Howard Hesseman dead: WKRP & Head of the Class star was 81

It looks like yet another beloved eighties icon has passed on, with THR reporting that Howard Hesseman, who memorably played the iconic Dr. Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and later starred in the sitcom Head of the Class, is dead at 81. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hesseman had been in poor health since recovering from colon surgery last summer and died at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles.

For a whole generation of us, Hesseman was a familiar face. An improv veteran who was part of a politically motivated troupe called The Committee (he actually shows up with the gang in the seminal Billy Jack), he worked as a radio DJ for some time, which obviously informed his triumphant turn on WKRP in Cincinnati, which ran for four seasons and earned him two Emmy nominations. His Dr. Johnny Fever was the show’s breakout star, with him the station’s rebel who bristled at authority and became a counter-culture icon.

He became an even bigger star in the eighties when he played the lead on the long-running Head of the Class (whose reboot was just cancelled on HBO Max) for four seasons. As a rebellious actor turned teacher for a classroom of gifted students, Hesseman became a breakout star before leaving the show after four seasons. He also showed up in a few movies, most memorably in Doctor Detroit as a flamboyant pimp, as well as Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment, About Schmidt, This is Spinal Tap and a few more, although it seems a consistent career on the big screen eluded him somewhat. No matter, he kept busy on the small screen showing up on Boston Legal, Fresh Off the Boat and more.

When news of his death broke, former friends and colleagues were quick to share their tributes:

Impossible to overstate Howard Hesseman’s influence on his and subsequent generations of improvisors. The first time I saw him on stage (Troubadour, ’71, with The Committee) I saw that he was the real deal. He was a friend for 50 years. 1/3

— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) January 30, 2022

RIP Howard Hessman. What great times we had. Great laughs and fun going to see Etta James in Manhattan Beach and Joe Tex at The Parisian Room. Staying at your beautiful house in Ramatuellle. Oh god this hurts.

— Laraine Newman (@larainenewman) January 30, 2022

We always made each other laugh. Remember? #RIPHowardHesseman https://t.co/adeIoBIebl

— Alan Zweibel (@AlanZweibel) January 30, 2022