In his second film for Mel Brooks, Hillerman played a rich man during the French Revolution in HISTORY OF THE WORLD: PART I. John Morris' score was heard along with much dialogue in a soundtrack LP released by Warner Bros. It has not been re-issued on CD.
“Thomas Magnum” (Tom Selleck) was a private investigator with an enviable situation. In return for helping with the security arrangements for guarding the Hawaiian estate of wealthy writer “Robin Masters,” he was provided with free living quarters at Masters’ rambling beachfront property on Oahu’s north shore (referred to as the Robin’s Nest). Masters was always away, leaving his stuffy British manservant, “Jonathan Higgins III” (John Hillerman), to run the estate. The laid back lifestyle of Magnum was in direct opposition to the strict military discipline that ruled Higgins’ life, and there was constant bickering between the two—though there was clearly, underneath, a deep-seated mutual affection.
“Magnum, p.i.” debuted on CBS, on 11 December 1980, as a mid-season replacement for the “CBS Thursday Movie Special.” The show was an immediate hit, ending up as the #14 highest rated show for the season. The show would reach its highest rating (#4) during its third season (1982-83).
The character Higgins was born sometime in the year 1920. In the Episode "Echoes of the Mind" he reveals that he is the second son of the Duke of Perth and Baron of Perth in his own right, though he rarely uses the title. He went to school at Eton College and Sandhurst Military College, but was sent down from the latter. He volunteered for the army, but declined to take an officer's commission. His Regiment is the Yorkshire Regiment and he was awarded the Victoria Cross medal.
Hillerman, a Texas native, developed his British accent for "Magnum, p.i." by watching and listening to the performances of Laurence Olivier. Hillerman said that playing a snob came easily to him. He once received a fan letter from a British Lord that read, "You are a credit to the Empire.".
The show introduced a half-brother to Higgins on three occasions. Each time the half-brother was portrayed by Hillerman. The first was a Texan, Elmo Ziller. The second was an Irish priest, Father Paddy McGuinness. The third was Don Luis Mongueo. A fourth named Soo Ling is mentioned but never seen.
The character served for 37 years in the British military in the Second World War, the Indochina War (assisting the French), New Guinea, India, and Kenya, among others. Higgins carried the discipline of his military background into his civilian life. Higgins earned the rank of sergeant major in the British Army, and was in MI6 of the British Secret Service.
The character holds a 1947 doctorate in mathematics from University of Cambridge. This is revealed when he tells a pregnant woman (correctly, though misleadingly) that he is “a doctor”. He owns two highly trained and extremely intelligent Doberman Pinschers, Zeus and Apollo (to whom he often refers as "The Lads").
Higgins is well versed in combat techniques and both armed and unarmed combat. He expresses fondness for older British Army weaponry such as the Sten and Sterling submachine guns. However he is more than capable of using modern weaponry such as the Heckler & Koch MP5. However, he does not make a habit of carrying a gun all the time like Magnum does, but there is a small collection of weaponry (mostly pistols and shotguns) at the estate for him and Magnum to use as needed. Occasional episodes show Higgins utilizing less common weapons, such as a 19th century brass cannon and a samurai sword.
In regard to his personal life, Higgins once was nearly engaged to be married; years later his old flame visits him in Hawaii.
After Orson Welles (who voiced the never-seen Robin Masters) died, the show's writers decided to have Thomas Magnum, a private investigator and Head of Security for Robin's Nest, begin to suspect Higgins is Robin Masters. It later became a long running gag in the series after Thomas told his friends “Theodore ‘T.C.’ Calvin” (Roger E. Mosley), and “Orville ‘Rick’ Wright” (Larry Manetti) about his idea. In the final episode of the series, Higgins tells Magnum that he really is Robin Masters. However, Higgins later recants at Rick's wedding. This left a cliffhanger, and to this day no one knows if Higgins is the mysterious and eccentric Robin Masters.
Hillerman appeared in all 158 episodes of the series, which ran for eight seasons, airing its last original episode on 1 May 1988. He was nominated for an Emmy Award as “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” four years in a row (1984-87), winning in 1987. He was also nominated for five Golden Globe Awards as “Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television,” winning on his first nomination in 1982.
The original theme music for the opening credits of the pilot episode was a mid-tempo jazzy piece by Ian Freebairn-Smith. This music was also used for the next nine regular episodes. Beginning in Episode 12, it was replaced by a more up-tempo theme typical of 1980s action series by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter with guitar by Larry Carlton. This theme had been used during the show and over the closing credits from Episode 8. A longer version of this second theme ("Theme from Magnum P.I.", clocking in at 3:25) credited to Post was released as a 7-inch single by Elektra Records in 1982 and featured on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year, peaking at No. 25 on 8 May 1982. This version also appeared on Post's 1982 album “Television Theme Songs.” That album has not been re-issued on CD.
