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John O'Hurley

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John O'Hurley
O'Hurley in 2023
Born
John George O'Hurley Jr.

(1954-10-09) October 9, 1954 (age 70)
Kittery, Maine, U.S.
EducationKingswood-Oxford School[1]
Alma materProvidence College
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • singer
  • author
  • game show host
  • television personality
Years active1982–present
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[2]
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1992; div. 1994)​
Lisa Mesloh
​
(m. 2004)​
Children1
Websitewww.johnohurley.com

John George O'Hurley Jr. (born October 9, 1954) is an American actor, comedian, singer, author, game show host, and television personality. He is known for his portrayal of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, his voice acting as the original King Neptune on SpongeBob SquarePants, and for hosting the game show Family Feud from 2006 to 2010. O'Hurley also hosted To Tell the Truth from 2000 to 2002 in syndication.

Early life

O'Hurley was born in Kittery, Maine, the son of Jean (February 14, 1930 – February 9, 2017), a housewife, and John George O'Hurley (January 18, 1928 – February 1, 2020), an ear, nose, and throat surgeon.[3] O'Hurley attended Natick High School in Natick, Massachusetts, and Kingswood-Oxford School in West Hartford, Connecticut, but moved to DuBois, Pennsylvania, in ninth grade. He attended Cardinal Gibbons High School senior year, and graduated in 1972.[4] O'Hurley graduated from Providence College in 1976 with a BA in Theatre. O'Hurley performs charitable work for the Epilepsy Foundation due to the fact that his older sister Carol died in 1970 at the age of 17 due to epileptic seizures.[citation needed]

Career

Seinfeld

On Seinfeld, O'Hurley played J. Peterman, a fictionalized version of catalog-company entrepreneur John Peterman, from 1995 until the show's end in 1998. O'Hurley invested in the relaunch of The J. Peterman Company, and since 1999 has been a part-owner and member of the board of directors.[5][6]

Dancing with the Stars

O'Hurley was a contestant on the first season of the television show Dancing with the Stars, which aired during mid-2005. O'Hurley and his dance partner Charlotte Jørgensen made it to the final competition, which they lost to ABC soap opera star Kelly Monaco.

After fans alleged that Monaco's victory was a set-up, the network announced that O'Hurley, Monaco and their professional dancing partners would face off in a special "grudge match" episode broadcast September 20, 2005. Unlike the first episode, viewer vote solely determined the outcome as opposed to a combination between the three professional judges and the viewer votes.

O'Hurley and Jørgensen emerged as the winners. The rematch earned $126,000 for Golfers Against Cancer charity. Afterward the duo produced a dance instruction video called, "Learn to Dance with John and Charlotte".

Week # Dance / Song Judges' score Result
Inaba Goodman Tonioli
1 Cha-Cha-Cha/ "September" 7 7 6 No Elimination
2 Quickstep / "Let's Face the Music and Dance" 8 9 9 Safe
3 Tango / "Dance with Me" 9 8 7 Safe
4 Samba / "Just the Two of Us" 7 8 6 Bottom Two
Viennese Waltz / "I Got You Babe" No scores given
5
Semi-finals 		Foxtrot / "Let There Be Love" 9 9 9 Safe
Pasodoble / "Bamboléo" 9 9 9
6
Finals 		Quickstep / "Let's Face the Music and Dance" 9 9 9 Runner-up
Freestyle / "I'm So Excited" 9 9 9
7
Dance-Off 		Rumba / "The Look of Love" 7 8 7 Winner
Waltz / "You Light Up My Life" 10 10 10
Freestyle / "I Am What I Am" 8 8 9

Other roles

O'Hurley in a golf tournament in July 2008

O'Hurley made two guest appearances on Baywatch in 1992 and 1994, in two different roles. The first was as villainous yacht club president Fred Adler in "Masquerade," and again as a grieving father named Bill in "Red Wind." In 2003, he played the role of Roger Heidecker on the UPN television series The Mullets.[7]

O'Hurley returned to the Baywatch universe in a 1995 Baywatch Nights episode "Bad Blades," playing the villainous Kemp, in a roller hockey themed episode. He also co-starred on the short-lived sitcom A Whole New Ballgame, had a role as Ralph Stafford on the Murder She Wrote episode "Nailed", and guest-starred in an episode of Drake & Josh.[8]

