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Born: February 27, 1940 - Died: January 29, 2022
Howard Hesseman, born on February 27, 1940, was a renowned actor known for his significant contributions to the entertainment industry. Raised in the late 1960s, Hesseman emerged as a leading counter-culture figure and was a part of the esteemed improv group, "The Committee", during the 1960s and 1970s. With a career spanning several decades, he garnered recognition for his versatile roles in various television shows such as The Andy Griffith Show, Dragnet 1967, Soap, and Sanford and Son. However, it was his iconic portrayal of anti-disco hipster DJ "Dr. Johnny Fever" in the classic series WKRP in Cincinnati that truly propelled him to prominence. Born in tragedy and surging to stardom, Howard Hesseman will always be remembered as a remarkable actor who left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.
Early Life and Career
Howard Hesseman began his acting career as a member of the improv group "The Committee" during the 1960s and 1970s.
Hesseman's first professional role came with small parts in television shows such as The Andy Griffith Show, Dragnet 1967, Soap, and Sanford and Son in the 1960s and 1970s. However, his breakthrough role came as Howard Johnson in the cult classic "Head of the Class," which had a significant impact on his career.
Hesseman's most notable role, and the one that catapulted him into stardom, was his portrayal of anti-disco hipster DJ "Dr. Johnny Fever" in the classic series "WKRP in Cincinnati." This role became iconic and made Hesseman a household name.
Howard Hesseman was nominated for two Primetime Emmys and received a total of five nominations.
Howard Hesseman left a lasting impact on Hollywood and the entertainment industry through his memorable performances, especially as "Dr. Johnny Fever." His portrayal of this character has made him an icon and a beloved figure in the television industry. Hesseman's contributions to the counter-culture movement of the late 1960s and his extensive body of work make him a respected and influential actor.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Dirty Politics | Big Oil |
| 2017 | Fresh Off the Boat (TV Series) | Mr. Royce |
| 2016 | Emmett in Peopleland (Short) | Howard Oozman |
| 2016 | Silver Skies | Billy |
| 2016 | A Christmas in Vermont (TV Movie) | Nick Harper |
| 2016 | Wild Oats | Vespucci |
| 2016 | Chicago Med (TV Series) | Clyde Glickman |
| 2015 | The Homeless Detective (TV Movie) | Howard Oozman |
| 2013 | HitStreak (TV Series) | (2013) |
| 2012 | A Helping Hand (Short) | Howard |
| 2012 | Bigfoot (TV Movie) | Mayor Tommy Gillis |
| 2012 | Mike & Molly (TV Series) | Otis |
| 2011 | Drop Dead Diva (TV Series) | Cole Lamburt |
| 2011 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (TV Series) | Dr. Aden |
| 2010 | Lie to Me (TV Series) | Sam Hendricks |
| 2009 | All About Steve | Mr. Horowitz |
| 2009 | Halloween II | Uncle Meat |
| 2008 | The Rocker | Gator |
| 2007 | Martian Child | Dr. Berg |
| 2007 | ER (TV Series) | Dr. James Broderick |
| 2007 | John from Cincinnati (TV Series) | Erlemeyer |
| 2007 | Psych (TV Series) | Barry Saunder (as Howard Hessman) |
| 2006–2007 | Boston Legal (TV Series) | Judge Robert Thompson |
| 2006 | Domestic Import | Lou Kimmelman |
| 2006 | House (TV Series) | Henry Errington |
| 2006 | Man About Town | Ben Giamoro |
