The John Hillerman Thread

[Pahonu]

Here is a clip from the 1970 film "They Call Me Mr. Tibbs," starring Sidney Poitier as a San Francisco police lieutenant. This was John Hillerman's very first appearance on film! Fresh from 13 years of East Coast stage acting, he landed this tiny uncredited role, a few seconds long, in which he had just one line. Here he is, only 38 years old, in his film debut! Don't blink, you'll miss him! https://vimeo.com/345036746

(If anyone knows how to embed this, LMK)

That's the sequel to In the Heat of the Night with Poitier and Rod Steiger.

[K Hale]

Houston Chronicle
October 2, 1994

Magnum's question/Hillerman suspects Higgins was Robin Masters
DAVID MARTINDALE

Was Jonathan Quayle Higgins really Robin Masters?Thomas Magnum, the title character of "Magnum, P.I. "(1980-88), always suspected that the fussbudget British major-domo to Masters' Hawaiian estate and the elusive millionaire novelist he served were one and the same.

And so does John Hillerman, a born-and-bred Texan who, as Higgins, fooled many a viewer with his English accent.
"We left it very enigmatic at the end," said Hillerman, 61. "For the last year or so, Magnum (Tom Selleck) kept asking Higgins if he was Robin Masters and he'd always deny it. And then in the last episode "Magnum" asked him once again, and this time he said, "Yes, I am.' But at the very end of the show, he said, "Magnum, I lied.'

"That's the thing about "Magnum" that was so interesting, and I think that's one of the keys to its popularity. I mean, people stop me on the street and ask that question."

So was he or wasn't he?

"We always kidded about how trashy Robin Masters' novels were," Hillerman said. "And I say Higgins did write those novels. Now you'll remember that Higgins was always writing some serious history of something or another, because that's what he really wanted to do. He was ashamed of being Robin Masters, hiding behind the facade."

This is a subject of frequent debate among "Magnum" fans, mind you, because there are seeming lapses in continuity if Higgins was in fact Robin Masters.

How might one explain phone conversations with Masters (the voice of Orson Welles), a back-only glimpse of Masters or visits from family members, such as nephew R.J. Masters?

Hillerman suggests all were actors, hired by Higgins, to perpetuate the myth.

"He was playing an elaborate charade," he said. "You see, the thing about Higgins was he created this flamboyant character so he could be left in peace and quiet."

Viewers can look for clues and decide for themselves when "Magnum, P.I." begins Monday on USA (3 p.m. weekdays). The first episode, the two-part "Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii," is Monday and Tuesday.

And Hillerman offers something else for viewers to watch for. He calls it "the look."

"I've always been known as a rock," he said. "I never broke up when I was working on a scene. But Selleck, he had this look that he would do. He'd raise an eyebrow and give this little weird look.

"It was only funny to me and to this day I can't explain why. But he knew that if he did it, I would lose control. And so he did it, of course -- constantly -- and there was nothing I could do about it. They always gave Higgins these long monologues, and I'd be desperately trying to get through it. Then Selleck would do the look, and I'd crack up and we'd have to start all over again.

"No one else has ever broken me up on the set. But he knew how to push that button."

By the way, what of the occasional rumors about "Magnum's "return to TV, if only for a two-hour movie?

"Occasionally I hear that talk, but I certainly have heard nothing official about it," Hillerman said. "I think it would be very successful if we did something like that."

[terryfromkerry]

As Arte Johnson might say ( Rowan & Martin Laugh-in) ...... "very interesting".

[K Hale]

I loved the part about “the look.”

[Steve]

Has me wishing they had put out a blooper reel on the show other than the one episode with the brief bloopers during the credits....

[terryfromkerry]

I loved the part about “the look.”

Yes I agree. Its a good indication of a very positive working relationship between T.S. & J.H.

[K Hale]

Has me wishing they had put out a blooper reel on the show other than the one episode with the brief bloopers during the credits....

GOD YES. That would be fantastic. Other shows did this!

There is a short blooper reel on YouTube, I’ll see if I can find it.