O'Hurley has been the host of Purina's annual National Dog Show every Thanksgiving since 2002.[9]

In March 2007, O'Hurley took the lead role in the Wynn Las Vegas's production of Spamalot, in which he plays King Arthur.[citation needed] In July 2008, O'Hurley reprised his role as King Arthur in the Los Angeles production of Spamalot at the Ahmanson Theatre. In June 2013, he once again reprised the role of King Arthur in Spamalot at The Muny Theater in St. Louis, Missouri. O'Hurley starred on Broadway and on National Tour as Billy Flynn in Chicago. He has hosted the Mrs. America and Mrs. World Pageants.

O'Hurley is one of the guest speakers in the Candlelight Processional at Epcot in Walt Disney World. He is the voice of the owner of the Cow and Corset bar in the Fable II videogame for the Xbox 360. O'Hurley also replaced Frank Welker as the "Phantom Blot" for Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse.[10] He has also provided the voice of King Neptune XIV on SpongeBob SquarePants and done voice-over work for radio stations, including WBEN-FM in Philadelphia, KPKX in Phoenix (as "Jim Peakerman"), KMAX in San Francisco (as "J.J. Maxwell"), and WARH in St. Louis (as "Simon Archer"). O'Hurley is also the voice of Coors Light commercials for more than 10 years.

O'Hurley guest-starred in an episode of The Emperor's New School called "Malina's Big Break", in 1999 as a cult leader in the Family Guy episode "Chitty Chitty Death Bang", and in 2010, guest-starred on Wizards of Waverly Place as Captain Jim-Bob Sherwood.[citation needed]

From 2008 to 2015, O'Hurley voiced Mayor Roger Doofenshmirtz, Heinz Doofenshmirtz's brother, in Phineas and Ferb. He also played in the award-winning 2000x dramatic series produced by the Hollywood Theater of the Ear for National Public Radio.

O'Hurley was a guest star on multiple episodes of the soap opera All My Children during its last month on ABC, in September 2011, playing Kit Sterling, a producer who approaches Erica Kane to make a movie based on the new book she has just written.[11][12] O'Hurley previously appeared as Dr. James Grainger in three episodes of The Young and the Restless in 1990, and acted in the soap opera Loving as Keith Lane / Jonathan Matalaine.

In 2015, O'Hurley had a recurring role as Dr. Christopher Neff on Devious Maids. He also provided the voice for Victor the Villain on the children's animated TV series Wallykazam!.

Game show host

From 2000 to 2002, O'Hurley hosted a revival of To Tell the Truth. In 2004, he hosted the limited-run game show The Great American Celebrity Spelling Bee. On September 11, 2006, O'Hurley replaced Richard Karn as the fifth individual to host Family Feud. He hosted the show for four seasons, before departing the show at the beginning of 2010. O'Hurley was replaced by fellow comedian and film star Steve Harvey. In a 2017 interview with Fox News, O'Hurley agreed that it became less family-friendly and admitted that as one of the reasons why he left the show. O'Hurley also said:

I got tired of people writing to me saying: 'I can't watch your show. It's a misnomer calling it that because, it's not family. It feels like everything became a penis joke' and I got a little tired of that. I just felt that there are other ways to be more interesting on television and always trying to push that style of family entertainment. I had a great time doing it, but it was time to move on.[13]

Personal life

O'Hurley is a self-taught pianist and classically trained vocalist, and has been composing since his teen years. In 2004, in tandem with cellist Marston Smith, he released a two-album project entitled Peace of Our Minds, a compilation of his original piano compositions. The piece "For Lisa" was written for O'Hurley's wife for their wedding day in 2004. O'Hurley was featured on the March/April 2009 cover of Making Music magazine.[14]

O'Hurley was married to Eva LaRue from 1992 to 1994.[15] Since August 14, 2004, he has been married to Lisa Mesloh.[16] Together they have a son.[16]

In May 2011, O'Hurley received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.[17]

