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William Christopher

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William Christopher (October 20, 1932 (Evanston, Illinois) – December 31, 2016 (Pasadena, California)) was an American actor most famously known for playing Father Mulcahy on the American television series M*A*S*H and AfterMASH as well as playing Private Lester Hummel on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.. He had also appeared in a few episodes of the 1960s American sitcom, Hogan's Heroes.

After attending New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, he went to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut in 1954. He majored in drama and was also active in fencing, soccer, singing with the glee club and performing in various dramatic performances. He met his future wife, Barbara O'Conner, on a blind date. They married in 1957 and have two sons, John and Ned. Christopher is also suppose to be a direct descendent of Paul Revere.

After appearing in a variety of regional productions, he landed roles in a number of off-Broadway productions, most notably The Hostage at One Sheridan Square. His Broadway debut came in Beyond the Fringe, a British revue.

Christopher left the New York stage for Hollywood television production, where he was seen on The Andy Griffith Show, , The Patty Duke Show and The Virginian. He then had recurring roles on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., That Girl and Hogan's Heroes. Since AfterMASH, Christopher has appeared in several series, including Murder, She Wrote and Mad About You.

In featured films, Christopher performed in The Fortune Cookie, The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell, The Shakiest Gun of the West, With Six You Get Eggroll and Hearts of the West. He also won parts in such telefilms as The Perils of Pauline and For the Love of It.

Christopher devoted much of his spare time to the National Autistic Society because his son Ned is autistic. He has done several public service announcements to bring attention to this serious problem. In 1985, he and his wife wrote Mixed Blessings, a book about their experiences raising Ned.

He also remained active in the theater, including a tour of the U.S. in the mid-1990s with Jamie Farr doing Neil Simon's The Odd Couple on stage.

Christopher died at his home in Pasadena, California on December 31, 2016. According to his son, John Christopher, the 84-year old actor died as the result of small-cell carcinoma.

He had been diagnosed with cancer about 18 months earlier, according to his New York-based agent, Robert Malcolm.

Filmography[]

Notable TV Guest Appearances[]

