RIP John Hillerman (Higgins from Magnum, P.I.)

[TheSportsPredictor]

Magnum, P.I. Co-Star and Emmy Winner John Hillerman Dead at 84

Won an Emmy for his work on the show.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

R.I.P.


Higgie, baby.

 

[Songbird]

Never watched an episode. Is it any good?

 

[swingline]

Robin Masters?

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Never watched an episode. Is it any good?

Entertaining at the time. Hasn't aged well.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Best TV car ever.

 

[doctorx]

Howard Johnson on Blazing Saddles

 

[fossywriter8]

Don't forget his portrayal of Howard Johnson in "Blazing Saddles."

Howard Johnson: [reading] As honorary chairman of the welcoming committee, it's my privilege to present a laurel and hearty handshake to our new...

[looks up and sees Bart]

Howard Johnson: ...******.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Related: Isn’t CBS doing a Magnum reboot?

 

[Jevans]

Entertaining at the time. Hasn't aged well.

Today it would be better than most of what's out there and being called great.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Entertaining at the time. Hasn't aged well.

I loved cop/detective shows as a kid but most shows from that era have not aged well at all.

I still can't believe he wasn't actually British.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Add another one to the “thought was dead already” file.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Today it would be better than most of what's out there and being called great.

It really, really wouldn't.

My wife and I were binge-watching 70s cop shows for a while. We went through at least a season of "Magnum PI." I loved it when it was on originally.

Selleck is still very likeable as the central character. Hillerman was great as Higgins. It's a nice car.

Everything else about the show is awful.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

Best TV car ever.

 

[Jevans]

It really, really wouldn't.

My wife and I were binge-watching 70s cop shows for a while. We went through at least a season of "Magnum PI." I loved it when it was on originally.

Selleck is still very likeable as the central character. Hillerman was great as Higgins. It's a nice car.

Everything else about the show is awful.

Yeah, the 76 violence-filled crime serials and the 45 hospital dramas with the realistic staff romances are way better. My bad. I'll wait eagerly for "NCIS: Shreveport" and "I Saw U While Working at the ICU" to come on.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Also had a bit part in Chinatown, one of my all-time favorite movies.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Some TV shows become period pieces as time passes, some have a more enduring appeal on their own merits. Magnum P.I. is very much a period piece, which is not a criticism BTW. As a fan of old shows, I watch other period pieces. Have Gun, Will Travel and its mid 20th century psychology plots moved to the old West is very much of its time. But if you brought Taxi back today, which came out in roughly the
Magnum timeframe, I firmly believe it'd be a big hit. I use Taxi because the late '70s-early '80s was not a banner era for TV drama. The most prestigious drama of that time. Hill Street Blues, has aged really badly. The multiple plots no longer cover up how hackneyed each of said plots are.

 

[CD Boogie]

It really, really wouldn't.

My wife and I were binge-watching 70s cop shows for a while. We went through at least a season of "Magnum PI." I loved it when it was on originally.

Selleck is still very likeable as the central character. Hillerman was great as Higgins. It's a nice car.

Everything else about the show is awful.

Excuse me, but “the lads” a.k.a. Higginson’s Dobermans were also pretty boss.

 

[CD Boogie]

Some TV shows become period pieces as time passes, some have a more enduring appeal on their own merits. Magnum P.I. is very much a period piece, which is not a criticism BTW. As a fan of old shows, I watch other period pieces. Have Gun, Will Travel and its mid 20th century psychology plots moved to the old West is very much of its time. But if you brought Taxi back today, which came out in roughly the
Magnum timeframe, I firmly believe it'd be a big hit. I use Taxi because the late '70s-early '80s was not a banner era for TV drama. The most prestigious drama of that time. Hill Street Blues, has aged really badly. The multiple plots no longer cover up how hackneyed each of said plots are.

Hill Street Blues, Taxi and MASH had some of the most depressing sets and cinematography. I couldn’t abide any of them for long because their scenery was so effing dreary.

 

[sgreenwell]

Yeah, the 76 violence-filled crime serials and the 45 hospital dramas with the realistic staff romances are way better. My bad. I'll wait eagerly for "NCIS: Shreveport" and "I Saw U While Working at the ICU" to come on.

You said "great" in your initial post. I don't think any of those shows have been called great, outside of maybe their initial few seasons, unless you're one of the blue hairs watching CBS.