23 Facts About Howard Hesseman

Howard Hesseman was an American actor known for his television roles as burned-out disc jockey Dr Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati, and the lead role of history teacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class.

Howard Hesseman appeared regularly on television and in film from the 1970s to 2010s, with other noteworthy roles including Sam Royer in the last two seasons of One Day at a Time, and a supporting role as Captain Pete Lassard in the film Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment.

Howard Hesseman's parents divorced when he was five, and he was raised by his mother and stepfather, a police officer.

Howard Hesseman attended the University of Oregon, and was later a founding member of the San Francisco-based improvisational comedy troupe The Committee with fellow actor David Ogden Stiers.

Under the alias of Don Sturdy, Howard Hesseman made his first television appearances, including the episode "Public Affairs: DR-07" of the show Dragnet in 1968.

Howard Hesseman portrayed a hippie named Jesse Chaplin, the editor of an underground newspaper.

Howard Hesseman played a bit part in two final-season episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.

Howard Hesseman plays a character named Harry seen preparing fishing tackle outside a sporting goods store and complaining to Emmett how poor the fishing has been at a nearby fishing spot.

Howard Hesseman appeared in a number of skits as part of The Committee in the 1971 classic film Billy Jack.

Howard Hesseman made several appearances as Mr Plager, a member of the group therapy ensemble on The Bob Newhart Show, and later in the series was revealed to be gay.

Howard Hesseman became a playwright in the sixth season of the show, writing a play about the characters in the group.

Howard Hesseman is best known for his role as disc jockey John "Dr Johnny Fever" Caravella on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati from 1978 to 1982, a role Howard Hesseman prepared for by working as a DJ in San Francisco at KMPX-FM for several months.

Howard Hesseman was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1980 and 1981 for his portrayal of Fever.

Howard Hesseman portrayed Sam Royer, the man who married Ann Romano on One Day at a Time from 1982 to 1984.

Howard Hesseman played teacher Charlie Moore on the ABC series Head of the Class for four seasons from 1986 to 1990.

In 1994, Howard Hesseman introduced lost footage of Janis Joplin in a documentary on Woodstock.

Howard Hesseman made three appearances on Saturday Night Live: one in which he paid tribute to, and told jokes about, the recently deceased John Belushi and the other in which NBC showed a picture of US president Ronald Reagan, which Hesseman mooned off-camera.

Howard Hesseman encouraged the viewing audience to moon the picture and send pictures in to NBC.

In 1995, Howard Hesseman played the role of the Marquis de Sade in Quills at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, California, which included one scene in which he was fully naked.

In 2001, Howard Hesseman had a role on three episodes of That '70s Show.

Howard Hesseman starred in The Sunshine Boys at the New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park, Kansas, from September to November 2010.

Howard Hesseman died from complications of colorectal surgery in Los Angeles, California, on January 29,2022, at age 81.

Howard Hesseman is survived by his wife of 33 years, actress Caroline Ducrocq.