| 2004 | Oliver Beene (TV Series) | Dr. Fenniger |
| 2003 | Boomtown (TV Series) | Mel Castle |
| 2003 | It's All Relative (TV Series) | Monty |
| 2002 | About Schmidt | Larry Hertzel |
| 2002 | Maybe It's Me (TV Series) | Mr. Finn |
| 2002 | The Mesmerist | Mr. Valdemar |
| 2001 | Crossing Jordan (TV Series) | Barney Reynolds |
| 2001 | Thieves (TV Series) | Hal Bloomberg |
| 2001 | That '70s Show (TV Series) | Max |
| 2001 | Teddy Bears' Picnic | Ted Frye |
| 2001 | Three Sisters (TV Series) | Jerry Keats |
| 2001 | Level 9 (TV Series) | General Richard Scheffer |
| 2000 | Touched by an Angel (TV Series) | Flynn Hodge |
| 1999 | The Sky Is Falling | Yogi Cook |
| 1999 | The Pretender (TV Series) | Landlord |
| 1999 | Family Law (TV Series) | Howard Thomas | Randall |
| 1999 | Tracey Takes On... (TV Series) | Todd |
| 1999 | The Practice (TV Series) | Judge C. Williams |
| 1998 | The Way to Santiago (Short) | Johnson |
| 1998 | Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (TV Series) | Mr. Bergen |
| 1997 | On the 2nd Day of Christmas (TV Movie) | David |
| 1997 | High Stakes (TV Movie) | Wayne Dreyer |
| 1997 | The Outer Limits (TV Series) | Dr. Emory Taylor |
| 1997 | Gridlock'd | Blind Man |
| 1996 | Boys Night Out (Short) | Sheba | Mr. Cabot |
| 1996 | Innocent Victims (TV Movie) | Smithline |
| 1995 | Out-of-Sync | Det. Caldwell |
| 1995 | Burke's Law (TV Series) | Chuck Mason |
| 1994 | Munchie Strikes Back | Munchie (voice) |
| 1993 | Little Miss Millions | Nick Frost |
| 1993 | Lethal Exposure (TV Movie) | Taylor |
| 1991–1993 | The New WKRP in Cincinnati (TV Series) | Dr. Johnny Fever |
| 1992 | Hot Chocolate (TV Movie) | Mr. Cassidy |
| 1992 | The Ray Bradbury Theater (TV Series) | Walter Bayes |
| 1992 | Quiet Killer (TV Movie) | Calvin Phillips |
| 1991 | Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Smart Story (TV Movie) | Paul Maggioto |
| 1991 | Rubin and Ed | Ed Tuttle |
| 1990 | Call Me Anna (TV Movie) | John Ross |
| 1986–1990 | Head of the Class (TV Series) | Charlie Moore |
| 1988 | The Diamond Trap (TV Movie) | Det. Rollings |
| 1987 | Amazon Women on the Moon | Rupert King (segment "Titan Man") |
| 1987 | Six Against the Rock (TV Movie) | Joseph 'Dutch' Cretzer |
| 1986 | Heat | Pinchus Zion |
| 1986 | Inside Out | Jack |
| 1986 | Faerie Tale Theatre (TV Series) | King |
| 1986 | Flight of the Navigator | Dr. Louis Faraday |
| 1986 | My Chauffeur | McBride |
| 1985 | Clue | The Chief (uncredited) |
| 1985 | George Burns Comedy Week (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1985 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) | Sheldon Greenberg |
| 1985 | Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment | Pete Lassard |
| 1984 | Silence of the Heart (TV Movie) | Carl Lewis |
| 1982–1984 | One Day at a Time (TV Series) | Sam Royer |
| 1984 | Best Kept Secrets (TV Movie) | Jim Osborne |
| 1984 | Mister Roberts (TV Movie) | Doc |
| 1984 | This Is Spinal Tap | Terry Ladd |
| 1983 | Focus on Fishko (Short) | Sy |
| 1983 | Likely Stories, Vol. 4 (TV Movie) | Seymour Z. Fishko |
| 1983 | Love, Sidney (TV Series) | Earl Edwards |
| 1983 | Doctor Detroit | Smooth Walker |
| 1982 | Nine to Five (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1982 | One Shoe Makes It Murder (TV Movie) | Joe Hervey |
| 1978–1982 | WKRP in Cincinnati (TV Series) | Dr. Johnny Fever | Ghost of Christmas Future |
