Howard Hesseman, a prominent figure in the counterculture movement of the late 1960s, was a member of the renowned improv group "The Committee" for over a decade, from the 1960s to the 1970s.
Throughout his extensive career, he took on numerous small roles in various television shows, starting from the 1960s, including appearances in The Andy Griffith Show (1960),Dragnet 1967 (1967),Soap (1977),and Sanford and Son (1972).
His breakout role came as Howard Johnson in the cult classic film Billy Jack (1971),which brought him to the forefront of the entertainment industry.
As a frequent guest star, he appeared in The Bob Newhart Show (1972),and later became widely recognized for his iconic role as anti-disco hipster DJ "Dr. Johnny Fever" in the classic series WKRP in Cincinnati (1978).
In the 1970s, he also appeared in notable films such as The Sunshine Boys (1975),Tunnel Vision (1976),Silent Movie (1976),and The Big Bus (1976).
Following the cancellation of WKRP in Cincinnati (1978),he went on to star as the husband of Ann Romano in the popular series One Day at a Time (1975).
After the conclusion of One Day at a Time, Hesseman starred in the comedy film This Is Spinal Tap (1984),as well as Doctor Detroit (1983),Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985),Clue (1985),and Flight of the Navigator (1986).
He then took on the role of history teacher Charlie Moore in the television series Head of the Class (1986),which he left in 1990 to pursue a steady stream of television guest roles.
Some of his notable appearances in the late 1980s and early 1990s include Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) and Rubin and Ed (1991).
In the years that followed, he continued to appear in films, including Gridlock'd (1997),alongside Tupac Shakur.
Throughout his later years, Hesseman's work primarily focused on television, where he took on mostly small guest roles in shows such as That '70s Show (1998),Touched by an Angel (1994),The Practice (1997),and Crossing Jordan (2001).
