R.I.P. Bob Hastings
He was not on the list.
The prolific character actor best known as Lt. Carpenter in the 1960s sitcom McHale’s Navy died Monday of cancer. Bob Hastings was 89. He started in radio before serving as a bomber navigator in World War II. After the war, he voice Archie in an Archie Comics radio spinoff. He segued to the emerging TV medium and was working steadily by the mid-‘50s. He recurred on The Phil Silvers Show and also appeared on such programs as The Donna Reed Show, Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, Car 54, Where Are You? and multiple episodes of Dennis The Menace and The Munsters. In 1962, he was cast as the bumbling Lt. Elroy Carpenter in McHale’s Navy opposite Ernest Borgnine, Tim Conway and Joe Flynn. He stayed with the show during its entire four-year run. When it ended in 1966, the Brooklyn native remained a familiar face on TV, appearing on dozens of shows including multiple episodes of Green Acres, Love, American Style, Adam-12 and Ironside and recurring on All In The Family as Kelsey, owner of the bar Archie Bunker frequented and later bought. While continuing his on-camera TV career in comedies, dramas and soaps – The Rockford Files, Three’s Company, The Waltons , Alice, Lou Grant, General Hospital, et al. — Hastings later became a busy voice-over actor, lending his pipes to numerous Batman toons as Commissioner Gordon and doing other superhero shows. His last credit was voicing a judge in the video game Mafia II.
Filmography
Year , Title , Role , Notes
1961, The Great Impostor, State Department Official, Uncredited
1962, Moon Pilot, Motorist, Uncredited
1963, The Twilight Zone , Sam, Episode: I Dream of Genie
1964, McHale's Navy, Lt. Elroy Carpenter,
1965, McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force, ,
1966, The Adventures of Superboy (TV series), Superboy, Voice; 34 episodes
1967, Hogan's Heroes , Igor Piotkin, A Russian Is Coming
1968, Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady?, Lyle Chatterton,
1968, The Bamboo Saucer, Garson,
1969, Angel in My Pocket, Ted Palish,
1969, The Love God?, Shrader,
1970, The Boatniks, Chief Walsh,
1971, How to Frame a Figg, Chris Groat,
1971, The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker, 2nd Baseball Fan,
1971, "Green Acres (Season 6) ", Sheriff ,
1972, The Poseidon Adventure, M. C.,
1973, Charley and the Angel, News Reporter,
1973, The All-American Boy, Ariel Van Daumee,
1974, Airport 1975, Freeman's Friend at Airport, Uncredited
1976, No Deposit, No Return, Peter,
1977, Spider-Man, Monahan,
1978, Harper Valley PTA, Skeeter,
1981, Separate Ways, Jack,
1984, Snowballing, Carol Tolson,
1992, Shadow Force, Mayor Talbert,
1992-1994, Batman: The Animated Series, Commissioner James Gordon, Rose Cafe Chef, Team Doctor, Armored Car Driver, Henchman, Thief, Truck Driver, Voice; 50 episodes
1993, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Commissioner Gordon, Voice
1994, The Adventures of Batman & Robin, Commissioner Gordon, Voice
1997-1998, Superman: The Animated Series, Commissioner Gordon, Voice; 2 episodes
1997-1999, The New Batman Adventures, Commissioner Gordon, Voice; 8 episodes
1998, Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, Commissioner Gordon, Voice
2001, Batman: Vengeance, Commissioner Gordon, Voice
2002, Gotham Girls, Commissioner Gordon, Voice; 4 episodes
2003, Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, Commissioner Gordon, Voice
2003, Static Shock, Commissioner Gordon, Voice; 1 episode
2003, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, Commissioner Gordon, Voice
