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'''John Benedict Hillerman''' (December 20, 1932 – November 9, 2017) was an American actor |
'''John Benedict Hillerman''' (December 20, 1932 – November 9, 2017) was an American actor best known for his starring role as [[Jonathan Higgins|Jonathan Quayle Higgins III]] on the television show ''[[Magnum, P.I.]]'' that aired from 1980–88. For his role as Higgins, Hillerman earned five [[Golden Globe Award|Golden Globe]] nominations, winning in 1981, and four [[Emmy Award|Emmy]] nominations, winning in 1987. He retired from acting in 1999. |
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==Personal life== |
==Personal life== |
Revision as of 02:45, 10 November 2017
This article is currently being heavily edited because its subject has recently died. Information about their death and related events may change significantly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The most recent updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
John Hillerman | |
---|---|
![]() Hillerman in The Betty White Show, 1977 | |
Born | John Benedict Hillerman December 20, 1932 |
Died | November 9, 2017 Houston, Texas, U.S. | (aged 84)
Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1957–1999 |
John Benedict Hillerman (December 20, 1932 – November 9, 2017) was an American actor best known for his starring role as Jonathan Quayle Higgins III on the television show Magnum, P.I. that aired from 1980–88. For his role as Higgins, Hillerman earned five Golden Globe nominations, winning in 1981, and four Emmy nominations, winning in 1987. He retired from acting in 1999.
Personal life
Hillerman was born in Denison, Texas, the son of Christopher Benedict Hillerman, a gas station owner, and Lenora Joan (née Medlinger).[1] His father was the grandson of immigrants from Germany and France.[2] His mother was the daughter of immigrants from Austria and Germany.[2]
When he was 10 years old, Hillerman developed an interest in opera; when he was 12, he took a train to see performances when Metropolitan Opera productions were presented in Dallas.[3] Young Hillerman grew up in Denison and attended St. Xavier's Academy.[3]
After graduation, he attended the University of Texas at Austin for three years, majoring in journalism.[4]
Military service
In 1953, Hillerman joined the United States Air Force, working in maintenance in a B-36 wing of the Strategic Air Command.[3] He served for four years and achieved the rank of Sergeant.[5] During his years of military service, he worked with various theatrical groups.[6] He said of his early work with a Fort Worth community theater group: "I was bored with barracks life. I got into it to meet people in town. A light went on."[3] On his discharge he moved to New York City to study at the American Theatre Wing. In 1957, he began his career in professional theater.[5]
Stage
Hillerman had "more than 100 leading roles on and off Broadway".[3] He appeared on Broadway in 1959 in both King Henry IV, Part II and The Great God Brown[7] and worked in live performances in a variety of venues before making his motion picture debut in 1970.[8]
Film
Hillerman had roles in 20 films, including The Last Picture Show (1971), What's Up, Doc? (1972), High Plains Drifter (1973), Paper Moon (1973), Blazing Saddles (1974), and Chinatown (1974). His other roles include Lucky Lady (1975), At Long Last Love (1975), and a small appearance in the comedy film Up the Creek (1984).[3]
Television
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Betty_white_show_1977.jpg/200px-Betty_white_show_1977.jpg)
In 1975, Hillerman was a co-star in Ellery Queen as Simon Brimmer, a radio detective who hosted a live radio show and tried to outsmart Ellery Queen (Jim Hutton).[9]: 305 From 1976 to 1980, he had a recurring role as Mr. Conners on the television series One Day at a Time and he co-starred as Betty White's estranged husband on The Betty White Show (1977-1978).[9]
He was probably best remembered for his role as former British Army Sergeant Major Jonathan Quayle Higgins III ("Higgins") on the television series Magnum, P.I. (1980–88).[9]: 642 Hillerman learned to speak with the English accent of Higgins as "he spent most of his days listening to a recorded Lawrence Olivier recite 'Hamlet.'"[10][note 1] He had acted as Magnum's foil and often used Higgins's catchphrase, "Oh my God!" whenever Magnum did something Hillerman's character would probably call, "Utterly ridiculous and stupid!"[3]
In 1982, Hillerman played in the television pilot of Tales of the Gold Monkey, where he played a German villain by the name of "Fritz the Monocle".[11]
In 1984, he hosted the David Hemmings-directed puzzle video Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link.[12] In 1990, Hillerman returned to television to perform for one season as Lloyd Hogan in the series The Hogan Family.[9]: 465 That same year, Hillerman portrayed Dr Watson to Edward Woodward's Sherlock Holmes in Hands of a Murderer.[11]