Here it is! Not nearly long enough, but priceless for its rarity. https://youtu.be/BTVBE6duwFA

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

KHale wrote:
"We always kidded about how trashy Robin Masters' novels were," Hillerman said. "And I say Higgins did write those novels. Now you'll remember that Higgins was always writing some serious history of something or another, because that's what he really wanted to do. He was ashamed of being Robin Masters, hiding behind the facade."
This is a subject of frequent debate among "Magnum" fans, mind you, because there are seeming lapses in continuity if Higgins was in fact Robin Masters.
How might one explain phone conversations with Masters (the voice of Orson Welles), a back-only glimpse of Masters or visits from family members, such as nephew R.J. Masters?
Hillerman suggests all were actors, hired by Higgins, to perpetuate the myth.
"He was playing an elaborate charade," he said. "You see, the thing about Higgins was he created this flamboyant character so he could be left in peace and quiet."

KHale,
Great find KHale. Frankly I am surprised there hasn't been any comments on this revelation as yet by all the Magnum Maniacs. This isn't just supposition on
Hillerman's part that Higgins is Robin. The producers would have had to tell Hillerman that Higgins was Robin so he could play the character correctly.
It would be inconceivable as professionals and out of respect to the work they all toiled so hard on that that wouldn't be the case.
Professional actors on long running series usually keep their own private Bio of their character as well as the official one that series producers have so writers new
and old have a reference for their scripts(though contradictions still slip thru, such as Barney Fife's middle name changing).
These Bios will have details that never make it to the screen but never the less form who the character is, such as maybe in Hilllerman's view Higgins mother
was a writer of saucy Victorian romances under an assumed name and he is carrying on her traditions and embracing her morals as opposed to his
father's.
Hillerman's Higgin's overly priggish reactions to Magnum's numerous liaisons may just be Higgy's channeling of his mother's reactions to her husbands indiscretions.
It doesn't need to be spelled out in a script but the Bio informs the actor's performance.
Enough of me nattering along, kudos to you KHale for the above info.

[Steve]

Has me wishing they had put out a blooper reel on the show other than the one episode with the brief bloopers during the credits....

GOD YES. That would be fantastic. Other shows did this!

There is a short blooper reel on YouTube, I’ll see if I can find it.

Here it is! Not nearly long enough, but priceless for its rarity. https://youtu.be/BTVBE6duwFA

Thanks, I never saw that......Do you think Hillerman losing it during the hot cross buns scene was one of those Selleck eyebrow incidents....

[308GUY]

Has me wishing they had put out a blooper reel on the show other than the one episode with the brief bloopers during the credits....

GOD YES. That would be fantastic. Other shows did this!

There is a short blooper reel on YouTube, I’ll see if I can find it.

Here it is! Not nearly long enough, but priceless for its rarity. https://youtu.be/BTVBE6duwFA

Thanks, I never saw that......Do you think Hillerman losing it during the hot cross buns scene was one of those Selleck eyebrow incidents....

Quite...

[K Hale]

Watching the hot cross bun outtake, if you keep an eye on Selleck, the minute Hillerman looks at him, he (Selleck) loses it first, which sets JH off. I don’t think this was The Look, I think it was that situation where you are trying not to laugh and your friend is trying not to laugh and you think you are going to manage it... but then you catch one another’s eye and at that point you both just explode in laughter.

[ConchRepublican]

I like how Hillerman is still in character even for this segment .... Rest in Peace .....


youtu.be/3A1WFqnvi4k

[terryfromkerry]

LOL! Higgins would appreciate that joke I am sure.

[K Hale]

I like how Hillerman is still in character even for this segment .... Rest in Peace .....


youtu.be/3A1WFqnvi4k

I wish he had done more voice work. I would listen to him read the phone book. He did a documentary on the Bismarck that I listened to just to hear him tell me about it, not because I cared about the Bismarck...

[ConchRepublican]

I like how Hillerman is still in character even for this segment .... Rest in Peace .....


youtu.be/3A1WFqnvi4k

I wish he had done more voice work. I would listen to him read the phone book. He did a documentary on the Bismarck that I listened to just to hear him tell me about it, not because I cared about the Bismarck...

I need to find that, that must be a great listen. (I've become addicted to Dan Carlin's Hardcore History series).

And you are right, that would have been a great path for him.