John Hillerman, who won an Emmy playing estate caretaker Higgins on the ’80s action drama Magnum, P.I., has died at the age of 84.
Hillerman passed away Thursday at his Houston home, according to The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has yet been determined.
Best known for starring alongside Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I., which ran from 1980 to 1988 on CBS, Hillerman played Jonathan Higgins, the pompous caretaker of the lush Hawaiian estate known as Robin’s Nest where private eye Thomas Magnum (Selleck) occupied the guest house. A stickler for rules and order, Higgins’ formal ways contrasted sharply with the easy-going Magnum. Hillerman earned a total of four Emmy nominations for the role, winning for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1987.
Hillerman’s other TV roles included One Day at a Time, The Love Boat and The Hogan Family. He retired from acting in 1999, with his last on-screen role being a Higgins-like character named Dr. Whitehead in the 1996 movie A Very Brady Sequel.
In related news: CBS is currently developing a reboot of Magnum, P.I. — this time with a female Higgins named Juliet.
This is sad news. Magnum P.I. was always one of my favorite shows from the 1980’s. He’ll be sorely missed.
Magnum PI was one of my favorite shows growing up. Very sad about the passing of John Hillerman. Also remember him where he had a guest starring role on The Love Boat.
John’s British accent was so good that for years I thought he’d put on his Southern accent for ‘Blazing Saddles’ – thank goodness for the internet. Higgins was a great foile for Magnum. Their ‘Frenenemy” (before that word mashup was even invented) relationship was a joy to watch.
R I P
“Cbs is currently developing a reboot of Magnum, P.I. – this time with a female Higgins named Juliet.”
So throwing dirt on his grave before he was even buried…
No, just rebooting the series. Everything isn’t a personal insult to someone.
And announced before his death… stupid and unneccesary negativity.
Mr. Hillerman also gave a memorable performance in the film Paper Moon. He played a duel role – a Southern moonshiner and his corrupt brother, who happens to be the sheriff.
Right! I loved that movie (saw it in the theater when it came out).
I loved John Hillerman in every role he was in. He also played the ex-husband of Betty White in the Betty White Show, (1977-1978) and was a perfect match for Betty. Godspeed, Higgy baby, R.I.P. :-(
Great show! I’d forgotten he was in that. There’s a great scene where Betty hits him with a vase on set thinking it was a breakaway prop. It wasn’t. His reaction was priceless!
Loved him on Magnum, great actor! I honestly thought he was British for the longest time.
Very sad he’s gone.
A moment for Higgins, if you please. Rest in peace, John Hillerman.
RIP, Higgy Baby.
Now I need to go rewatch my complete-series discs for the Jim Hutton/David Wayne Ellery Queen series from 1975, in which Hillerman was a delight as Simon Brimmer.
And I recall him fondly as Watson to Edward Woodward’s Sherlock Holmes in a TV movie from 1990 or so.
Am I remembering wrong or was it revealed in the last show of Magnum that Higgins was actually the owner of everything?
I loved how exasperated Magnum would make that poor man. RIP, John.