Saturday, December 19, 2009

December 20

Today's birthday post belongs to an 80's TV icon. John Hillerman was a ensemble player in 70's films like Chinatown and Blazing Saddles, and TV series like "Love Boat" and "One Day at a Time". Then he got the role that defined his career: British Army Seargent Johnathan Quayle Higgins III, the martini-dry aide de camp to Magnum, P.I.

The show and the Emmy-winning role became so popular that his character ended up wandering into other crime-fighting shows (Murder She Wrote? Did they hook up?) and commercials.
But here's what I never realized until I researched this evening: Hillerman was born and raised in Texas. Yes, I know he's an actor; I'm just used to all these British/Australian actors showing up in Hollywood movies, twanging up their voices just enough to fool me and wonder how Americans still end up in movies. I'm not used to it being the other way around.
I guess it's the power of the mind...

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