BOB HASTINGS

April 18, 1925

Robert Francis Hastings was born in Brooklyn, New York. He started out as a boy singer on “National Barn Dance”, “Doug Gray’s Singing Gang” and “Coast to Coast on a Bus”. He also portrayed Jerry on the radio program “The Sea Hound.” Hastings served during World War II in the United States Army Air Corps.

He was best known for his portrayal of annoying suck-up Lt. Elroy Carpenter on “McHale’s Navy” (1962-66). 

The good-looking Hastings made the transition from radio to television in 1949 in “Captain Video and His Video Rangers” in which his younger brother Don played the leading role.

 His first recurring role was as Lieutenant Wilson on “The Phil Silvers Show” aka “Sgt. Bilko” doing eight episodes between 1955 and 1959. He did not appear in the one which featured Lucille Ball in March 1959. 

In 1959 he appeared in an episode of Desilu’s “The Real McCoys” (above left), his first time working for Desilu, quickly followed by an episode of Desilu’s “The Untouchables.” In 1961, he was seen on “Angel”, a series filmed at Desilu Studios. 

Little known fact: Hastings was the voice of the wise-cracking raven in the clock on “The Munsters”!  He shared the role with voice artist Mel Blanc, although Hastings did more episodes. The clock itself later found it’s way to “Here’s Lucy” (just like Hastings), the raven did not come with it!  It was replaced by a cardinal. 

On October 12, 1970, Hastings played Martin Phillips, a man with a malfunctioning doll, in “Lucy, the Crusader” (HL S3;E5). Phillips complains about a doll that is supposed to walk, talk, and wet. It only does two of the three properly. (Guess which one!) 

Hastings’ final screen appearance was in the 1992 film Shadow Force starring Dirk Benedict. He played a mayor. 

After this, he worked exclusively in voice-over for animation and video games, becoming known as the voice of Batman’s Commissioner Gordon. He has played the character on four different series: “Batman: The Animated Series” (1992), “Superman: The Animated Series” (1996), “The New Batman Adventures” (1997) and “Static Shock” (2000).

He died on June 30, 2014 at age 89. From 1948 until his death he was married to Joan Marie Rice. They had four children.