O'Hurley identifies politically as a conservative,[18] and is a longtime fan of the Boston Red Sox.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Billy the Kid Dolan Television film
1991 White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd Pat DiCicco Television film
Night Eyes 2 Detective Turner
1995 The Power Within Lt. Cabrell Direct-to-video
1997 The Killing Secret Ted Dunleavy Television film
Murder Live! Hal Damon Television film
1998 Tempting Fate Stewart Television film
1999 Love Stinks Walter Drooz
2001 Race to Space Barnett, PR Official
2002 Teddy Bears' Picnic Earle Hansen
Buying the Cow Tim "Timbo" Chadway
Tarzan & Jane Johannes Niels (voice) Direct-to-video
2006 Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen Kringle (voice) Direct-to-video
2008 An American Carol Silvano
2010 High School Drug PSA (voice)
2011 Beethoven's Christmas Adventure Mr. Rexford Direct-to-video
2013 Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright The Great Pauldini (voice) Direct-to-video
2014 Christian Mingle Donny De Bona
2015 The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age SmackDown! Mr. Slate (voice) Direct-to-video
2016 Swing Away Glenn
2019 7 Days in Vegas Walter
2020 Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe Roger Doofenshmirtz (voice) Streaming film
Charlie's Christmas Wish God (voice) Post-production
Christmas in New England Mr. Trowel Pre-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1983–84 The Edge of Night Greg Schaeffer
1984–86 Loving Keith Lane, Jonathan Matalaine
1988 As the World Turns Douglas Prescott
Something Is Out There Remar Miniseries
1989 Heartbeat James Thompson Episode: "Gestalt and Battery"
1990 The Young and the Restless Dr. James Grainger 3 episodes
1990–91 Santa Barbara Stephen Slade 75 episodes
1991 Nurses Dave Grady Episode: "Coming to America"
1992 General Hospital Greg Bennett
Scorch Howard Gurman 6 episodes
1992–94 Baywatch Fred Adler, Bill Cooper 2 episodes
1993–94 Silk Stalkings Dan Borson, Dr. Scott Waverly 2 episodes
1994 Thunder in Paradise Bryden Chubshaw Episode: "Changing of the Guard"
Valley of the Dolls Allen Cooper 65 episodes
Frasier Thomas Jay Fallow Episode: "Slow Tango in South Seattle"
1995 Sisters Pizza Guy Episode: "No Pain, No Gain"
Platypus Man Rance Episode: "Lou's the Boss"
Pig Sty Rance Erik St. Damian Episode: "Party!!!"
A Whole New Ballgame Tad Sherman 7 episodes
Murder, She Wrote Ralph Stafford Episode: "Nailed"
Living Single Jean Luc Gerard Episode: "Rags to Riches"
Baywatch Nights Kemp Episode: "Bad Blades"
1995–98 Seinfeld J. Peterman 20 episodes
1996 Ned and Stacey Kyle Roberts Episode: "Promotional Rescue"
Melrose Place John Marshall Episode: "The Bobby Trap"
Coach Dr. Salters Episode: "Quarantine"
Weird Science Mr. President Episode: "Lisarella"
Mad About You Dr. VonDerphal Episode: "Dr. Wonderful"
Boy Meets World Cal, Grant 2 episodes
1997 Over the Top Robert McSwain 11 episodes
Life with Roger Dr. Noble Episode: "The Apartment"
Lost on Earth Brand Shaw 1 episode
Men Behaving Badly Johnny on TV Show (voice) Episode: "Playing Doctor"
Temporarily Yours Dulles Lee Episode: "Temp-tation"
Something So Right David Episode: "Something About New Beds and Old Friends"
Smart Guy Hugh Sterling Episode: "A Little Knowledge"
101 Dalmatians: The Series Director (voice) Episode: "Swing Song/Watching for Falling Idols"
The X-Files Dr. Pollidori Episode: "The Post-Modern Prometheus"
1998 Style & Substance Mr. Ferber Episode: "The Boss and Other Disasters"
Diagnosis: Murder David Coopersmith Episode: "Rain of Terror"
Damon Woody Woodson Episode: "The Actor"
Ellen Announcer #2 Episode: "Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute: Part I"
The Angry Beavers Snooty Narrator (voice) 2 episodes
