Earl Hindman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Earl John Hindman October 20, 1942 Bisbee, Arizona, U.S. |
| Died | December 29, 2003 (aged 61) Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1968–2003 |
| Spouse(s) | |
Earl John Hindman (October 20, 1942 – December 29, 2003) was an American actor, best known for his role as the kindly unseen neighbor Wilson W. Wilson, Jr. on the television sitcom Home Improvement (1991–99).[1]
Long before this role, however, he played villains in two 1974 thrillers, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and The Parallax View. He also appeared in the films Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? (1971), Greased Lightning (1977), The Brink's Job (1978) and Taps (1981), Murder in Coweta County (1983),and played the part of J.T. in the Lawrence Kasdan film Silverado (1985).
Hindman's most famous pre-Home Improvement role was as Bob Reid in Ryan's Hope. He played the role from 1975–84 and later returned for its final episodes in 1988–89. Hindman's wife (Molly McGreevey) was also on the soap 1977–81 as Polly Longworth, best friend to media tycoon Rae Woodard.
Personal life and death
Hindman was born in Bisbee, Arizona, the son of Eula and Burl Latney Hindman, who worked in the oil pipeline business.[2][3] He studied acting at the University of Arizona.[4]
On May 21, 1976, Hindman married Molly McGreevey, with whom he later acted on Ryan's Hope. McGreevey later became an Episcopal priest.[5]
A longtime smoker, Hindman was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2003. He died of the disease on December 29, 2003 at the age of 61, in Stamford, Connecticut, where he is buried in Roxbury Cemetery.[4]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Teenage Mother | ||
| 1968 | The Kiss of Her Flesh | Don | |
| 1969 | The Ultimate Degenerate | Bruno | |
| 1971 | Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? | Whitey | |
| 1974 | The Parallax View | Deputy Red | |
| 1974 | Shoot It Black, Shoot It Blue | Garrity | |
| 1974 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | George Steever aka Mr. Brown | |
| 1975–1984, 1988–1989 | Ryan's Hope | Bob Reid | TV series |
| 1977 | Greased Lightning | Beau Welles | |
| 1978 | The Brink's Job | FBI agent #3 | |
| 1981 | Taps | Lieutenant Hanson | |
| 1985 | Silverado | J.T. | |
| 1987 | Three Men and a Baby | Satch | |
| 1988 | Talk Radio | Chet / Black John / Jerry | Voice |
| 1989 | War and Remembrance | Lt. Commander Wade McClusky | TV Miniseries |
| 1991 | The Ballad of the Sad Café | Henry Macy | |
| 1991 | Fires Within | Sergeant | |
| 1991–1999 | Home Improvement | Wilson W. Wilson, Jr. | TV series, 203 episodes |
| 2000 | Law & Order | Mr. Riley | Episode: "Black, White and Blue" |
| 2001 | Final | Official | |
| 2002 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Sheriff | Episode: "The Third Horseman" |
References
- ^ https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/tim-allen-says-hes-very-interested-in-a-home-improvement-reboot-exclusive/ar-BBJUHVe?li=BBnb7Kz
- ^ New York Times obituary.
- ^ Notice of Earl Hindman's death Archived 2009-10-04 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b Collins, Dan (December 30, 2013). "'Home Improvement' Actor Dies". CBS News. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
- ^ Birkner, Gabrielle (January 2, 2004). "Wilson of TV's "Home Improvement,' Earl Hindman dies at 61 of cancer". Morning Call. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
External links
- Earl Hindman at IMDb
- Earl Hindman at Find a Grave