Howard Hesseman

'Howard Hesseman' (qv) has been a leading counter-culture figure since the late 1960s. He was a member of the improv group, "the Committee", for ten years in the sixties and seventies. He has been a character actor for many years on different television shows since the 1960s, and took small parts in _The Andy Griffith Show (1960)_ (qv), _Dragnet 1967 (1967)_ (qv), _Soap (1977)_ (qv) and _Sanford and Son (1972)_ (qv). The role that brought him to prominence was Howard Johnson in the cult classic _Billy Jack (1971)_ (qv). He has been active in movies and TV since.He was a frequent guest star on _The Bob Newhart Show (1972)_ (qv), but the best was yet to come. He will perhaps be forever remembered on the classic series _WKRP in Cincinnati (1978)_ (qv), as anti-disco DJ Dr. Johnny Fever. Also in the seventies, Hesseman appeared in a small part in _The Sunshine Boys (1975)_ (qv), _Tunnel Vision (1976)_ (qv), _Silent Movie (1976)_ (qv) and _The Big Bus (1976)_ (qv). After the cancellation of _WKRP in Cincinnati (1978)_ (qv), he went on to star as the husband of Ann Romano in _One Day at a Time (1975)_ (qv). After that series was cancelled, Hesseman starred in more cult classics, such as _This Is Spinal Tap (1984)_ (qv), _Doctor Detroit (1983)_ (qv), _Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985)_ (qv), (a role which he refused to play again) _Clue (1985)_ (qv) and _Flight of the Navigator (1986)_ (qv).He then got another part in television, this time as a teacher in the high school sitcom _Head of the Class (1986)_ (qv). As Mr. Moore, he was insightful, funny and a pleasure to watch. Hesseman left the show in 1990 and has done a steady stream of television guest roles since. In 1987, he was in the star-studded _Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)_ (qv), and, in 1991, he starred in the very strange film _Rubin and Ed (1991)_ (qv). Since then, he has been in a handful of other films, including _Gridlock'd (1997)_ (qv) with 'Tupac Shakur' (qv). His work in recent years concentrates mostly on television, where he takes mostly small guest roles, in shows like _That '70s Show (1998)_ (qv), _Touched by an Angel (1994)_ (qv), _The Practice (1997)_ (qv) and _Crossing Jordan (2001)_ (qv). Since his career began, Hesseman has gained a reputation as a quality and versatile character actor.::msa0510 @ mail.ecu.edu