From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Howard Hesseman (born February 27, 1940) is an American actor.

Hesseman was born in Lebanon, Oregon, the son of Edna (née Forster) and George Henry Hesseman.^[1] He attended the University of Oregon, and was later a founding member of the San Francisco-based improvisational comedy troupe The Committee. Early in his acting career, he used the alias Don Sturdy.

Hesseman is known for his role as anti-disco disc jockey John "Dr. Johnny Fever" Caravella on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati from 1978 – 1982; a role Hesseman prepared for by working as a DJ in San Francisco at KMPX-FM for several months. Hesseman is also remembered for his role as teacher Charlie Moore on the series Head of the Class from 1986 – 1990. He also played Sam Royer, the man who married Ann Romano (Bonnie Franklin) on One Day at a Time.

In 1995, Hesseman played the title 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, Hesseman had a recurring role for three episodes of That '70s Show. In 2006, he appeared in two episodes of the ABC television series Boston Legal playing the unorthodox Judge Robert Thompson, as well as an episode of House. During his appearance as Judge Thompson, Hesseman paid homage to his role as Mr. Moore in the earlier ABC series by hearing a court case while sitting atop the judge's bench, just as the character of Mr. Moore taught his class while sitting atop his desk.

In 2007, he played The Chemist on HBO's John From Cincinnati. He has also guest starred as an announcer at a horse track on Psych, in the episode "And Down the Track Comes Murder." Hesseman also guest-starred on the 2007 season premiere of NBC's ER, playing a man tripping on magic mushrooms who may or may not have been an orthopedic doctor from another hospital.

He has also appeared in numerous films, including Steelyard Blues, Billy Jack, This is Spinal Tap, Doctor Detroit, Private Lessons, Rubin and Ed, Flight of the Navigator, About Schmidt, Amazon Women on the Moon and Police Academy 2, Gridlock, Out of Sync, Home for Christmas, The Diamond Trap, Inside Out, Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Martin Story, Heat, My Chauffeur, Clue, The Princess Who Never Laughed, Silence of the Heart, One Shoe Makes It Murder, Honky Tonk Freeway, Private Lessons, Great American Traffic Jam, Americathon, Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo, The Big Bus, Jackson County Jail, Tunnelvision, Shampoo, The Sunshine Boys, The Committee.

Tarantulas:The Deadly Cargo

• Howard Hesseman at the Internet Movie Database