Editing George Peppard (section)

===Early television appearances and transition to film===
He worked as a cab driver until getting his first part in ''Lamp Unto My Feet''.<ref name="rex">{{cite news| title=A Nice Guy, Cast As a Movie Star| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1966/07/10/archives/a-nice-guy-cast-as-a-movie-star.html| first=Rex| last=Reed| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=July 10, 1966| page=81| url-access=subscription}}</ref> As noted by ''Filmink'', "in hindsight, the late 1950s was a perfect time to be a handsome, Method trained male actor of ability with a beautiful speaking voice based in New York – theatre was vibrant, live television provided plenty of work. Peppard found himself in constant employment almost immediately."<ref name="pep">{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|date=29 December 2024|access-date=29 December 2024|title=Movie Star Cold Streaks: George Peppard|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/movie-star-cold-streaks-george-peppard/}}</ref> He appeared with [[Paul Newman]], in ''[[The United States Steel Hour]]'' (1956), as the singing, guitar-playing baseball player Piney Woods in ''[[Bang the Drum Slowly]]'', directed by [[Daniel Petrie]].

He appeared in an episode of ''[[Kraft Theatre]]'', "Flying Object at Three O'Clock High" (1956).

In March 1956, Peppard was on stage, off Broadway, in ''Beautiful Changes''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety202-1956-03/page/n272/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22|magazine=Variety|title=Beautiful Changes|page=69|date=28 March 1956}}</ref>

In April 1956, he appeared in a segment of an episode of "Cameras Three" performing from ''[[The Shoemaker's Holiday]]''; ''The New York Times'' called his performance "beguiling".<ref>{{Cite news|title=TV: On 'Camera Three': Expert Series Offers Poetry, Drama and Comedy in 'Elizabethan Miscellany'|first=Jack|last=Gould| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/04/30/archives/tv-on-camera-three-expert-series-offers-poetry-drama-and-comedy-in.html| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 30, 1956| page=37|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In July 1956, he signed to make his film debut in ''[[The Strange One]]'' directed by [[Jack Garfein]], based on the play ''End as a Man''.<ref>{{Cite news| title=Sinatra To Make Appearance Here| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/07/archives/sinatra-to-make-appearance-here-returning-to-the-paramount-with.html|last=Godbout|first=Oscar| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 7, 1956|page=10| url-access=subscription}}</ref> It was the first film from Garfein as director and [[Calder Willingham]] as producer, plus for Peppard, [[Ben Gazzara]], [[Geoffrey Horne]], [[Pat Hingle]], [[Arthur Storch]] and [[Clifton James]]. Filming took place in Florida. "I wouldn't say I was nervous," said Peppard, "just excited."<ref>{{cite news| title=FOCUSING ON NEW FACES: 'End as a Man' Serves as First Movie Stint for Young Director and Cast Gambling Man Like Old Times At Work|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/29/archives/focusing-on-new-faces-end-as-a-man-serves-as-first-movie-stint-for.html| first=George|last=Nelson| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 29, 1956| page=A5|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

On his return to New York, he performed in "Out to Kill" on TV for ''Kraft''.<ref>{{cite news| title=Eisenhower To Air Opener Of GOP Drive| newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor| date=September 18, 1956| page=12}}</ref> In September he joined the cast of ''[[Girls of Summer (play)|Girls of Summer]]'' directed by [[Jack Garfein]] with [[Shelley Winters]], Storch and Hingle, plus a title song by [[Stephen Sondheim]]. This reached Broadway in November.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Role is Offered to Anne Baxter| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/09/24/archives/role-is-offered-to-anne-baxter-jed-harris-flies-to-coast-to.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 24, 1956|page=22}}</ref> [[Brooks Atkinson]] said Peppard "expertly plays a sly, malicious dance teacher."<ref>{{Cite news| title=Theatre: Drama by Nash: Shelley Winters Stars in 'Girls of Summer'|first=Brooks|last=Atkinson| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 20, 1956| page=44| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/11/20/archives/theatre-drama-by-nash-shelley-winters-stars-in-girls-of-summer.html| url-access=subscription}}</ref> It had only a short run.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety204-1956-11/page/n199/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22|title=Girls of Summer|magazine=Variety|page=56|date=21 November 1956}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|date=31 October 1956|title=Girls of Summer: Shows Out of Town|magazine=Variety|url=https://archive.org/details/variety204-1956-10/page/n384/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22|page=62}}</ref>

