Howard Hesseman was an actor known for his starring role as Dr. Johnny Fever on the sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati.”
- Died: January 29, 2022 (Who else died on January 29?)
- Details of death: Died of complications from colon surgery at the age of 81.
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“WKRP in Cincinnati”
Hesseman was a rising star of acting and improv comedy when he landed his signature role as Dr. Johnny Fever. A founding member of the Committee, a San Francisco improv troupe, he had recurring roles in “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” and “Soap” before auditioning for “WKRP in Cincinnati.” He originally auditioned for the role of radio station ad salesmen Herb Tarlek, but after reading the pilot script, he successfully vied for the hotshot DJ role, while the role of Herb went to Frank Bonner (1942–2021). Hesseman played Fever as a former hippie who reveled in the chance to play rock music after years of unsatisfying radio jobs. He brought to the role his own experience as an radio DJ at San Francisco’s underground station KMPX in the 1960s. Hesseman’s performance helped make “WKRP” a popular show that became even more successful in syndication.
Other TV work
When “WKRP” was cancelled after four seasons, Hesseman took on a short-lived role on “One Day at a Time” before starring in the sitcom “Head of the Class.” There, he played Charlie Moore, a high school history teacher leading a class of honors students. Hesseman left the show after its fourth season. He had a recurring role, reprising his performance as Dr. Johnny Fever, on the reboot “The New WKRP in Cincinnati” as well as recurring roles on “Boston Legal” and ““That ‘70s Show.” Hesseman’s many other TV appearances included “Laverne & Shirley,” “The Practice,” “ER,” and “CSI.” He hosted three episodes of “Saturday Night Live.”
Movies
Hesseman’s early movies included “Billy Jack,” “Shampoo,” and “The Sunshine Boys.” His greater fame came from TV performances, but he did appear in movies throughout his career. He starred in movies including “Doctor Detroit,” “Inside Out,” and “Rubin & Ed.” In “This Is Spinal Tap,” he had a cameo as rock manager Terry Ladd; other small but memorable roles came in “Clue” and “Amazon Women on the Moon.”
Hesseman on playing Dr. Johnny Fever
“I like that character. It was a fulfilling period in my life. Allowing the fans to see you as they choose, for better or for worse, comes with the territory. I’m glad they like what they see. I do like what I was doing when I was on that show.” —from a 1986 interview for the Washington Post
Tributes to Howard Hesseman
Full obituary: The New York Times
