LH
Larry Hovis
Actor, Writer
Died September 9, 2003 (67 years)
Larry Hovis was born February 20, 1936, in Wapato, Washington. He grew up in Houston, Texas. He started out as a vocalist, singing with his sister Joan Hovis, then joined a quartet called "The Mascots", and they appeared on Arthur Godfrey's "Talent Scouts" (1948). While Larry was earning his degree in philosophy at the University of Houston, he was signed to Capitol Records, where he recorded the album "My Heart Belongs to Only You". In the late 1950s, he moved to New York and appeared in the Broadway shows "The Billy Barnes Revue" (1959) and "From A to Z" (1960).
In 1963, Larry relocated his family to California, where he performed stand-up comedy routines in local clubs. His first notable appearance on a major TV show was in 1964 on "Gomer Pyle: USMC" (1964), appearing in ten episodes. He also appeared in two episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960). Larry eventually landed a minor role on the pilot episode of "Hogan's Heroes" (1965). When two other actors backed out of the series, he was given the permanent role of demolition man "Sgt. Carter". While a regular on the popular TV series, Hovis continued to write scripts for television specials and also wrote and performed on the breakthrough comedy series "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" (1967). In 1966, he wrote the screenplay for the film Out of Sight (1966). After the unexpected cancellation of "Hogan's Heroes" (1965), Hovis appeared in such TV programs as "The Doris Day Show" (1968), "Adam-12" (1968), "Chico and the Man" (1974), "Holmes and Yo-Yo" (1976), "Alice" (1976) and others. Behind the scenes Larry produced several game shows, including "Liar's Club" (1976), in which he was a panelist from 1976 to 1978. In 1993, he appeared in the theatrical film Shadow Force (1992).
In 1963, Larry relocated his family to California, where he performed stand-up comedy routines in local clubs. His first notable appearance on a major TV show was in 1964 on "Gomer Pyle: USMC" (1964), appearing in ten episodes. He also appeared in two episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960). Larry eventually landed a minor role on the pilot episode of "Hogan's Heroes" (1965). When two other actors backed out of the series, he was given the permanent role of demolition man "Sgt. Carter". While a regular on the popular TV series, Hovis continued to write scripts for television specials and also wrote and performed on the breakthrough comedy series "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" (1967). In 1966, he wrote the screenplay for the film Out of Sight (1966). After the unexpected cancellation of "Hogan's Heroes" (1965), Hovis appeared in such TV programs as "The Doris Day Show" (1968), "Adam-12" (1968), "Chico and the Man" (1974), "Holmes and Yo-Yo" (1976), "Alice" (1976) and others. Behind the scenes Larry produced several game shows, including "Liar's Club" (1976), in which he was a panelist from 1976 to 1978. In 1993, he appeared in the theatrical film Shadow Force (1992).
Filmography
| 2002 | Lone Star State of Mind · as Doctor |
| 1992 | Shadow Force · as Frank Bergmann |
| 1991 | Another Pair of Aces: Three of a Kind · as Tillman |
| 1977 | Sex and the Married Woman · as Arnie Fish |
| 1976 | Holmes and Yoyo (TV Series) · as Dr. Babcock |
| 1976 | Alice (TV Series) |
| 1976 | The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe · as Clel Tonkins |
| 1974 | Chico and the Man (TV Series) |
| 1972 | Black Jack · as Capt. Breen |
| 1971 | The New Dick Van Dyke Show (TV Series) · as Stan Corbett |
| 1971 | McMillan and Wife (TV Series) · as O'day |
| 1969 | The Survivors (TV Series) · as Homer Irvine |
| 1968 | The Doris Day Show (TV Series) · as Hassan |
| 1968 | The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (TV Series) · as Norbert Frank |
| 1968 | Adam-12 (TV Series) · as Art Phillips |
| 1967 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (TV Series) · as Regular Performer |
| 1965 | Hogan's Heroes (TV Series) · as Andrew Carter |
| 1964 | My Living Doll (TV Series) · as Herbert Wentworth |
| 1964 | Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Ben Casey (TV Series) |
| 1960 | The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) · as Gilly Walker |
| 1960 | The Jim Backus Show (TV Series) · as Bert Potter |