Howard Hesseman, who played the radio disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on the sitcom B次元官网网址淲KRP in CincinnatiB次元官网网址� and the actor-turned-history teacher Charlie Moore on B次元官网网址淗ead of the Class,B次元官网网址� has died. He was 81.
Hesseman died Saturday in Los Angeles due to complications from colon surgery, his manager Robbie Kass said Sunday.
Hesseman, who had himself been a radio DJ in the B次元官网网址�60s, earned two Emmy nominations for playing Johnny Fever on CBSB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淲KRP in Cincinnati,B次元官网网址� which ran for four seasons from 1978-1982. The role made Hesseman a counterculture icon at a time when few hippie characters made it onto network television.
In the first episode, Dr. Johnny Fever announces the stationB次元官网网址檚 changeover from elevator music to rock B次元官网网址檔 roll with a record scratch and a proclamation.
B次元官网网址淎ll right Cincinnati, itB次元官网网址檚 time for this town to get down! You got Johnny, Dr. Johnny Fever, and I am burning up in here. WeB次元官网网址檙e all in critical condition, babies, but you can tell me where it hurts because I got the healing prescription here from the big KRP musical medicine cabinet. Now, I am talking about your 50,000-watt intensive care unit, babies!B次元官网网址�
As he readied for one of three B次元官网网址淪aturday Night LiveB次元官网网址� hosting gigs, Hesseman told The New York Times in 1979 that the character made network executives nervous. In one episode, Johnny Fever is given an on-air sobriety test after being given alcohol, only his reaction time keeps improving.
B次元官网网址淚 think maybe Johnny smokes a little marijuana, drinks beer and wine, and maybe a little hard liquor,B次元官网网址� Hesseman said. B次元官网网址淎nd on one of those hard mornings at the station, he might take what for many years was referred to as a diet pill. But he is a moderate user of soft drugs, specifically marijuana.B次元官网网址�
Hesseman played a hippie in one of his first roles, on B次元官网网址淒ragnet,B次元官网网址� in 1967, and also in the 1968 Richard Lester film B次元官网网址淧etulia.B次元官网网址� Born in Lebanon, Oregon, Hesseman wasnB次元官网网址檛 so disconnected from some of the characters he played. In 1983, he told People magazine that he had conducted B次元官网网址減harmaceutical experiments in recreational chemistry.B次元官网网址� In 1963, he was jailed in San Francisco for selling marijuana.
Initially performing under the name Don Sturdy, Hesseman started out as a member of the San Francisco improv group The Committee, which regularly performed at antiwar and civil rights protests.
At the time, he also moonlighted on Saturdays as the disk jockey for the San Francisco rock-and-roll station KMPX. Later on B次元官网网址淲KRP in CincinnatiB次元官网网址� Hesseman often ad-libbed his on-air banter.
B次元官网网址淚mpossible to overstate Howard HessemanB次元官网网址檚 influence on his and subsequent generations of improvisors,B次元官网网址� said the actor and comedian Michael McKean on Twitter. He recalled first seeing Hesseman in 1971 with The Committee. B次元官网网址淚 saw that he was the real deal.B次元官网网址�
Hesseman appeared briefly but memorably with McKean in the 1984 rockumentary B次元官网网址淭his Is Spinal TapB次元官网网址� as Terry Ladd, manager to the rock superstar Duke Fame. He frankly ends a conversation: B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檇 love to stay and chat but weB次元官网网址檙e going to sit in the lobby and wait for the limo.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淗oward was eloquentB次元官网网址tylishB次元官网网址nd hilarious,B次元官网网址� said Loni Anderson, HessemanB次元官网网址檚 friend of 40 years and co-star on B次元官网网址淲KRP in Cincinnati.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淢y favorite Howard sign-offB次元官网网址 quote by Louis ArmstrongB次元官网网址次元官网网址橨azz is what you are.B次元官网网址� And now Howard, forever missed is just what you are.B次元官网网址�
In the ABC sitcom B次元官网网址淗ead of the Class,B次元官网网址� which debuted in 1986, Hesseman played a teacher to a diverse group of students in a classroom where the dialogue was often notably progressive in the 1980s of Ronald Reagan. Hesseman was sometimes critical of the show B次元官网网址� co-created by political activist and writer Michael Elias B次元官网网址� not being as adventurous as he had hoped it would be. He departed it after four seasons and was replaced by Billy Connolly in the fifth and final season.
B次元官网网址淧art of me says, B次元官网网址業s that all there is? A television series?B次元官网网址� Obviously not. I could go on stage or scratch my way into the movies,B次元官网网址� Hesseman said in a 1989 interview. B次元官网网址淏ut how many movies are made that you want to be a part of? And how many want you? There is a certain kind of B次元官网网址榝or-rentB次元官网网址� sign on my forehead. IB次元官网网址檓 an actor and I like to work.B次元官网网址�
A prolific character actor, HessemanB次元官网网址檚 credits also included B次元官网网址淭he Andy Griffith Show,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淥ne Day at a Time,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淭he Rockford Files,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淟averne and ShirleyB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭he Bob Newhart Show.B次元官网网址� More recently, he made appearances on B次元官网网址淭hat 70B次元官网网址檚 Show,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淔resh Off the Boat,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淗ouseB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淏oston Legal.B次元官网网址� Films included B次元官网网址淧olice Academy 2: Their First Assignment,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淎bout Schmidt,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淭his Is Spinal TapB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭he Rocker.B次元官网网址�
Hesseman is survived by actor and acting teacher Caroline Ducrocq, his wife.
B次元官网网址擩ake Coyle, The Associated Press