The bulk of his work around this time was for television: ''[[The Kaiser Aluminum Hour]]'' ("A Real Fine Cutting Edge", directed by [[George Roy Hill]]), ''[[Studio One in Hollywood]]'' ("A Walk in the Forest"), ''[[The Alcoa Hour]]'' ("The Big Build-Up" with [[E. G. Marshall]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Southerland |first=Jackie |date=March 30, 1957 |title=Week's Best |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-weeks-best/171311693/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune |page=C2 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>), ''[[Matinee Theatre]]'' ("End of the Rope" with [[John Drew Barrymore]], "Thread That Runs So True", "Aftermath"), ''Kraft Theatre'' ("The Long Flight"), ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'' ("The Diplomatic Corpse", with [[Peter Lorre]] directed by [[Paul Henreid]]), and ''[[Suspicion (American TV series)|Suspicion]]'' ("The Eye of Truth" with [[Joseph Cotten]] based on a script by [[Eric Ambler]]).  ''The Strange One'' came out in April 1957 but despite some strong reviews – ''The New York Times'' called Peppard "resolute".<ref>{{cite news| title=Screen: 'The Strange One': Ben Gazzara Stars in New Film at Astor| first=Bosley| last=Crowther| date=April 13, 1957| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1957/04/13/archives/screen-the-strange-one-ben-gazzara-stars-in-new-film-at-astor.html| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| url-access=subscription}}</ref> – it was not a financial success.

In September 1957, he appeared in a trial run of a play by [[Robert Thom (writer)|Robert Thom]], ''The Minotaur'', directed by [[Sidney Lumet]].<ref>{{Cite news| title=Minotaur' Gets Trial Run| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1957/09/03/archives/minotaur-gets-trial-run.html| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 3, 1957| page=23| url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety208-1957-09/page/78/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22|title=The Minotaur|magazine=Variety|page=78|date=11 September 1957}}</ref>

Peppard played a key role in ''[[Little Moon of Alban]]'' (1958) alongside [[Christopher Plummer]] for the ''[[Hallmark Hall of Fame]]''. The ''Los Angeles Times'' called him "excellent".<ref>{{cite news| title=THE TV SCENE---: 'Moon of Alban' Excellent Work| last=Smith| first=Cecil| url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/clip/60868425/moon-of-alban-excellent-work/| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=March 25, 1958| page=A6| url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Little Moon of Alban|url=https://archive.org/details/variety210-1958-03/page/n293/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22|magazine=Variety|page=39|date=26 March 1958}}</ref>

In May 1958, Peppard played his second film role, a support part in the Korean War movie ''[[Pork Chop Hill (film)|Pork Chop Hill]]'' (1959) directed by [[Lewis Milestone]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Columbia to Film 'Time Of Dragons'| first=Thomas M.| last=Pryor| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/04/05/archives/columbia-to-film-time-of-dragons-buys-new-novel-by-alice.html| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 5, 1958|page=10| url-access=subscription}}</ref> He was cast in part because he was unfamiliar to moviegoers.<ref>{{cite news| title=Director Talks About War: Hollywood Letter| first=Richard Dyer| last=MacCann| newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor| date=February 17, 1959| page=5}}</ref>

In May 1958, he appeared in stock in ''A Swim in the Sea''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety210-1958-05/page/n74/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22|magazine=Variety|page=74|date=7 May 1958 |title=Variety (May 1958) }}</ref>

In October 1958, Peppard appeared on Broadway in ''[[The Pleasure of His Company#Original Play|The Pleasure of His Company]]'' (1958) starring [[Cyril Ritchard]], who also directed. Peppard played the boyfriend who wants to marry [[Dolores Hart]] who was Ritchard's daughter; ''The New York Times'' called Peppard "admirable".<ref>{{Cite news|title=Theatre: 'Pleasure of His Company': Delightful Comedy Is Staged at Longacre| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/10/23/archives/theatre-pleasure-of-his-company-delightful-comedy-is-staged-at.html|first=Brooks| last=Atkinson|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=October 23, 1958| page=36| url-access=subscription}}</ref> The play was a hit and ran for a year.