| 1982 | Victims (TV Movie) | Charles Galloway |
| 1981 | Honky Tonk Freeway | Snapper |
| 1981 | Private Lessons | Lester |
| 1980 | Skyward (TV Movie) | Koup Trenton |
| 1980 | Gridlock (TV Movie) | Senor Smooth (voice) |
| 1979 | The Jerk | Carnival Worker (uncredited) |
| 1979 | Americathon | Kip Margolis |
| 1979 | You Can't Take It with You (TV Movie) | Wilbur C. Henderson |
| 1978 | More Than Friends (TV Movie) | Avery Salminella |
| 1978 | Outside Chance (TV Movie) | David |
| 1978 | Coming Attractions | Ernie Piles |
| 1978 | The Comedy Company (TV Movie) | Roger Dustleman |
| 1978 | Soap (TV Series) | Mr. Franklin |
| 1978 | Husbands, Wives & Lovers (TV Series) | Dave |
| 1978 | The Rockford Files (TV Series) | Al Steever |
| 1978 | The Ghost of Flight 401 (TV Movie) | Bert Stockwell |
| 1974–1978 | The Bob Newhart Show (TV Series) | Craig Plager | Augie |
| 1977 | Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo (TV Movie) | Fred |
| 1977 | Quincy M.E. (TV Series) | D.A. Jerry Douglas |
| 1977 | Blansky's Beauties (TV Series) | Dr. Berg |
| 1977 | The Other Side of Midnight | O'Brien |
| 1976–1977 | Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (TV Series) | Dr. Robert Williams |
| 1977 | The TVTV Show (TV Movie) | Ralph Buckler |
| 1977 | The Amazing Howard Hughes (TV Movie) | Jenks |
| 1977 | Westside Medical (TV Series) | Buz Canfield |
| 1977 | Tail Gunner Joe (TV Movie) | Lt. Ted Cantwell |
| 1977 | Delvecchio (TV Series) | Goldie |
| 1976 | Laverne & Shirley (TV Series) | Dr. Grayson |
| 1976 | Baretta (TV Series) | Walker |
| 1976 | Switch (TV Series) | M.W. Hoffman (as Howard Hessman) |
| 1976 | The Big Bus | Jack |
| 1976 | Silent Movie | Executive |
| 1976 | Jackson County Jail | David |
| 1976 | Tunnel Vision | Senator McMannus |
| 1976 | Family (TV Series) | Store Manager |
| 1976 | Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur (TV Movie) | AP Man |
| 1975 | The Sunshine Boys | Mr. Walsh - Commercial Director |
| 1975 | Harry O (TV Series) | Senator Lawler |
| 1975 | Whiffs | Dr. Gopian |
| 1975 | Fay (TV Series) | Curtis |
| 1975 | Prisoners | Unknown |
| 1975 | The Blue Knight (TV Series) | Resident |
| 1975 | Sanford and Son (TV Series) | Professor Stoneham |
| 1975 | Hustling (TV Movie) | Detective |
| 1975 | Shampoo | Red Dog |
| 1975 | Mannix (TV Series) | Ray Bennett |
| 1974 | Rhoda (TV Series) | Kirk Stevens |
| 1974 | Another April (TV Movie) | Dennis Webber |
| 1974 | Firehouse (TV Series) | Hanley |
| 1974 | Thanks A Lot (Short) | Charlie |
| 1973 | The Blue Knight (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1973 | Kid Blue | Confectionary Man (as Howard Hessman) |
| 1973 | Jory | Santa Rosa Bartender (uncredited) |
| 1973 | Steelyard Blues | Frank Veldin |
| 1971 | The Christian Licorice Store | Last Party Guest |
| 1971 | Cisco Pike | Recording Engineer (as Don Sturdy) |
| 1971 | Billy Jack | Drama Teacher (as Don Sturdy) |
| 1971 | The Feminist and the Fuzz (TV Movie) | Hippie (uncredited) |
| 1969 | Some Kind of a Nut | Bartender (uncredited) |
| 1969 | Where It's At | (as The Committee) |
| 1968–1969 | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (TV Series) | Various (as The Committee) |
| 1968 | Dragnet 1967 (TV Series) | Jesse Chaplin (as Don Sturdy) |
| 1968 | Petulia | Hippie (uncredited) |
| 1968 | The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) | Harry | Counterboy (as Don Sturdy) |