# Howard Hesseman (Dr. Johnny Fever) passed away **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [January 30, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657 "2022-01-30T18:22:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/1 "2022-01-30T18:22:09Z")
Actor Howard Hesseman, best known as the strung-out disc jockey “Dr. Johnny Fever” on the late '70s sitcom _WKRP in Cincinnati_, died yesterday at age 81, apparently from complications following colon surgery. WKRP is still one of my all-time favorite TV shows, and Hesseman was outstanding and awesomely funny as Johnny. Rest in peace, Dr. Fever. > **[Howard Hesseman, WKRP in Cincinnati Star, Dies at 81](https://www.thewrap.com/howard-hesseman-wkrp-in-cincinnati-dies-at-81/)** > > Hesseman played the very anti-disco DJ "Dr. Johnny Fever" ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/2 "2022-01-30T18:24:13Z")
“Booger!” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/3 "2022-01-30T18:24:58Z")
He was always good. I loved WKRP. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/4 "2022-01-30T18:26:11Z")
He was great! He also hosted _Saturday Night Live_ in the late Seventies. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/5 "2022-01-30T18:27:40Z")
It might be too soon, but I have to believe that Howard would appreciate us watching this WKRP bit today, about a jingle for a funeral home. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BXRxYLfq78g/maxresdefault.jpg "WKRP Ferryman Funeral Home") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXRxYLfq78g) ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/6 "2022-01-30T18:46:56Z")
toodeloo, toodeloo, bye bye. Thanks for the memories. We’ll miss you Howard. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/7 "2022-01-30T18:54:56Z")
A classic guy in a classic show. ---
**Author:** ![tuesdayweld](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@tuesdayweld](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tuesdayweld)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/8 "2022-01-30T18:57:30Z")
That is sad news. Hesseman starred in one of my all-time favorite comedies: Rubin and Ed. He was sensational in WKRP. Thanks for the laughs, HH. RIP ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/9 "2022-01-30T19:00:19Z")
Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/10 "2022-01-30T19:09:34Z")
Communism was just a red herring. I know he’s been working, but I don’t think I’ve seen him in anything for a few years now. Good memories. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/11 "2022-01-30T19:17:01Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > “Booger!” You stole my line. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/12 "2022-01-30T19:24:08Z")
My favorite Johnny Fever episode was the episode where they did the on-air drunk reflexes test… and Johnny just kept testing _better_ the more he drank. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/13 "2022-01-30T19:28:46Z")
Being of a slightly later generation I knew him from _Head of the Class_. A great actor, he will be missed. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/14 "2022-01-30T19:29:13Z")
too soon. RIP, Howard Hesseman. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/15 "2022-01-30T19:33:25Z")
_Do I hear dogs?_ _ **I do** _ ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/16 "2022-01-30T19:40:12Z")
So now he’s joined the Hallelujah Choir in their moving rendition of “Havin’ My Baby.” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/17 "2022-01-30T20:16:38Z")
RIP, Don Sturdy. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/18 "2022-01-30T20:20:05Z")
My contribution [The Committee Park Robbery Scene (in 1080p HD) Billy Jack Classic Clips - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkoWOosMt6k) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/19 "2022-01-30T20:28:59Z")
The phone cops play a long game ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657/20 "2022-01-30T20:35:00Z")
My favorite line of his: This is WKRP in Cincinnati with more music and Les Nessman! A true rockin roll doctor, RIP Doctor Fever. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/howard-hesseman-dr-johnny-fever-passed-away/958657.md?page=2)