---
name: "John Hillerman"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-hillerman"
fi1m_id: "john-hillerman"
imdb_id: "nm0384916"
tmdb_id: 12296
wikidata_id: "Q726283"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "20 December 1932"
died: "9 November 2017"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 89
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-02T21:56:05.763617+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# John Hillerman

## Identity

John Hillerman

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/john-hillerman
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** john-hillerman
- **IMDb ID:** nm0384916
- **TMDB ID:** 12296
- **Wikidata ID:** Q726283
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hillerman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q726283, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384916/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12296

Actor. Born 20 December 1932 in Denison, Texas, USA. Died 9 November 2017.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 20 December 1932, Denison, Texas, USA
- **Died:** 9 November 2017
- **Active:** 1971–1974
- **Also known as:** Джон Хіллерман, John Benedict Hillerman, Джон Бенедикт Хиллерман
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 89, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 89 to 84 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Crime 2, Drama 2, Comedy 1, Mystery 1, Romance 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $90m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hillerman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q726283, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384916/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12296

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Chinatown*](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md) (93)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

John Hillerman was an American actor. Born in Denison, Texas, he studied journalism at the University of Texas at Austin and served in the United States Air Force from 1953 to 1957. After discharge he moved to New York, where he trained at the American Theatre Wing and worked in theatre for twelve years before relocating to Hollywood in 1969.

His film roles included the English teacher in *The Last Picture Show* (1971), Howard Johnson in *Blazing Saddles* (1974) and Russ Yelburton in *Chinatown* (1974). He was best known for playing Jonathan Quayle Higgins III on the television series *Magnum, P.I.* (1980–1988). For the role he received five Golden Globe nominations, winning in 1981, and four Emmy nominations, winning in 1987. He retired from acting in 1999.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Chinatown* (1974), Fi1m 93, as Russ Yelburton — [page](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md)
- *Paper Moon* (1973), Fi1m 86, as Deputy Hardin / Jess Hardin — [page](https://film.one/film/paper-moon.md)
- *The Last Picture Show* (1971), Fi1m 89, as English teacher — [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-picture-show.md)

## Complete filmography (71)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift* (2010), as (archive footage)
- *A Very Brady Sequel* (1996), as Dr. Whitehead
- *Sink the Bismarck!* (1996), as Narrator (Voice)
- *Hands of a Murderer* (1990), as Dr. John Watson
- *Real Men Don't Eat Gummi Bears* (1989), as Pfarrer
- *Around the World in 80 Days* (1989), series, as Sir Francis Commarty
- *Street of Dreams* (1988), as Raymond Kepler
- *Assault and Matrimony* (1987), as Cyril
- *The Hogan Family* (1986), series, as Lloyd Hogan
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Jonathan Higgins, Edgar Greenstreet
- *Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link* (1984), as Host
- *Up the Creek* (1984), as Dean Burch
- *Little Gloria... Happy at Last* (1982), series, as Maury Paul
- *Tales of the Gold Monkey* (1982), series, Actor
- *Simon & Simon* (1981), series, Actor
- *History of the World: Part I* (1981), as Rich Man - The French Revolution
- *Magnum, P.I.* (1980), series, as Jonathan Higgins
- *Magnum PI: Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii* (1980), as Higgins
- *The Murder That Wouldn't Die* (1980), as Paul Harrison
- *Marathon* (1980), as Greg Previn
- *Tenspeed and Brown Shoe* (1980), series, Actor
- *Hart to Hart* (1979), series, Actor
- *Sunburn* (1979), as Webb
- *Beane's of Boston* (1979), series, as John Peacock
- *Beane's of Boston* (1979), as John Peacock
- *Institute for Revenge* (1979), as Voice of I.F.R. (voice)
- *Betrayal* (1978), as Victor Slavin
- *A Guide for the Married Woman* (1978), as Marvin
- *Flying High* (1978), series, Actor
- *Kill Me If You Can* (1977), as George Davis
- *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Ed Hartnett
- *Lou Grant* (1977), series, Actor
- *Relentless* (1977), as Major Leo Hargit
- *The Betty White Show* (1977), series, as John Elliot
- *Audrey Rose* (1977), as Scott Velle
- *Delvecchio* (1976), series, as Dr. Augustus Hamilton
- *The Invasion of Johnson County* (1976), as Major Walcott
- *Lucky Lady* (1975), as Christy McTeague
- *One Day at a Time* (1975), series, as Mr. Connors
- *Wonder Woman* (1975), series, as Conrad Steigler
- *Ellery Queen* (1975), series, as Simon Brimmer
- *The Day of the Locust* (1975), as Ned Grote
- *Ellery Queen: Too Many Suspects* (1975), as Simon Brimmer
- *The Bob Crane Show* (1975), series, Actor
- *At Long Last Love* (1975), as Rodney James
- *The Nickel Ride* (1975), as Carl
- *The Law* (1974), as Thomas Q. Rachel
- *Little House on the Prairie* (1974), series, as Sterling Murdock
- *Chinatown* (1974), as Russ Yelburton — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md)
- *The Last Angry Man* (1974), as Tree Inspector
- *Blazing Saddles* (1974), as Howard Johnson
- *Kojak* (1973), series, as Mark Gallant — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md)
- *The Naked Ape* (1973), as Psychiatrist
- *Paper Moon* (1973), as Deputy Hardin / Jess Hardin — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/paper-moon.md)
- *High Plains Drifter* (1973), as Bootmaker
- *The Thief Who Came to Dinner* (1973), as Edmund Lasker
- *The Outside Man* (1972), as Department Store Manager
- *The Sandy Duncan Show* (1972), series, Actor
- *Skyjacked* (1972), as Air flight controller
- *The Great Man's Whiskers* (1972), as Major Underwood
- *The Carey Treatment* (1972), as Jenkins
- *What's Up, Doc?* (1972), as Hotel Manager
- *The Sixth Sense* (1972), series, Actor
- *Honky* (1971), as Bus Ticket Salesman
- *The Last Picture Show* (1971), as English teacher — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-picture-show.md)
- *Sweet, Sweet Rachel* (1971), as Medical Examiner
- *Lawman* (1971), as Totts
- *They Call Me Mister Tibbs!* (1970), as Reporter (uncredited)
- *Hawaii Five-O* (1969), series, as Donald Blair, Nelson Bodine
- *Mannix* (1967), series, as Larry Lawton
- *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Morris Ridley

## Gallery

- ![John Hillerman](https://film.one/media/person/59477/gallery-28c0bcbc842e.jpg) John Hillerman — CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/John_Hillerman_Betty_White_The_Betty_White_Show_1977_%28cropped%29_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Cast photo from The Betty White Show of 1977. From left-John Hillerman, Betty White, Georgia Engel.](https://film.one/media/person/59477/gallery-1f2e81eb658c.jpg) Cast photo from The Betty White Show of 1977. From left-John Hillerman, Betty White, Georgia Engel. — CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Betty_White_Show_Cast_1977.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Photo of John Hillerman and Betty White from The Betty White Show. (1977)](https://film.one/media/person/59477/gallery-7211639912b0.jpg) Photo of John Hillerman and Betty White from The Betty White Show. (1977) — CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/John_Hillerman_Betty_White_The_Betty_White_Show_1977.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![John Hillerman](https://film.one/media/person/59477/gallery-a97a420bb498.jpg) John Hillerman — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won

- 1987: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (won), for *Magnum, P.I.*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/john-hillerman