William Christopher
William Christopher | |
---|---|
Born | William Christopher October 20, 1932 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
Died | December 31, 2016 (aged 84) Pasadena, California, U.S. |
Alma mater | Wesleyan University, BA |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1965–2012 |
William Christopher (October 20, 1932 – December 31, 2016) was an American actor and comedian, best known for playing Private Lester Hummel on from 1983 to 1985.
Early life
Christopher was born in Evanston, Illinois, in a family believed to be descendants of Paul Revere.[1] He spent his youth in several of Chicago's northern suburbs,[2] including Winnetka, Illinois, where he attended New Trier High School.[2] Christopher graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, with a Bachelor of Arts in drama, focusing on Greek literature.[1][3] While at university, he participated in fencing, soccer, and the glee club, and was initiated as a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.[4]
Career
Christopher moved to New York and appeared in a variety of regional productions and later a number of off-Broadway productions such as The Hostage at One Sheridan Square. His Broadway debut came in Beyond the Fringe, a British revue, acting alongside Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.[5][1]
Christopher left New York City for Hollywood to attempt to gain work in television where he guest-starred in several well-known series, including
In 1972, Christopher gained the role of
In feature films, Christopher performed in
After gaining attention for M*A*S*H, Christopher appeared in various other television series, including
Charity work
Christopher, whose son Ned has
Personal life
Christopher met his future wife Barbara on a blind date. They married in 1957 and the couple adopted two sons, John and Ned.
Death
Christopher died at his home in
Partial filmography
- 1965: 12 O'Clock High(TV series, Episode: "Then Came the Mighty Hunter") as Patient
- 1965: Hank (TV series, Episode: "Candidate") as Elwood
- 1965: The Andy Griffith Show (TV series, 2 episodes) as Mr. Heathcote, IRS
- 1965–1968: Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (TV series) as recurring character Private Lester Hummel
- 1965: Hogan's Heroes (TV series, 4 episodes) as multiple characters in 1965, 1966 and 1968
- 1966: The Patty Duke Show (TV series, Episode: "Three Little Kittens") as Man
- 1966: The Fortune Cookie as Intern
- 1967: The Perils of Pauline as Doctor (uncredited)
- 1967: The Andy Griffith Show (TV series, 1 episode) Thomas Peterson, MD
- 1968: The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell as Pvt. Jake Schultz
- 1968: The Shakiest Gun in the West as Hotel Manager (uncredited)
- 1968: With Six You Get Eggroll as Zip-Cloud
- 1969: That Girl Season 4, Episode 14 as Chippy Dolan
- 1972: The Carol Burnett Show Season 5, Episode 15 (January 5, 1972), uncredited appearance, performing improv skits as a student from Harvey Lembeck’s workshop with Carol White, and Shelia Bartold, introduced by Burnett as Bill Christopher
- 1972–1983: M*A*S*H (TV series) as Father John Mulcahy
- 1974: Movin’ On (TV series, Episode: "Grit") as Jewelry Clerk
- 1975: Hearts of the West as Bank Teller
- 1975: Good Times (TV series, Episode: "The Enlistment") as The Doctor, Major Bullock
- 1983–1985: AfterMASH (TV series) as Father John Mulcahy
- 1985: Murder, She Wrote (TV series, Episode: "A Lady in the Lake") as Burton Hollis
- 1994: Heaven Sent as Priest
- 1998: Mad About You (TV series, Episode: "A Pain in the Neck") as Chaplain Olsen
- 2012: Days of Our Lives (TV series) as Father Tobias (final appearance)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "William Christopher – Biography". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ a b Hendrickson, Matthew (December 31, 2016). "'MASH' actor, Evanston native William Christopher dead at 84". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on January 1, 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Carcamo, Cindy (December 31, 2016). "William Christopher, Father Mulcahy on 'MASH,' dies at 84". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ "Honoring the Sigma Chi Fraternity on the occasion of its 150th anniversary". Congressional Record. June 22, 2005. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ a b c Littleton, Cynthia (December 31, 2016). "'M*A*S*H' Star William Christopher Dies at 84". Variety. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ "Church Basement Ladies Tour 2008". Troupeamerica.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
- ^ "Days and M*A*S*H alum William Christopher dead at 84". soaps.sheknows.com. January 2, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ "A blind date in college led to the most charming duet on M*A*S*H". Me-TV Network. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
- ^ "William Christopher, Father Mulcahy on 'M*A*S*H,' dies at 84". ABC7 Los Angeles. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Dunham, Will (December 31, 2016). "Actor William Christopher, M*A*S*H chaplain, dead at 84". Reuters.
External links
- William Christopher at IMDb