  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11985" (episode # 1.11985) 21 December 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11983" (episode # 1.11983) 19 December 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11971" (episode # 1.11971) 30 November 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11970" (episode # 1.11970) 29 November 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11969" (episode # 1.11969) 28 November 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11968" (episode # 1.11968) 27 November 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11967" (episode # 1.11967) 26 November 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11961" (episode # 1.11961) 14 November 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11959" (episode # 1.11959) 10 November 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11957" (episode # 1.11957) 8 November 2012
  • Days of our Lives playing "Father Tobias" in episode: "Episode # 1.11955" (episode # 1.11955) 6 November 2012
  • IN Deep playing "Himself - Snowboarder" in episode: "Telluride" 23 May 2011
  • Entertainment Tonight playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 20 April 2009" 20 April 2009
  • Biography playing "Himslef" (also archival footage) in episode: "M*A*S*H: Television's Serious Sitcom" 10 July 2003
  • Mad About You playing "Chaplain Nilson" in episode: "A Pain in the Neck" (episode # 7.2) 29 September 1998
  • Team Knight Rider playing "Professor Roykirk" in episode: "Apocalypse Maybe" (episode # 1.20) 4 May 1998
  • Diagnosis: Murder playing "Art Amador" in episode: "Drill for Death" (episode # 5.15) 22 January 1998
  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman playing "Andrus" in episode: "Meet John Doe" (episode: # 4.14) 2 March 1997
  • The New WKRP in Cincinnati playing "Buzz Barrymore/Len Mackman" in episode: "Johnny Goes Hollywood" (episode # 2.17) 20 February 1993
  • Super Password playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 4 September 1987" 4 September 1987
  • Super Password playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 3 September 1987" 3 September 1987
  • Super Password playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 2 September 1987" 2 September 1987
  • Super Password playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 1 September 1987" 1 September 1987
  • Super Password playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 31 August 1987" 31 August 1987
  • CBS Summer Playhouse playing "Bill Smith" in episode: "Reno and Yolanda" (episode # 1.13) 28 August 1987
  • Murder, She Wrote playing "Burton Hollis" in episode: "A Lady in the Lake" (episode # 2.7) 10 November 1985
  • Our Time playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode 1.1" (episode # 1.1) 27 July 1985
  • The Love Boat playing "Actor" in episode: "The Last Heist/Starting Over/Watching the Master" (episode # 8.9) 10 November 1984
  • Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 8 June 1984" 8 June 1984
  • Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 7 June 1984" 7 June 1984
  • Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 6 June 1984" 6 June 1984
  • Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 5 June 1984" 5 June 1984
  • Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 4 June 1984" 4 June 1984
  • The Love Boat playing "Elliot Weatherly" in episode: "The World's Greatest Kisser/Don't Take My Wife, Please/The Reluctant Father" (episode # 7.11) 26 November 1983
  • The Love Boat playing "Carl Mitchell" in episode: "Tony and Julie/Separate Beds/America's Sweetheart" (episode # 4.28) 16 May 1981
  • Hollywood Squares playing "Himself" in episode: "Episode dated 19 February 1979" 19 February 1979
  • Good Times playing "Major Bullock" in episode: "The Enlistment" (episode # 2.22) 4 March 1975
  • Karen playing "Andrew" in episode: "Whistle Blowing" (episode # 1.5) 27 February 1975
  • Lucas Tanner playing "Jack" in episode: "Why Not a Happy Ending?" (episode # 1.17) 12 February 1975
  • Movin' On playing "Jewelry Clerk" in episode: "Grit" (episode # 1.3) 26 September 1974
  • Columbo playing "Male Scientist" in episode: "Mind Over Mayhem" (episode # 3.6) 19 February 1974
  • Nichols playing "Niles" in episode: "Bertha" (episode # 1.24) 16 May 1972
  • Nichols playing "Niles" in episode: "Slight of Hand" (episode # 1.17) 1 February 1972
  • Insight playing "Don Temple" (as Bill Christopher" in episode: "Why Don't You Call Me Skipper Anymore?" 29 January 1972
  • Nichols playing "Niles" in episode: "The Unholy Alliance" (episode # 1.16) 18 January 1972
  • Nichols playing "Niles" in episode: "Peanuts and Crackerjacks" (episode # 1.8)4 November 1971
  • Alias Smith and Jones playing "Telegrapher" in episode: "Wrong Train to Brimstone" (episode # 1.4) 4 February 1971
  • The Virginian playing "Hotel Clerk" in episode: "Nan Allen" (episode # 9.14) 6 January 1971
  • That Girl playing "Chippy" in episode: "There Sure Are a Bunch of Cards in St. Louis: Part 1" (episode # 5.6) 30 October 1970
  • That Girl playing "Chippy" in episode: "I am a Curious Lemon" (episode # 4.14) 25 December 1969
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Lester Hummel" (as Bill Christopher) in episode: "Goodbye, Dolly" (episode # 4.24) 23 February 1968
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Lester Hummel" (as Bill Christopher) in episode: "Sergeant Iago" (episode # 4.23) 16 February 1968
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Lester Hummel" in episode: "The Carriage Waits" (episode # 4.22) 9 February 1968
  • Hogan's Heroes playing "Thomas" in episode: "War Takes a Holiday" (episode # 3.21) 27 January 1968
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Pvt. Lester Hummel" in episode: "Gomer, the Privileged Character" (episode # 4.17) 29 December 1967
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Pvt. Lester Hummel" in episode: "The Prize Boat" (episode # 4.12) 24 November 1967
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Pvt. Lester Hummel" in episode: "Gomer Says 'Hey' to the President" (episode # 4.7) 20 October 1967
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Pvt. Lester Hummel" in episode: "The Great Talent Hunt" (episode # 4.6) 13 October 1967
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Pvt. Lester Hummel" in episode: "To Re-enlist or Not to Re-enlist" (episode # 3.22) 15 February 1967
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Pvt. Lester Hummel" in episode: "You Bet Your Won Ton" (episode # 3.19) 25 January 1967
  • The Andy Griffith Show playing "Dr. Thomas Peterson" in episode: "A New Doctor in Town" (episode # 7.15) 26 December 1966
  • Hogan's Heroes playing "Foster" in episode: "Will the Real Adolph Hitler Please Stand Up?" (episode # 2.12) 2 December 1966
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Pvt. Lester Hummel" in episode: "Caution: Low Ovwrhead" (episode # 3.4) 5 October 1966
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Hummel" in episode: "Gomer, the Carrier" (episode # 3.3) 28 September 1966
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Hummel" in episode: "Lies, Lie, Lie" (episode # 3.1) 14 September 1966
  • Hogan's Heroes playing "German Private" in episode: "Request Permission to Escape" (episode # 1.32) 29 April 1966
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Corporal Haynes" in episode: "Desk Job for a Sergeant" (episode #2.29) 8 April 1966
  • The Patty Duke Show playing "Man" in episode: "Three Little Kittens" (episode # 3.29) 6 April 1966
  • The Andy Griffith Show playing "Mr. Heathcote, I.R.S." in episode: "Aunt Bee on TV" (episode # 6.10) 15 November 1965
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Marine" in episode: "The Grudge Match" (episode 2.9) 12 November 1965
  • Hogan's Heroes playing "Lieutenant Donner" in episode: "Movies Are Your Best Escape" (episode # 1.8) 5 November 1965
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. playing "Private Hummel" in episode: "Supply Sergeants Never Die" (episode # 2.6) 22 October 1965
  • Twelve O'Clock High playing "Patient" in episode: "Then Came The Mighty Hunter" (episode # 2.3) 27 September 1965

External links[]

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