No, the GC won't starve to death, but he also won't find a crate of babies. Events only happen if there is an adult villager around.

Also, the GC won't make food (or restore crops/create berries) unless the game is open. You you can't count on his supplying the village, no matter what speed it is.

But I'm curious, did you villagers know how to fish? I need to keep checing my "no fishing" village since they'll eat more than the crops and berries supply (without the GC), but in all my other villages, there are plenty of "natural" farmers to keep the supplies at a healthy level.