the actor ultimately left the series.
He would later make guest appearances on a wide range of TV shows including "Mission: Impossible," "The Bionic Woman," "Kojak," "Fantasy Island" and "Murder, She Wrote" as well as the mini-series "Rich Man, Poor Man."
Maharis was born Sept. 1, 1928, in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York and was one of seven children.
He served in the U.S. Marines and later studied acting at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse with Sanford Meisner and at the Actor's Studio with Lee Strasberg.
In addition to his television roles, Maharis also appeared in several films including "Exodus," "The Happening," "A Covenant with Death" and "The Desperados." His final acting credit came in 1993 with a role in the film "Doppelganger," which starred Drew Barrymore.
Maharis also appeared in several stage productions, including Edward Albee's first produced play, "The Zoo Story," and recorded at least one album with a single, "Teach Me Tonight" that reached No. 25 on the Billboard charts in the early 1960s.
In 1973, Maharis became one of the first male celebrities to pose for a nude centerfold in Playgirl magazine.
His niece, Vicky Valdes, remembered her uncle as being generous to his family and fans.
"He was very appreciative of his fans," Valdes noted on Facebook. "He would respond to the many letters he received from them. We would talk for hours as he reminisced on his career acting and singing. But deep down he was a genuine guy.
"He always found time to speak with his family especially after he sold his New York residence and stayed full time in LA while family all lived on the east coast. The Maharis family will miss George. Thanks for all the memories ... RIP. Love you uncle George."