The Lionhearts Additional voices Episode: "The Poem"
Hercules King Cinyras (voice) 2 episodes
1999 Sunset Beach Pete 1 episode
Family Guy Cult Leader (voice) Episode: "Chitty Chitty Death Bang"
Mickey Mouse Works Phantom Blot (voice) 1 episode
For Your Love Roger Bakely Episode: "The Couple's Court"
2000 Hey Arnold! Councilman Gladhand (voice) Episode: "Helga's Masquerade/Mr. Green Runs"
The Weber Show Mr. Bill Erlicht 3 episodes
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command King Nova (voice) 5 episodes
2000–02 To Tell the Truth Himself/host
2000–2018 SpongeBob SquarePants King Neptune (voice) 4 episodes
2001 Lloyd in Space Brock Rockman (voice) Episode: "The Hero of Urbit-Knarr"
Son of the Beach Dr. Merlot Episode: "The Island of Dr. Merlot"
2001–03 The Legend of Tarzan Johannes Niels (voice) 2 episodes
2002-04 Teamo Supremo Captain Excellent (voice) 3 episodes
2002 Sabrina the Teenage Witch Professor Beltran Episode: "Guilty!"
Kim Possible King Wallace II, Ancient King (voices) Episode: "Royal Pain"
House of Mouse Phantom Blot (voice) 2 episodes
2003 Odd Job Jack Dr. Renfield (voice) Episode: "Fatal Extraction"
Stripperella Fireman, Skip Withers (voices) 2 episodes
2003–04 The Mullets Roger Heidecker 11 episodes
2003–05 What's New, Scooby-Doo? Beavis Bottomczek, Mayor Snipper (voices) 2 episodes
2003–05 Duck Dodgers Captain Star Johnson (voice) 12 episodes
2004 Come to Papa Anderson Miller Episode: "The Salad"
The Great American Celebrity Spelling Bee Himself/host
Quintuplets Buck Reynolds Episode: "Working It"
2004–05 Father of the Pride Blake (voice) 4 episodes
2005 Drake & Josh Dr. Carlson Episode: "Paging Doctor Drake"
2006 Hope & Faith Peter (voice) Episode: "Charley Shoots Faith"
2006–10 Family Feud Himself/host
2007 Higglytown Heroes Uncle Zeke, Freight Train Conductor Hero (voices) 2 episodes
2008 The Emperor's New School Editor of Inca Teen Magazine (voice) Episode: "Malina's Big Break/Hotel Kuzco"
2008–15 Phineas and Ferb Mayor Roger Doofenshmirtz, Additional Voices 19 episodes
2010 Wizards of Waverly Place Captain Jim Bob Sherwood Episode: "Captain Jim Bob Sherwood"
The Super Hero Squad Show Grandmaster (voice) Episode: "Whom Continuity Would Destroy!"
Big Time Rush Announcer (voice) Episode: "Big Time Christmas: Part I"
2010–13 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Skipper Shelton, Pirate Couple, Ska Zombie (voices) 8 episodes
2011 Retired at 35 Dan Episode: "Rocket Man"
Pair of Kings Narrator Episode: "King of Thieves"
All My Children Kit Sterling 5 episodes
2011–13 The Looney Tunes Show Walter Bunny (voice) 6 episodes
2013 The Mentalist Buddy Hennings Episode: "Red Velvet Cupcakes"
2014 Wallykazam! Victor the Villain (voice) Episode: "Victor the Villain"
Gravity Falls Knight Lilliputian (voice) Episode: "The Golf War"
2015 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja P.J. McFlubusters Manager (voice) Episode: "McCluckerbusters"
Devious Maids Dr. Christopher Neff 7 episodes
Moonbeam City Vex Mullery (voice) 2 episodes
2016 American Dad Dentyne Executive, Pilot (voices) Episode: "Widow's Pique"
Archer Ellis Crane (voice) 3 episodes
K.C. Undercover Buck Marshall Episode: "Spy of the Year Awards"
2017, 2019 The Lion Guard Hadithi (voice) 3 episodes
2017 The Powerpuff Girls Additional voices Episode: "Memory Lane of Pain"
2018 Mickey Mouse Additional voices Episode: "The Fancy Gentleman"
2019 The Tramp Chip Turner 1 episode
Pawn Stars Himself Episode: "A Show About Nothing"
2020 That Totally Made Up Comedy Show Network Executive
2023 The Patrick Star Show King Neptune (voice) Episode: "Neptune's Ball"
Monster High Hades Burns (voice) Episode: "Best Fiends/Scareer Day"
2024 The Really Loud House Prescott Moneygreen Episode: "The Boyfriend Stays in the Picture"

