John Hillerman
John Hillerman | |
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Staff Sergeant | |
Unit | Strategic Air Command |
John Benedict Hillerman (December 20, 1932 – November 9, 2017) was an American actor best known for his starring role as
Early life and career
Hillerman was born in Denison, Texas, the son of Christopher Benedict Hillerman, a gas station owner, and Lenora Joan (née Medlinger).[1] He was the middle child with two sisters.[2] His father was the grandson of immigrants from Germany and Holland,[3][failed verification] and his mother the daughter of immigrants from Austria and Germany.[3][failed verification] He was a first cousin once removed of author Tony Hillerman. Hillerman developed an interest in opera at the age of ten, and traveled to Dallas to watch Metropolitan Opera productions.[4] He attended St. Xavier's Academy,[4] and after graduation, he attended the University of Texas at Austin for three years, majoring in journalism.[5]
Hillerman served four years in the
Career
Film
Hillerman made his film debut in They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970) in an uncredited role as a reporter.[8] Director Peter Bogdanovich, with whom Hillerman had previously worked during his stage career, cast Hillerman in his films The Last Picture Show; What's Up, Doc?; and Paper Moon.[4] Hillerman worked steadily thereafter in motion pictures and television through the 1970s, including notable supporting roles in the 1974 films Chinatown and Blazing Saddles.[2] After being cast in Magnum, P.I., he shot only four additional pictures between 1980 and 1996, with his final film performance coming in A Very Brady Sequel.
Television
In 1975, Hillerman was a co-star in
He is perhaps best remembered for his role as former British Army Sergeant Major Jonathan Higgins in Magnum, P.I. (1980–1988).[9]: 642 He learned to speak in the character's educated middle/upper class English accent, known as Received Pronunciation or the King's/Queen's English, by listening to a recording of Laurence Olivier reciting Hamlet.[10][note 1] He considered Higgins his favorite role,[11] and described the character in a 1988 interview as "think[ing] he's the only sane character [in the show], and everyone else is stark raving mad."[4] Hillerman recalled in 1984 that he was up for a role in the 1980 Buck Henry/Bob Newhart film First Family and "wanted the part very badly," and had he gotten the role, he would have turned down the role of Higgins.[12]
In 1982, Hillerman starred in the television pilot of Tales of the Gold Monkey, as a German villain named Fritz the Monocle.[13] He hosted the 1984 David Hemmings-directed puzzle video Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link.[14] In 1990, Hillerman returned to television as Lloyd Hogan in the sixth and final season of the sitcom The Hogan Family.[9]: 465 That same year, he portrayed Dr. Watson to Edward Woodward's Sherlock Holmes in Hands of a Murderer.[13]
In 1993, he appeared in Berlin Break for one season.
Later years and death
After Hillerman retired from acting in 1999, he returned to his home state of Texas.[11] On November 9, 2017, he died of cardiovascular disease at his Houston home, at the age of 84.[2][16]
Filmography
Sources:[6][13][15][17][18][19]
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1970 | They Call Me Mister Tibbs! | Reporter | Uncredited |
1971 | Lawman | Totts | |
1971 | The Last Picture Show | Teacher | |
1971 | Honky | ||
1972 | What's Up, Doc? | Hotel Manager Kaltenborn | |
1972 | The Carey Treatment | Jenkins | |
1972 | Skyjacked | Walter Brandt | |
1972 | The Outside Man | Department Store Manager | |
1973 | The Thief Who Came to Dinner | Edmund Lasker | |
1973 | High Plains Drifter | Bootmaker | |
1973 | Paper Moon | Deputy Hardin / Jess Hardin | |
1973 | The Naked Ape | Psychiatrist | |
1974 | Blazing Saddles | Howard Johnson | |
1974 | The Nickel Ride | Carl | |
1974 | Chinatown | Russ Yelburton | |
1975 | At Long Last Love | Rodney James | |
1975 | The Day of the Locust | Ned Grote | |
1975 | Lucky Lady | McTeague | |
1977 | Audrey Rose | Scott Velie | |
1979 | Sunburn | Webb | |
1981 | History of the World, Part I | Rich Man | (The French Revolution) |
1984 | Up the Creek | Dean Burch | |
1989 | Gummibärchen küßt man nicht | Padre | |
1996 | A Very Brady Sequel | Dr. Whitehead | (final film role) |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | Sweet, Sweet Rachel | Medical Examiner | Television film |
1972 | The Sixth Sense | Adrian Weems | Episode: "Once Upon a Chilling" |
1972 | Mannix | Larry Lawton | Episode: "Light and Shadow" |
1972 | The Great Man's Whiskers | Major Underwood | Television film |
1973 | Mannix | J. H. Morell | Episode: "Silent Target" |
1974 | Maude | Drunk | Episode: "The Commuter Station" |
1974 | Kojak | Mark Gallant | Episode: "The Only Way Out" |
1974 | The Law | Thomas Rachel | Television film |
1975 | Mannix | Norman Thompson | Episode: "Search for a Dead Man" |
1975 | The Bob Crane Show | Dean Harrington | Episode: "The Son of the Campus Capers" |
1975–1976 | Ellery Queen | Simon Brimmer | 8 episodes |
1976 | Serpico | Raoul Christie | Episode: "Rapid Fire" |
