Howard Hesseman, RIP

About thirty years ago, I was on my way to work at the car wash. Stopped and ate at Wendy's. It was the end of Spring term at the University of Oregon. Students were leaving. Some long haired young fellow sat quietly having lunch with his father who talked and talked. He must have come from California to get him.

His father complained about MTV. "They have this thing called Beavis & Butt-head. It's twelve-year-old humor." He told about a friend who had invested in the New WKRP shown on a different music video channel. 

I glanced in their direction and he looked back at me. I was caught listening, but that was probably what he wanted.

"Tom Jones puts on a good show," he told his son. "So. Are there a lot of rednecks here?"

His son didn't speak at all.  

I probably could have intruded on their discussion. I would have said that there are rednecks everywhere, but Eugene is known for its hippies. In fact, WKRP's Howard Hesseman went to the University of Oregon around 1960. My mother had a cousin there at the time who was friends with him. 

Howard Hesseman died yesterday at age 81.

Played an early gay character on The Bob Newhart Show. Appeared on The Andy Griffith Show, Dragnet and in the movie Billy Jack.

Used the stage name Don Sturdy for his role on Dragnet.