RIP John Hillerman

[Magnum T.]

I just read the news.
It's sad, but he had a long life (and happy, I think).
He will always be remembered by all of us, he will live in the Magnum fantasy world forever.

So good-bye and thank you, Higgy Baby!

[Frodoleader]

There will only ever be one John Hillerman and only one Jonathon Quayle Higgins!
Rest in peace and thank you sir, for being a part of our lives.

[Styles Bitchley]

Farewell and godspeed Mr. Hillerman. Your talent provided so many with so much for so long and I, for one, am grateful.

Nice to see familiar names pop in here after long absences. Hi guys!

BTW, the New York Times did a great job with his obit: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/09/obit ... =eta1&_r=0

[Rolie]

Was just in the process of recording the Magnum PI theme song when I got a call from my wife telling me the news. Got the same hollow feeling in my stomach that I got back in 88 when TM looked at us and said goodnight with flicker in hand. I knew that was it but since then, I've kept the Magnum mindset alive and well to this very day. A bit of it just tested my mortality and am hollow again. The man, the legend... Higgy baby will live forever young. Long live Magnum PI and friends.

[Higgins (aka Bondtoys)]

A very sad day - indeed!
R.I.P, Sir.


Here is a wonderful tribute to Hillermann and Higgins:

https://translate.google.com/translate? ... t=&act=url

[308GTS]

I had to login today as well to say farewell to such an amazing actor and huge part of the show!

"Higgie baby, it ain't over til it's over"

RIP John Hillerman!

[Fr. Paddy McGuinness]

Death ends a life not a relationship. I hope his family takes some solace in the fact that he will always be loved by his many fans. God Bless Higgy Baby.

[Hawaii Winds]

Gutted

Feels like I lost a family member, had to watch a couple of episodes with Higgins in it, Foiled Again and Paper War

I hope the cast will acknowledge his passing other than Larry Manetti.

[Hawaii Winds]

Death ends a life not a relationship. I hope his family takes some solace in the fact that he will always be loved by his many fans. God Bless Higgy Baby.

[Kepania]

Thank you for giving us so many happy moments Mr Hillerman! I will continue watching Magnum P.I. and loving Higgie baby until the day I die...and hopefully beyond.

I've never met you and yet I know you, at least Higgins, so well. If I'm living in fantasy world, please don't ruin it with reality.

I've also posted this to "The John Hillerman Thread".

It's neither the time nor the place to mention this, but the last news on Magnum Mania were posted on the 26th of March of 2015 (Pahonu (aka "The Robin Masters Estate") has a new owner!). If the death of John Hillerman is not news in the Magnum P.I. world, nothing is news!

[Mac]

Tonight I will raise a toast to, "The Regiment", in your honour!

[Coops]

Absolutely gutted as well.

Almost like losing a family member...

Mahalo, John

[BWheelz54]

My thoughts repeatedly return to Mr. Hillerman since hearing the news of his passing yesterday afternoon. Like all of us, I'm not a stranger to bad news and to loss. Yet learning of an actor's passing, of the loss of a man I didn't know at all, still got to me. I've been walking a little more slowly today. My eyes seem to drift onto my shoes. I've been wearing a frown. Higgins was never real, and still I feel a little older and little bit lost upon realizing that Higgins just isn't around anymore. That makes no sense. The shows been gone for how many years now? And Higgins was never around at all.

But Mr. Hillerman's acting sure impacted my life - during those formative years of my boyhood, when impressions I seldom recognized or understood played some small part in forming who I would become. I sit in my home office typing on this blog, surrounded by my two, old sets of Encyclopedia Britannicas, with my pair of German shepherds at my feet, with my bookcases and typewriters, and I don't have to look at my photograph of Higgins with his dobermens posted on my wall to realize how I'm trying to capture a little of that character Mr. Hillerman delivered into our lives through a glass television screen. I've been blessed to know many wonderful mentors, and thanks to Mr. Hillerman, I count a television character among them.

Mr. Selleck may have been the star of the show, but I believe Mr. Hillerman was the show's heart. Mr. Hillerman was the other half of the equation, the perfect foil to the hero, a man who could be adversary and closest friend all at the same moment. And though he was a native Texan, Mr. Hillerman carried such a bittersweet honor to the character of an old British sergeant, a man of a fading empire, who weekly watches a younger comrade of the current superpower tackle the dangers of the day. And Mr. Hillerman played the part with such ease. He tricked the audience. He let the viewers think the show was about Magnum. But I think it was as much about Higgins.

I've watched Mr. Hillerman give wonderful performances in Ellery Queen, in Chinatown and in Paper Moon. And I always grin from ear to ear if I'm watching an older show and see Mr. Hillerman make an unexpected appearance. You'd think I was cheering for that uncle in the family who makes his living in Hollywood.

Last night, it was time for "Holmes Is Where the Heart Is." Tonight, I think I'll watch "Computer Date." I wish I had a smoking jacket to wear, and a fine brandy to sip. I'd sit in front of my home's fire and raise a first toast to the regiment.

God bless you, Mr. Hillerman. You were wonderful.

[Coops]

Amazing reply, thank you. I, too, upon hearing of his passing, immediately watched "Holmes Is Where The Heart Is" which I feel was Mr. Hillerman's greatest performance of the entire series. Well done.

[Neil Peel]

A sad day indeed but peppered with happy memories of a very fine actor's performances.
Wonderful to read such heartfelt tributes on the forum as well.