1976 | Hawaii Five-O | Donald Blair | Episode: "Man on Fire" |
1976 | Wonder Woman | Conrad Steigler | Episode: "Wonder Woman vs Gargantua" |
1976–1980 | One Day at a Time | Mr. Connors | 6 episodes |
1977 | Delvecchio | Dr. Augustus Hamilton | Episode: "Licensed to Kill" |
1977–1978 | The Betty White Show | John Elliott | 14 episodes |
1978 | Hawaii Five-O | Nelson Bodine | Episode: "A Stranger in His Grave" |
1978 | Little House on the Prairie | Sterling Murdock | Episode: "Harriet's Happening" |
1979 | The Love Boat | Ed Hartnett | 2 episodes |
1979 | Beane's of Boston | John Peacock | Pilot |
1980 | Soap | Minister | Episode: "3.12" |
1980 | Young Maverick | McBurney | Episode: "Makin' Tracks" |
1980 | Hart to Hart | Victor Sutter | Episode: "Cruise At Your Own Risk" |
1980 | Tenspeed and Brown Shoe | William Whitney | Episode: "Diamonds Aren't Forever" |
1980 | Lou Grant | Sturbridge | Episode: "Pack" |
1980–1988 | Magnum, P.I. | Jonathan Higgins | 158 episodes Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1983, 1985, 1987–1988) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (1984–1986) |
1982 | Tales of the Gold Monkey | Monocle | 2 episodes |
1982 | Simon & Simon | Jonathan Higgins | Episode: "Emeralds Are Not a Girl's Best Friend" |
1983 | The Love Boat | Manfred | Episode: "The Last Case" |
1986 | Murder, She Wrote | Jonathan Higgins | Episode: "Magnum on Ice" |
1987 | Assault and Matrimony | Neighbor, Cyril | Television film |
1989 | Around the World in 80 Days | Sir Francis Commarty | 3 episodes |
1990 | Hands of a Murderer | Dr. John Watson | Television film |
1990–1991 | The Hogan Family | Lloyd Hogan | 13 episodes |
1992 | Murder, She Wrote | Edgar Greenstreet | Episode: "Murder on Madison Avenue" |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Primetime Emmy Awards
| |||
1984 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Magnum, P.I. | Nominated[20] |
1985 | Nominated[21] | ||
1986 | Nominated[22] | ||
1987 | Won[23] | ||
Golden Globe Awards
| |||
1982 | Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Magnum, P.I. | Won[24] |
1983 | Nominated[24] | ||
1985 | Nominated[24] | ||
1987 | Nominated[24] | ||
1988 | Nominated[24] |
Notes
- ^ An article about Hillerman in Orange Coast magazine in June 1988 said, "... the accent supplanted a thick drawl. Born and raised in Texas, he [Hillerman] trained away the drawl in a year of intensive work in New York's American Theatre Wing."
References
- ^ "John Hillerman Biography". filmreference.com. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ a b c Haas, Matthew (November 9, 2017). "John Hillerman, Snooty Sidekick on 'Magnum, P.I.,' Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ a b Sheff, David (April 18, 1983). "The Lean Years Are Over for John Hillerman, Who's Finding a Magnum of Success in Hawaii". People. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Logan, Dan (June 1988). "John Hillerman Says Goodbye to Magnum, P.I." Orange Coast. pp. 214–215. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- Tribune Media Services. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "John Hillerman, Emmy-Winning 'Magnum, P.I.' Actor, Dies at 84". Variety. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "("John Hillerman" search results)". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ "'Magnum, P.I.' Star John Hillerman Dead At 84". TMZ. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- ^ a b Conroy, Sarah Booth (June 1, 1986). "John Hillerman". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "'Magnum, P.I.' actor John Hillerman dies at 84". Los Angeles Times. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "John Hillerman for "Money Hunt" 1984". YouTube. The Bobbie Wygant Archive.
- ^ a b c Barnes, Mike (November 9, 2017). "John Hillerman, Higgins on 'Magnum, P.I.,' Dies at 84". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "Billboard Videocassette Top 40" (PDF). Billboard. September 15, 1984. p. 30. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "'Magnum P.I.' Higgins actor John Hillerman dies at 84". Fox News. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "'Magnum, P.I.' Star Died From Heart Disease". TMZ. December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "John Hillerman Filmography". FanDango. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "John Hillerman". Hollywood. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "John Hillerman Filmography". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners". emmys.com. 1984. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners". emmys.com. 1985. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners". emmys.com. 1986. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners". emmys.com. 1987. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "Winners and Nominees: John Hillerman". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
External links
- John Hillerman at IMDb
- John Hillerman at the TCM Movie Database
- John Hillerman at the Internet Broadway Database
- John Hillerman at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- John Hillerman — Aveleyman