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John Hillerman

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John Hillerman
Hillerman in The Betty White Show, 1977
Born
John Benedict Hillerman

(1932-12-20)December 20, 1932
Denison, Texas, U.S.
DiedNovember 9, 2017(2017-11-09) (aged 84)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Texas at Austin
OccupationActor
Years active1957–1999

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

Hillerman with Betty White in a publicity photo for The Betty White Show (1977)

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

  1. ^ 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

  1. ^ "John Hillerman Biography". filmreference.com. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Quttman, Monika (June 17, 1987). "'Higgins' Not Really British". The Victoria Advocate. Tribune Media Services. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d "John Hillerman, Emmy-Winning 'Magnum, P.I.' Actor, Dies at 84". Variety. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference PSO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "("John Hillerman" search results)". Playbill Vault. Playbill. Archived from the original on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  8. ^ "'MAGNUM, P.I.' STAR JOHN HILLERMAN DEAD AT 84". TMZ. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ a b c Mike Barnes (November 9, 2017). "John Hillerman, Higgins on 'Magnum, P.I.,' Dies at 84". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  12. ^ "Billboard Videocassette Top 40" (PDF). Billboard. September 15, 1984. p. 30. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  13. ^ a b "'Magnum P.I.' Higgins actor John Hillerman dies at 84". Fox News. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  14. ^ a b "'Magnum, P.I.' actor John Hillerman dies at 84". The Los Angeles Times. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  15. ^ "John Hillerman Filmography". FanDango. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  16. ^ "John Hillerman". Hollywood. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  17. ^ "John Hillerman Filmography". Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  18. ^ "Nominees/Winners". emmys.com. 1984. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  19. ^ "Nominees/Winners". emmys.com. 1985. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  20. ^ "Nominees/Winners". emmys.com. 1986. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  21. ^ "Nominees/Winners". emmys.com. 1987. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  22. ^ a b c d e "Winners and Nominees: John Hillerman". Golden Globes. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
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