During the show's run, Peppard auditioned successfully for MGM's ''[[Home from the Hill (film)|Home from the Hill]]'' (1960) and the studio signed him to a long-term contract – which he had not wanted to do but was a condition for the film.<ref name="beckon">{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |date=April 24, 1960 |title=GEORGE PEPPARD: Films Beckon Stage Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-films-beckon-stage/171311731/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=E11 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In February 1959, [[Hedda Hopper]] announced Peppard would leave ''Company'' to make two films for MGM: ''Home from the Hill'' and ''The Subterraneans''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |date=February 26, 1959 |title=Metro Signs Anka for Movie Debut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-metro-signs-anka-f/171311779/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=C12 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

''[[Home from the Hill (film)|Home from the Hill]]'' was a prestigious film directed by [[Vincente Minnelli]] and starring [[Robert Mitchum]], who played Peppard's father. It featured several young actors MGM were hoping to develop, including Peppard, [[George Hamilton (actor)|George Hamilton]], and [[Luana Patten]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Scheuer |first=Philip K. |date=April 9, 1959 |title=New Impetus Lent Activity at MGM: Siegel Cites Impressive List of Stories, Stars, New Faces |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-new-impetus-lent-a/171311828/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=C9 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> During filming, Peppard said "[[Marlon Brando|Brando]] is a dead talent – I saw him in ''The Young Lions''" – but said Peck is "a man of integrity as a star and a person. [[Lee Strasberg]] is the only person I know who is brilliant."<ref name="young">{{cite news |last=Hyams |first=Joe |date=May 14, 1959 |title=Young Men of Movies Adopting Suave Style |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-young-men-of-movie/171311874/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=C9 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |agency=[[New York Herald|Herald Tribune News Service]]}}</ref>

"I want to be an actor and proud of my craft", said Peppard. "I would like to be an actor who is starred but being a star is something you can't count on whereas acting is something I can work on."<ref name="young"/> It was a success at the box office, although the film's high cost meant that it was not profitable.

Peppard's next film for MGM was ''[[The Subterraneans (film)|The Subterraneans]]'', an adaptation of [[The Subterraneans|the 1958 novel]] by [[Jack Kerouac]] co starring [[Leslie Caron]]. It flopped and Peppard said "I couldn't get arrested" afterwards.<ref name="rex"/>

He had meant to follow ''The Subterraneans'' by returning to Broadway with Julie Harris in ''The Warm Peninsular'' but this did not happen.<ref name="busy">{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |date=June 16, 1959 |title=Kelly Faces Busy TV, Film Schedule |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-kelly-faces-busy-t/171311376/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |page=29 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In April 1959 Hedda Hopper said he would be in ''Chatauqua''<ref>{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |date=August 20, 1959 |title=Looking at Hollywood: Movie to Recall the Chautauqua Circuit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-movie-to-recall-the-chau/171311907/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune |page=B2 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> but that was not made until a decade later, starring [[Elvis Presley]], as ''[[The Trouble with Girls (film)|The Trouble with Girls]]'' (1969). At the end of 1959 Hopper predicted Peppard would be a big star saying "he has great emotional power, is a fine athlete, and does offbeat characters such as James Dean excelled in."<ref>{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |date=December 27, 1959 |title=They'll Make Good in Hollywood! |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-theyll-make-good-in-ho/171311939/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Chicago Sunday Tribune Magazine |page=E10 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Sol Siegel announced he would play the lead in ''[[Two Weeks in Another Town]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |date=February 1, 1960 |title='Home from the Hill' Is Film for Whole Family |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-home-from-the-hill-is/171311979/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune |page=B3 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> ([[Kirk Douglas]] ended up playing it.) He was also announced for the role of [[Arthur Blake (distance runner)|Arthur Blake]] in a film about the first Olympics called ''And Seven from America'' which was never made.<ref>{{cite news |last=Scheuer |first=Philip K. |date=March 8, 1960 |title=MGM Reactivates True Olympic Tale |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-mgm-reactivates-tr/171312034/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=B9 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

Peppard returned to television to star in an episode of the anthology series ''[[Startime (1959 TV series)|Startime]]'', "[[Incident at a Corner]]" (1960) under the direction of [[Alfred Hitchcock]] alongside [[Vera Miles]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |date=February 8, 1960 |title=Looking at Hollywood: 2 Films at Once Keep Vegas in Whirl |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-2-films-at-once-keep-veg/171312073/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune |page=B4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

He played [[Teddy Roosevelt]] on television in an episode of ''[[Our American Heritage]]'', "The Invincible Teddy" (1961).<ref>{{cite news| title=Ina Balin Scheduled to Make Two Appearances in Roles On Dramatic Programs -- Miscellaneous Items| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1960/08/07/archives/ina-balin-scheduled-to-make-two-appearances-in-roles-on-dramatic.html|first=Val| last=Adams| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=August 7, 1960|page=X11| url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety221-1961-01/page/n401/mode/1up?q=%22george+peppard%22|magazine=Variety|title=Our American Heritage|date=18 January 1961|page=44}}</ref>