Howard Hesseman, who played the radio disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on the sitcom 鈥淲KRP in Cincinnati鈥� and the actor-turned-history teacher Charlie Moore on 鈥淗ead of the Class,鈥� 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 鈥�60s, earned two Emmy nominations for playing Johnny Fever on CBS鈥� 鈥淲KRP in Cincinnati,鈥� 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 station鈥檚 changeover from elevator music to rock 鈥檔 roll with a record scratch and a proclamation.
鈥淎ll right Cincinnati, it鈥檚 time for this town to get down! You got Johnny, Dr. Johnny Fever, and I am burning up in here. We鈥檙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!鈥�
As he readied for one of three 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥� 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.
鈥淚 think maybe Johnny smokes a little marijuana, drinks beer and wine, and maybe a little hard liquor,鈥� Hesseman said. 鈥淎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.鈥�
Hesseman played a hippie in one of his first roles, on 鈥淒ragnet,鈥� in 1967, and also in the 1968 Richard Lester film 鈥淧etulia.鈥� Born in Lebanon, Oregon, Hesseman wasn鈥檛 so disconnected from some of the characters he played. In 1983, he told People magazine that he had conducted 鈥減harmaceutical experiments in recreational chemistry.鈥� 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 鈥淲KRP in Cincinnati鈥� Hesseman often ad-libbed his on-air banter.
鈥淚mpossible to overstate Howard Hesseman鈥檚 influence on his and subsequent generations of improvisors,鈥� said the actor and comedian Michael McKean on Twitter. He recalled first seeing Hesseman in 1971 with The Committee. 鈥淚 saw that he was the real deal.鈥�
Hesseman appeared briefly but memorably with McKean in the 1984 rockumentary 鈥淭his Is Spinal Tap鈥� as Terry Ladd, manager to the rock superstar Duke Fame. He frankly ends a conversation: 鈥淲e鈥檇 love to stay and chat but we鈥檙e going to sit in the lobby and wait for the limo.鈥�
鈥淗oward was eloquent鈥tylish鈥nd hilarious,鈥� said Loni Anderson, Hesseman鈥檚 friend of 40 years and co-star on 鈥淲KRP in Cincinnati.鈥� 鈥淢y favorite Howard sign-off鈥 quote by Louis Armstrong鈥︹�橨azz is what you are.鈥� And now Howard, forever missed is just what you are.鈥�
In the ABC sitcom 鈥淗ead of the Class,鈥� 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 鈥� co-created by political activist and writer Michael Elias 鈥� 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.
鈥淧art of me says, 鈥業s that all there is? A television series?鈥� Obviously not. I could go on stage or scratch my way into the movies,鈥� Hesseman said in a 1989 interview. 鈥淏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 鈥榝or-rent鈥� sign on my forehead. I鈥檓 an actor and I like to work.鈥�
A prolific character actor, Hesseman鈥檚 credits also included 鈥淭he Andy Griffith Show,鈥� 鈥淥ne Day at a Time,鈥� 鈥淭he Rockford Files,鈥� 鈥淟averne and Shirley鈥� and 鈥淭he Bob Newhart Show.鈥� More recently, he made appearances on 鈥淭hat 70鈥檚 Show,鈥� 鈥淔resh Off the Boat,鈥� 鈥淗ouse鈥� and 鈥淏oston Legal.鈥� Films included 鈥淧olice Academy 2: Their First Assignment,鈥� 鈥淎bout Schmidt,鈥� 鈥淭his Is Spinal Tap鈥� and 鈥淭he Rocker.鈥�
Hesseman is survived by actor and acting teacher Caroline Ducrocq, his wife.
鈥擩ake Coyle, The Associated Press