In 1993, he appeared in Berlin Break for one season.[10] He played the role of Mac Mackenzie, a former spy and currently the proprietor of "Mac's", a bar in West Berlin considered to be neutral territory during the Cold War.[9] He teamed up with two jobless spies as investigators: Valentin Renko (Nicholas Clay), an ex-KGB agent, and Willy Richter (Kai Wulff), an ex-BND (West German secret service) operative.[5] The show reunited him with Jeff MacKay, who portrayed "Mac" MacReynolds in Magnum P.I..[13]
Later years and death
After Hillerman retired from acting in 1999, he returned to his home state of Texas.[14] On November 9, 2017, he died at his Houston home at the age of 84, and had been in declining health near the end of his life.[14]
Filmography
Sources: [13][5][11][15][16][17]
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1970 | They Call Me Mister Tibbs! | Reporter | Uncredited |
1971 | Lawman | Totts | |
1971 | The Last Picture Show | Teacher | |
1972 | What's Up, Doc? | Hotel Manager Kaltenborn | |
1972 | The Carey Treatment | Jenkins | |
1972 | Skyjacked | Walter Brandt | |
1972 | The Outside Man | 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 | Yelburton | |
1975 | At Long Last Love | Rodney James | |
1975 | The Day of the Locust | Ned Grote | |
1975 | Lucky Lady | McTeague | |
1977 | Audrey Rose | Scott | |
1979 | Sunburn | Webb | |
1981 | History of the World, Part I | Rich Man (French Revolution) | |
1984 | Up the Creek | Dean Burch | |
1989 | Gummibärchen küßt man nicht | Padre | |
1996 | A Very Brady Sequel | Dr. Whitehead |
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" |
1975–76 | 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" |
1976–80 | One Day at a Time | Mr. Connors | 6 episodes |
1977 | Delvecchio | Dr. Augustus Hamilton | Episode: "Licensed to Kill" |
1977–78 | 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 |
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" |
1980–88 | 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, 1987–88) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (1984–86) |
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" |
1989 | Around the World in 80 Days | Sir Francis Commarty | 3 episodes |
1990 | Hands of a Murderer | Dr. John Watson | Television film |
1990–91 | 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[18] |
1985 | Nominated[19] | ||
1986 | Nominated[20] | ||
1987 | Won[21] | ||
Golden Globe Awards | |||
1982 | Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Magnum, P.I. | Won[22] |
1983 | Nominated[22] | ||
1985 | Nominated[22] | ||
1987 | Nominated[22] | ||
1988 | Nominated[22] |
Notes
- ^ An article about Hillerman in OrangeCoast magazine in June 1988 said, "... the accent supplanted a thick drawl. Born and brought up 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 Sheff, David (April 18, 1983). "The Lean Years Are Over for John Hillerman, Who's Finding a Magnum of Success in Hawaii". People. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Logan, Dan (June 1988). "John Hillerman Says Goodbye to Magnum, P.I." OrangeCoast. pp. 214–215. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
- ^ Quttman, Monika (June 17, 1987). "'Higgins' Not Really British". The Victoria Advocate. 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.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
PSO
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "("John Hillerman" search results)". Playbill Vault. Playbill. Archived from the original on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
- ^ "'MAGNUM, P.I.' STAR JOHN HILLERMAN DEAD AT 84". TMZ. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- ^ a b Conroy, Sarah Booth (June 1, 1986). "John Hillerman". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
- ^ a b c Mike Barnes (November 9, 2017). "John Hillerman, Higgins on 'Magnum, P.I.,' Dies at 84". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "Billboard Videocassette Top 40" (PDF). Billboard. September 15, 1984. p. 30. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
- ^ a b "'Magnum P.I.' Higgins actor John Hillerman dies at 84". Fox News. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ a b "'Magnum, P.I.' actor John Hillerman dies at 84". The Los Angeles Times. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "John Hillerman Filmography". FanDango. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "John Hillerman". Hollywood. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "John Hillerman Filmography". 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 Globes. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Recent deaths
- 1932 births
- 2017 deaths
- 20th-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- American male stage actors
- American male television actors
- Male actors from Texas
- Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners
- Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (television) winners
- People from Denison, Texas
- United States Air Force airmen
- University of Texas at Austin alumni
- American people of German descent
- American people of French descent
- American people of Austrian descent