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Vale: John Hillerman

US character actor best known for Magnum PI, Chinatown & Blazing Saddles, has died.

US actor John Hillerman, best known for Magnum PI, Chinatown and Blazing Saddles, has died, aged 84.

He died at home in Houston but the cause of death has not been determined.

Hillerman played estate caretaker ‘Jonathan Quayle Higgins III’ on Magnum P.I. for 8 seasons, winning an Emmy in 1987.

‘Higgins’, who also appeared on episodes of Murder She Wrote and Simon & Simon was a natural extension of a part he played on Ellery Queen, ‘Simon Brimmer.’  Hillerman made a career out of playing snooty types.

Other TV credits included The Betty White Show, Valerie’s Family, One Day at a Time, Lou Grant, Serpico, Kojak, Wonder Woman, The Bob Crane Show, The Love Boat, Mannix, and Maude.

Film credits included Blazing Saddles, The Last Picture Show, What’s Up, Doc?, Paper Moon, At Long Last Love, Chinatown, High Plains Drifter, Lucky Lady, Audrey Rose, History of the World: Part I and A Very Brady Sequel.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

8 Responses

    1. Ah yes What’s Up Doc is one of my favourite movies and as I was reading I could picture John Hillerman walking into Ryan O’Neal’s hotel room with the door handle in his hand and delivering that wonderful one scene performance.

  1. How sad. I enjoyed his snooty role on Magnum PI. One of my ‘past time’ favourite shows. All the good old stars are disappearing…and so are the good old shows.

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