Video games

Year Title Role
2003 SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom King Neptune
2006 Family Guy Video Game! Additional Voices
2008 Fable II The Cow & Corset Owner
2010 Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet Grandmaster
2010 SpongeBob's Boating Bash Seymour Scales
2020 SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated King Neptune (archival recordings)[19]
2023 SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake King Neptune, Glovey Glove

Books

  • It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump (2006) (New York Times best-seller)
  • Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to Do It (2007)
  • The Perfect Dog (2013)

Discography

  • A medley (with Sarah Rice) of three songs ("You Found Me and I Found You," "Not Yet" and "Before I Met You") from the musical Oh, Lady! Lady!! on Ben Bagley's Jerome Kern Revisited, Vol. II, released 1990
  • Peace of Our Minds (double-CD), released 2005
  • Secrets from the Lake, released 2008

References

  1. ^ Lee, Myer. "Seinfeld's John O'Hurley appearing at Hartford Yard Goats game". Ct Insider.
  2. ^ JOHN O'HURLEY - Resume | Calliope West Artist Management
  3. ^ "John O'Hurley Biography (1956-)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
  4. ^ Hirschman, Bill (2013-10-01). "John O'Hurley Comes "Home" To Broward With Bway Across Fort Lauderdale's Road Show Chicago | Florida Theater On Stage". Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  5. ^ Greenwald, John (August 12, 2001). "Peterman Reboots". Time. Archived from the original on 2011-11-20. Retrieved 2009-03-09. In fact, O'Hurley has since become a partner in Peterman's reborn company.
  6. ^ Grow, Kory (April 29, 2016). "How a 'Seinfeld' Joke Became a Reality". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2018-11-25. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  7. ^ "The Mullets (2003–2004)". IMDb. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  8. ^ "John O'Hurley - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Meet John O'Hurley, Host of Philadelphia's National Dog Show". MainlineToday.com. November 18, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  10. ^ "Behind the Voice Actors - Voice Compare - Disney - Phantom Blot". BehindTheVoiceActors.com. Archived from the original on 2013-05-21. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  11. ^ Kroll, Dan J. (July 31, 2011). "John O'Hurley to Play Short-Term AMC Story". SoapCentral.com. Archived from the original on 2023-05-04. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
  12. ^ "John O'Hurley". IMDb. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  13. ^ John O'Hurley Talks About His Gig "The Standards", Reflects on Donald Trump and Why He Left 'Family Feud'. Fox News. April 4, 2017. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  14. ^ Saunders, Jackie (March 9, 2003). "Features - John O' Hurley a Class Act". Making Music. Archived from the original on 2011-04-11. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
  15. ^ Finn, Natalie (January 24, 2014). "Eva LaRue's Husband Files for Divorce". E! Online. Archived from the original on 2014-01-25. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  16. ^ a b Silverman, Steven M.; Alexander, Bryan (December 7, 2006). "Dancing with the Stars' John O'Hurley a First-Time Dad". People.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-27. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  17. ^ "NECO Medalists Database". NECO.org. National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations. Archived from the original on 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
  18. ^ Dana, Rebecca (May 21, 2014). "Why Game Show Hosts Vote Republican". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 2023-04-11. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
  19. ^ Andrew [@Beta64Official] (29 February 2020). "According to the THQ guy I had show..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to John O'Hurley.
Media offices
Preceded by
Alex Trebek
1990–1991
 Host of To Tell the Truth
2000–2002 		Succeeded by
Anthony Anderson
New version in 2015
Preceded by Host of Family Feud
2006–2010 		Succeeded by
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
new show
 Dancing with the Stars (US) runner up
Season 1 (Summer 2005 with Charlotte Jørgensen) 		Succeeded by
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