One of the men who played George's boss on the ABC sitcom George Lopez has died. Jack Blessing, who portrayed the womanizing and discipline dole-ing Jack Powers throughout the course of the series, passed away in his home Tuesday, November 14 following a struggle with pancreatic cancer. Blessing passed away in his home in Chatsworth, California at the age of 66 according to his son.
THR's report of Jack Blessing's death will surely shock fans of his work on the small screen. On George Lopez, Blessing portrayed one of the two Powers brothers who owned George's workplace, Powers & Sons Aviation. Blessing appeared in 20 of the 120 episodes George Lopez would air, and fans of the series might remember him from the episode in which George was encouraged to cut his hair prior to a visit from the President of the United States. At the show's end, Blessing would go on to do some voice work and one-off roles in shows like Mike & Molly and The Closer, but the series would prove to be his last recurring role in television.
Beyond George Lopez, television audiences might recognize Jack Blessing from the mid 90s series The Naked Truth, where he played Mr. Donner for a time. Blessing was also featured in the mid to late 80s series Moonlighting as McGillicuddy, beginning in Season 3. One of Blessing's earliest breaks in Hollywood was his role as Frye in the Disney-CBS comedy Small & Frye. In the short-lived series, Blessing's character was able to have a slight advantage over other detectives, as he was able to decrease his size to about 6 inches. Beyond his work in television, Blessing was also featured in a handful of Hollywood films such as Mastermind, Heaven's Gate, Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby, and Thirteen Days.
Jack Blessing is survived by his sons Christopher and Ian, and his wife of 32 years Lora Staley Blessing. Blessing's had an opportunity to work with his wife Lora when she was cast in a Season 3 episode of Moonlighting titled "Shirts and Skins." The two first met at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, where they had been working as understudies for a comedy. His son Ian, who shared the news with outlets, wrote the following tribute to his father, following his year and a half long battle with pancreatic cancer:
Jack Blessing was a remarkable man, father, and husband. He lives on through everyone who loved him, and my family and I will be forever grateful for the sixty-six years he gave to this world.
Jack Blessing led a long career in acting, and surely touched the lives of many with his performances. While his roles have come to an end, Blessing's legacy will live on through syndicated runs of George Lopez, as well as the various other projects he was attached to throughout the years. The CinemaBlend family offers its condolences to Christopher, Ian, Lora and the rest of the Blessing family as they continue to heal following his passing.
