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Howard Hesseman’s first credit goes all the way back to 1968 when he appeared on “The Andy Griffith Show,” according to his IMDb credits. But things took off when he played Dr. Johnny Fever in “WKRP in Cincinnati.” Hesseman looked back on that character with fondness, as he told The Washington Post in 1986. “I’m rather pleased. I like that character,” Hesseman said of playing Dr. Fever. “It was a fulfilling period in my life. Allowing the fans to see you as they choose, for better or for worse, comes with the territory. I’m glad they like what they see. I do like what I was doing when I was on that show.”
While Hesseman had a long line of film and TV credits, he didn’t have the easiest time outside of acting. As the Post notes, he went to jail for 90 days in 1963 after he sold marijuana to a federal agent. In fact, Hesseman got sober after struggling with drugs. He said that the moment of change came when he was with his girlfriend, Caroline Ducrocq, whom he later married. He said he was “thinking what it would be like to be with her if my mind were clear. I was curious, so I stopped to see what it would be like. I discovered that the longer I maintained that frame of mind, the more I liked it.”
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Source: Nicki Swift
