Howard Hesseman will be fondly remembered as Johnny Fever

Howard Hesseman's early days

Howard Hesseman was an American actor who was born in Lebanon, Oregon on February 27, 1940. His parents divorced when Howard was 5 years old and his mother remarried. He was raised by his mom and stepfather who was a police 0officer. Hessman was best-known role was as disgruntled disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati.

He was also known for his portrayal of Sam Royer the husband of Ann Romano in the final two seasons of One Day At a Time from 1982-1964. He was also history teacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class. From the 1970s through the 2010s Hesseman appeared regularly on television and in film and had a supporting role as Captain Pete Lassard in the film Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment.

Don Sturdy and The Andy Griffith Show

In the early days of his acting career, Hesseman used the alias Don Sturdy. This was the same name he utilized during the late 1960s as a radio DJ on underground FM station KMPX in San Francisco. As Sturdy the actor made his first television appearances, including on an episode of Dragnet in 1968. In the episode titled Public Affairs: DR-07 the actor was a hippie named Jesse Chaplin, the editor of an underground newspaper.

Hesseman (Credited as Don Sturdy) was also in two episodes of The Andy Griffith Show in 1968. In "Sam for Town Council," he portrays a character named Harry who was seen outside of a sporting goods store preparing a fishing tackle. He complains to Emmett Clark (Paul Hartman), that local fishing is no good in a particular pond. Emmett promises to stock the pond with Perch in exchange for a vote and gives Harry a button to wear that shows his support.

In the episode "Goober Goes to an Auto Show", Hesseman, portrays the counter boy, who serves hot dogs and root beers to Goober Pyle (George Lindsey) and Roy Swanson, (Noam Pitlik). On July 18, 1969, the actor appeared on The Dick Cavett Show in several sketches with the improv comedy group The Committee. He was even in one sketch with guest Janis Joplin.

Later appearances

Hesseman made several appearances on The Bob Newhart Shew which ran from 1972-1978. He portrayed Mr. Plager, a member of Bob's group therapy ensemble who was later revealed to be gay. In season he became a playwright and wrote a play about the characters in the group. There were several other episodes of the show, where Hesseman's voice can be heard as a TV announcer.

Hesseman's signature role is "anti-disco disc jockey" John Caravella AKA Dr. Johnny Fever on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati from 1978 to 1982, He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1980 and 1981. For many of his fans, he will be remembered as Dr. Johnny Fever.

In 1986, he was in the Disney film Flight of the Navigator and later his handprints were placed in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park He reprised his Disc Jockey role in nine episodes of The New WKRP in Cincinnati, and also directed several episodes of the series which ran from 1991-93.

Hessman made three appearances on Saturday Night Live and in 1995, he played the role of the Marquis de Sade in Quills at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, California. This included one scene where he was fully naked. In 2001, he appeared in three episodes of That '70s Show. and in 2006, and was the unorthodox Judge Robert Thompson in three episodes of Boston Legal. He also appeared in an episode of House.

In 2007, Hesseman portrayed The Chemist on HBO's John From Cincinnati and guest-starred on Psych, in the episode "And Down the Stretch Comes Murder as an announcer at a horse track ". He guest-starred on the 2007 season premiere of NBC's ER, playing a man tripping on magic mushrooms and starred in The Sunshine Boys at the New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park, Kansas, from September to November 2010.In February 2011, Hesseman portrayed Dr. Elliot D. Aden in the eleventh season CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode "Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead".

These are but a few of the accomplishments of the talented actor who died in Los Angeles on January 29, 2022, at the age of 81. Hesseman's cause of death was from complications of colon surgery and he is survived by his wife of 33 years, actress Caroline Ducrocq. Long live Dr. Johnny Fever.