George Edward Olsen Sr. was an American musician and bandleader.
Born in Portland, Oregon, Olsen's orchestra's debut hotel engagement came at the Multnomah Hotel in Portland. He then made the cross-county transition to Broadway, appearing in Kid Boots, the Ziegfeld Follies of 1924, Ziegfeld Follies of 1925, and Good News.
George Olsen and his orchestra were in Eddie Cantor's 1928 Broadway hit Whoopee!, and in the 1930 movie version. In the Follies George met a singer, Ethel Shutta, who sings and dances memorably in Whoopee!, and they married, appearing together in nightclubs and on radio. They had two children, George Jr. and Charles; following a divorce, Olsen opened a restaurant in Paramus, New Jersey. Olsen and Shutta were heard on the Oldsmobile Program on CBS radio in 1933. He also was an orchestra leader for The Jack Benny Program on radio.
Olsen signed with Victor in 1924 and remained as one of Victor's most popular bands until 1933 when he signed with Columbia. He stayed with Columbia through January, 1934. He recorded a single session in 1938 for Decca, and one final date for the rare Varsity label in 1940.
Olsen's bands produced few stars.