20.05.1919 - 24.02.1991 (71 years) (Chicago, Illinois, USA)
George Leslie Goebel (May 20, 1919 – February 24, 1991) was an American humorist, actor, and comedian. He was best known as the star of his own weekly comedy variety television series, The George Gobel Show, broadcasting from 1954 to 1959 on NBC, and on CBS from 1959 to 1960, (alternating in its final season with The Jack Benny Program). He was also a familiar panelist on the NBC game show Hollywood Squares. George Gobel was also a skilled guitar player, and as such was issued a specially designed electric guitar in his name commissioned by the Gibson guitar company in 1959; "The George Gobel Model". Gibson chose "George Gobel" as a model name, as Gobel was one of the most well known television personalities at the time with a nationally broadcast show five nights a week. Gibson believed their new model guitar would enjoy greater exposure on national television, as opposed to naming the model after a lesser known jazz musician, for example. Gobel accompanied himself with this guitar on a number of his comedy routines.