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Howard Hesseman

Highest Rated: 96% This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Lowest Rated: 0% Teddy Bears' Picnic (2002)

Birthday: Feb 27, 1940

Birthplace: Lebanon, Oregon, USA

A fixture on the improv comedy scene of the 1960s, Howard Hesseman burst into the mainstream with his roguish Dr. Johnny Fever on the celebrated 1980s sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" (CBS, 1978-1982). The eccentric DJ character, which earned him two Emmy nominations, was the high water mark of a decade of work in features and on television prior to the role, and a decade as a member of the San Francisco-based comedy troupe The Committee prior to that. Hesseman followed "WKRP" with another hit series, "Head of the Class" (ABC, 1986-1991), which he abandoned one year prior to its cancellation for greener pastures in features. Success in that venue proved elusive for Hesseman, but he worked steadily on television for years following his sitcom tenures, and his comic skills made him a reliable and well-regarded character actor.

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Highest rated movies

96% 92% This Is Spinal Tap Watchlist
88% 79% Gridlock'd
Watchlist
86% 74% About Schmidt
Watchlist
84% 75% Flight of the Navigator
Watchlist
79% 72% Silent Movie
Watchlist
72% 86% Clue Watchlist
71% 72% The Sunshine Boys
Watchlist
65% 58% Amazon Women on the Moon
Watchlist
64% 57% The Big Bus
Watchlist
63% 63% Billy Jack
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Life After the Navigator Self - 2020
No Score Yet 20% The Christmas Apprentice Nick Harper (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet 12% Bigfoot Mayor Tommy Gillis (Character) - 2012
22% 23% Salvation Boulevard Billy (Character) $27.4K 2011
7% 30% All About Steve Mr. Horowitz (Character) $33.9M 2009
25% 44% Halloween II Uncle Meat (Character) $33.4M 2009
40% 46% The Rocker Tour bus driver (Character) $6.4M 2008
38% 29% Man About Town Ben (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet Domestic Import Lou Kimmelman (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 34% Crazy for Christmas Fred Nickells (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 29% The Mesmerist Mr. Valdemar (Character) - 2002
86% 74% About Schmidt Larry (Character) $65.0M 2002
0% 39% Teddy Bears' Picnic Ted Frye (Character) $28.0K 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Sky Is Falling Yogi Cook (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 66% On the 2nd Day of Christmas David (Character) - 1997
88% 79% Gridlock'd Blind Man (Character) $5.5M 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet High Stakes Wayne Dreyer (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Innocent Victims Unknown (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Out of Sync Det. Caldwell (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 27% Munchie Strikes Back Munchie (Voice) - 1994
No Score Yet 46% Little Miss Millions Nick Frost (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lethal Exposure Taylor (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Quiet Killer Congressman Calvin Phillips (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hot Chocolate Mr. Cassidy (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet 27% Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Smart Story Paul Maggioto (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet 87% Rubin and Ed Ed Tuttle (Character) $4.1K 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Call Me Anna John Ross (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Diamond Trap Det. Rollings (Character) - 1988
38% 26% Heat Pinchus Zion (Character) $2.4M 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Six Against the Rock Joseph "Dutch" Cretzer (Character) - 1987
65% 58% Amazon Women on the Moon Rupert King (Character) $388.2K 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Nick, al rojo vivo Unknown (Character) - 1987
84% 75% Flight of the Navigator Dr. Faraday (Character) $17.2M 1986
No Score Yet 57% My Chauffeur McBride (Character) $4.8M 1986
No Score Yet 33% Inside Out Jack (Character) $5.4K 1986
32% 43% Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment Captain Peter "Pete" Lassard (Character) - 1985
72% 86% Clue The Chief (Character) $13.4M 1985
96% 92% This Is Spinal Tap Terry Ladd (Character) $188.8K 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Best Kept Secrets Jim Osborne (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet 50% Silence of the Heart Carl Lewis (Character) - 1984
33% 40% Doctor Detroit Smooth Walker (Character) - 1983
0% 34% Private Lessons Lester Lewis (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet 56% Honky Tonk Freeway Snapper (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Victims Charles Galloway (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet 16% Loose Shoes Ernie Piles (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Skyward Koup Trenton (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet 36% Americathon Kip Margolis (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet More Than Friends Avery Salminella (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ghost of Flight 401 Bert Stockwell (Character) - 1978
25% 74% The Other Side of Midnight O'Brien (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tail Gunner Joe Lt. Cantwell (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet 13% Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo Fred (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet 58% The Amazing Howard Hughes Jenks (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet 36% Jackson County Jail David (Character) - 1976
64% 57% The Big Bus Jack (Character) - 1976
79% 72% Silent Movie Executive (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tunnelvision Senator McMannus (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet 71% Hustling Detective (Character) - 1975
71% 72% The Sunshine Boys Mr. Walsh, commercial director (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Prisoners Unknown (Character) - 1975
50% 31% Steelyard Blues Frank Veldini (Character) - 1973
63% 63% Billy Jack Howard Johnson (Character) - 1971

TV

Credit
94% 79% Fresh Off the Boat Mr. Royce (Guest Star) 2017
No Score Yet 75% Chicago Med Clyde Glickman (Guest Star) 2016
No Score Yet 63% Mike & Molly Otis (Guest Star) 2012
78% 60% Drop Dead Diva Cole Lamburt (Guest Star) 2011
No Score Yet 81% CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Unknown (Guest Star) 2011
No Score Yet 86% Lie to Me Sam Hendricks (Guest Star) 2010
No Score Yet 85% ER Dr. James Broderick (Guest Star) 2007
58% 86% John From Cincinnati Erlemeyer (Guest Star) 2007
86% 90% Boston Legal Judge Robert Thompson (Guest Star) 2006-2007
90% 95% House Henry Errington (Guest Star) 2006
18% No Score Yet Oliver Beene Unknown (Guest Star) 2004
14% No Score Yet It's All Relative Unknown (Guest Star) 2003-2004
96% No Score Yet Boomtown Unknown (Guest Star) 2003
88% No Score Yet Maybe It's Me Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Crossing Jordan Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Thieves Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet 82% That '70s Show Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
19% No Score Yet Three Sisters Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
45% No Score Yet Level 9 Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
No Score Yet 95% The Pretender Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Family Law Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Practice Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
33% No Score Yet Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Mr. Bergen (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Outer Limits Dr. Emory Taylor (Character) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ray Bradbury Theater Bayes (Character) 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Head of the Class Charlie Moore (Character) 1986-1990
No Score Yet 89% Murder, She Wrote Sheldon Greenberg (Guest Star) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet One Day at a Time Sam Royer (Character) 1982-1984
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Host 1979 1982-1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet WKRP in Cincinnati Johnny Caravella (Character) 1978-1982
No Score Yet 95% Soap Unknown (Guest Star) 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Bob Newhart Show Craig Plager (Guest Star) 1974-1976 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Laverne & Shirley Unknown (Guest Star) 1976-1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Harry O Unknown (Guest Star) 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sanford and Son Unknown (Guest Star) 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mannix Ray Bennett (Guest Star) 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rhoda Unknown (Guest Star) 1974
No Score Yet 88% The Andy Griffith Show Counterboy (Guest Star) 1968