George Sawaya

George Frances Carey Sawaya (August 14, 1923 – September 17, 2003) was an American actor and stuntman. He was best known for playing the role of Detective Lopez on Jack Webb's Dragnet.

Life and career Sawaya was born in Los Angeles, California. He served in the United States Army during World War II.

Sawaya began his television debut in 1952, where he played the role of the Hispanic character "Detective Lopez" on Jack Webb's Dragnet until 1957. He then made an appearance in the western series The Man Behind the Badge. Sawaya also made an appearance in the action and adventure television series Yancy Derringer. He made guest-starring appearances in Bonanza, The Wild Wild West, Mannix, Star Trek: The Original Series, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Rockford Files, The Time Tunnel, Mission: Impossible, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Columbo, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and Get Smart.

Death Sawaya died in September 2003 in Studio City, California, at the age of 80. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Selected filmography

The Lady Says No (1951) - Minor Role (uncredited) With a Song in My Heart (1952) - Soldier (uncredited) The Narrow Margin (1952) - Reporter (uncredited) Down Among the Sheltering Palms (1952) - Native (uncredited) Here Come the Marines (1952) - Soldier (uncredited) What Price Glory (1952) - Minor Role (uncredited) Tropic Zone (1953) - Minor Role (uncredited) Desert Legion (1953) - Soldier (uncredited) The Desert Song (1953) - Riff Guard (uncredited) A Lion Is in the Streets (1953) - Townsman (uncredited) Dragnet (1954) - McQueen (uncredited) Day of Triumph (1954) - James the Less (uncredited) The Prodigal (1955) - Kavak The Black Sleep (1956) - K6 - Sailor Emergency Hospital (1956) - Jack (uncredited) Hot Cars (1956) - Lt. Holmes (uncredited) Bop Girl Goes Calypso (1957) - Short Record Company Representative (uncredited) Andy Hardy Comes Home (1958) - Party Guest (uncredited) The Walking Target (1960) - Brodney's Driver (uncredited) Police Dog Story (1961) - Driver Man-Trap (1961) - Truck Driver (uncredited) Everything's Ducky (1961) - Simmons Hands of a Stranger (1962) - Tony Wilder Escape from Zahrain (1962) - Arab Guard Refinery Gate (uncredited) Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962) - Nomad Chief (uncredited) Diary of a Madman (1963) - Wagon Driver California (1963) - Soldier (uncredited) Drums of Africa (1963) - Arab Come Blow Your Horn (1963) - Minor Role (uncredited) Fort Courageous (1965) - Indian #2 Convict Stage (1965) - Adam Scott The Money Trap (1965) - Angelo (uncredited) The Lollipop Cover (1965) - The Fighter Batman (1966) - Quetch The Young Warriors (1967) Sol Madrid (1968) - Dietrich Gunman Panic in the City (1968) - Karl Sinden (Mr. X) The Boston Strangler (1968) - Police Officer (uncredited) More Dead Than Alive (1969) - Guard Captain Sam Whiskey (1969) Justine (1969) - Tough (uncredited) Private Duty Nurses (1971) - Ahmed The Poseidon Adventure (1972) - Bos'n Mate (uncredited) The Don Is Dead (1973) - Garcia (uncredited) Blazing Saddles (1974) - Townsman (uncredited) Earthquake (1974) - Deputy Sheriff (uncredited) The Devil's Rain (1975) - Steve Preston Embryo (1976) - Policeman St. Ives (1976) - Arab Bagman The Domino Principle (1977) - Assassination Victim (uncredited) I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) - (uncredited) The Concorde ... Airport '79 (1979) - Girard Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) - Hood #3 Repo Man (1984) - First Repo Victim (final film role)