During the run of "Magnum, p.i." - and shortly after, John Hillerman appeared in a series of ads for Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts, essentially playing the role of Higgins.
UP THE CREEK opens on the campus of Lepetomane University, the worst educational institution in the U.S. "Dean Burch" (John Hillerman) summons his four most notorious students to a campus boiler room. Desperate to earn the school any type of distinction, Burch offers degrees in subjects of their choosing to "Bob McGraw" (Tim Matheson), who is in his 12th year of college, the ne'er do well "Max" (Dan Monahan), the alcoholic geek "Irwin" (Sandy Helberg), and the human food disposal "Gonzer" (Stephen Furst), if they win an intercollegiate raft race. When McGraw declines, Burch blackmails him with knowledge of his fraudulent student loans and on-campus gambling operation.
Robert Butler directed the 1984 comedy. Epic Records released a song-track LP, but apparently only in Europe. In the U.S. it appeared on the Pasha label. William Goldstein's score was made available as a download by New Gold Music in 2014.
In the made-for-television comedy ASSAULT AND MATRIMONY, Edgar and Sylvia Chalmer's neighbor, "Cyril" (John Hillerman), tells "Edgar" (Michael Tucker) that he's going to sell his house to a big "family" and move to the Caribbean, but the "family" will only buy his house if the Chalmers sell theirs too. Edgar likes the idea, because he can hardly afford the upkeep. But, after he tells "Sylvia" (Jill Eikenberry), she doesn't. Soon after they realize each other's diverse views, they start trying to kill each other. Edgar tries to kill Sylvia so he can move to the Caribbean, and Sylvia tries to kill Edgar so she can use his life insurance money to buy Cyril's house.
James Frawley directed the film, which was conceived as a vehicle for the husband and wife team of Tucker and Eikenberry, who had become stars on "L.A. Law," which was just beginning its second season when this film aired on NBC on 28 September 1987. The film later played as a feature overseas. Johnny Mandel provided the unreleased score.
John Hillerman was part of an all-star cast in the 1989 television miniseries remake of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. Hillerman played "Sir Francis Commarty." (In Jules Verne's book, the character is given as "Sir Francis Cromarty.") Pierce Brosnan starred as "Phileas Fogg" and Eric Idle was "Passepartout" in the film. Sir Francis is a Brigadier General retired in India. He is Fogg’s whist partner on the ship Mongolia during the voyage to India, then joins him in a train ride across India. He is tall and fair, a man of 50 who distinguished himself in the Sepoy revolt. On the way to his corps in Benares, he travels with Fogg and serves as commentator on Indian ways and history. He helps to rescue "Princess Aouda" (Julia Nickson).
Buzz Kulik directed the production, which aired on NBC in April. Billy Goldenberg's score for the film was released on a Cinedisc CD.
John Hillerman's last regular television role was on a series that started out as a 1986 vehicle for Valerie Harper, who had played "Rhoda Morgenstern" on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and later on "Rhoda." Titled "Valerie," the show starred Harper as a mother trying to juggle her career while raising her three sons by her often absent airline pilot husband "Michael" (Josh Taylor).
When Harper left the show after the second season due to a salary dispute, the producers reformatted the series for season three as "Valerie's Family," and brought in Sandy Duncan to star as Michael's sister, "Sandy Hogan," who comes to live with her brother to help raise his children. During the last three seasons, the show's title changed again to "The Hogan Family".
At the start of "The Hogan Family's" sixth and final season (1990-91), John Hillerman joined the cast as Sandy and Michael's father, "Lloyd." The season premiere has Mike, Sandy, and the boys visit Lloyd in California, upon hearing that he and his wife (Mike and Sandy's mother) have just been divorced. Lloyd clearly has trouble with the events, and at one point in the hour-long episode goes missing, with the family fearing that he might have been killed boating during a storm. The senior Hogan materializes safe, and in the end, follows the family to their Oak Park, Illinois residence. Hillerman appeared in all 13 episodes of the series' final season before its cancellation.
John Hillerman's final film appearance came in the 1996 comedy A VERY BRADY SEQUEL. He played "Dr. Whitehead." In a call-back to earlier times, when "Carol Brady" (Shelley Long) meets Dr. Whitehead, he offers her a Macadamia nut. Arlene Sanford directed the film. None of Guy Moon's score was found on the Angel soundtrack CD, which was filled with dialogue and vintage pop music.
John Hillerman retired to his home state of Texas in 2000, where he lived out his remaining years. Thanks, John, for "Higgins" and all your other fine portrayals.
I never knew much about Hillerman in movies, China Town for me being his best, Magnum was a good tv series that ran for-ever. When I first watched Hillerman on tv I actually thought he was English, that sort of accent.
I will definitely check out Hillerman's career, I liked him, talented man.
