| # | Fact |
|---|
| 1 | He quit the University of Oregon for San Francisco and the stage. There, under the assumed name Don Sturdy (it was kind of a joke); he joined The Committee, an improv group that also included Rob Reiner and 'Penny Marshall' )qv_. He appeared in credits as Don Sturdy in at least four productions: Dragnet 1967 (1967), The Andy Griffith Show (1960), Cisco Pike (1972) and Billy Jack (1971). |
| 2 | Was a close friend and sometime lover of Janis Joplin in the late 1960s. |
| 3 | Arrested for selling one ounce of marijuana in San Francisco in 1966. |
| 4 | As a member of The Committee he appeared weekly on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967) (1968-69). |
| 5 | During The Committee's appearance on the July 18, 1969, The Dick Cavett Show (1968) Howard called one of his cast members "fellow baby." Nearly a decade later on WKRP in Cincinnati (1978) he would make this phrase one of the most popular sayings of Dr. Johnny Fever, the role that he is most identified with. |
| 6 | Before he became an actor, he was a real radio D.J. Hence, the WKRP in Cincinnati (1978) role fit him perfectly. |
| 7 | Member of the improvisational group The Committee from 1965-75. |
| 8 | Attended the University of Oregon. |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| The Homeless Detective-1 | 2016 | TV Movie completed | Howard Oozman |
| Emmett in Peopleland | 2016 | Short | Howard Oozman |
| A Christmas in Vermont | 2016 | TV Movie | Nick Harper |
| Wild Oats | 2016 | | Vespucci |
| Dirty Politics | 2016 | | Big Oil |
| Chicago Med | 2016 | TV Series | Clyde Glickman |
| Silver Skies | 2016 | | Billy |
| The Homeless Detective | 2015 | TV Movie | Howard |
| How to Become an Outlaw | 2014 | | Lawyer |
| HitStreak | 2013 | TV Series short 2013 | |
| A Helping Hand | 2012 | Short | Howard |
| Bigfoot | 2012 | TV Movie | Mayor Tommy Gillis |
| Mike & Molly | 2012 | TV Series | Otis |
| Drop Dead Diva | 2011 | TV Series | Cole Lamburt |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | 2011 | TV Series | Dr. Aden |
| Lie to Me | 2010 | TV Series | Sam Hendricks |
| All About Steve | 2009 | | Mr. Horowitz |
| Halloween II | 2009 | | Uncle Meat |
| The Rocker | 2008 | | Gator |
| Martian Child | 2007 | | Dr. Berg |
| ER | 2007 | TV Series | Dr. James Broderick |
| John from Cincinnati | 2007 | TV Series | Erlemeyer |
| Psych | 2007 | TV Series | Barry Saunder |
| Boston Legal | 2006-2007 | TV Series | Judge Robert Thompson |
| Domestic Import | 2006 | | Lou Kimmelman |
| House M.D. | 2006 | TV Series | Henry Errington |
| Man About Town | 2006 | | Ben Giamoro |
| Crazy for Christmas | 2005 | TV Movie | Fred Nickells |
| Oliver Beene | 2004 | TV Series | Dr. Fenniger |
| Boomtown | 2003 | TV Series | Mel Castle |
| It's All Relative | 2003 | TV Series | Monty |
| About Schmidt | 2002 | | Larry Hertzel |
| Maybe It's Me | 2002 | TV Series | Mr. Finn |
| Teddy Bears' Picnic | 2002 | | Ted Frye |
| The Mesmerist | 2002 | | Mr. Valdemar |
| Crossing Jordan | 2001 | TV Series | Barney Reynolds |
| Thieves | 2001 | TV Series | Hal Bloomberg |
| That '70s Show | 2001 | TV Series | Max |
| The Sky Is Falling | 2001 | | Yogi Cook |
| Three Sisters | 2001 | TV Series | Jerry Keats |
| Level 9 | 2001 | TV Series | General Richard Scheffer |
| Touched by an Angel | 2000 | TV Series | Flynn Hodge |
| The Pretender | 1999 | TV Series | Landlord |
| Family Law | 1999 | TV Series | Howard Thomas / Randall |
| Tracey Takes On... | 1999 | TV Series | Todd |
| The Practice | 1999 | TV Series | Judge C. Williams |
| Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place | 1998 | TV Series | Mr. Bergen |
| The Way to Santiago | 1998 | Short | Johnson |
| On the 2nd Day of Christmas | 1997 | TV Movie | David |
| High Stakes | 1997 | TV Movie | Wayne Dreyer |
| The Outer Limits | 1997 | TV Series | Dr. Emory Taylor |
| Gridlock'd | 1997 | | Blind Man |
| Boys Night Out | 1996 | Short | Sheba / Mr. Cabot |
| Innocent Victims | 1996 | TV Movie | |
| Out-of-Sync | 1995 | | Det. Caldwell |
| Burke's Law | 1995 | TV Series | |
| Munchie Strikes Back | 1994 | | Munchie (voice) |
| Little Miss Millions | 1993 | | Nick Frost |
| Lethal Exposure | 1993 | TV Movie | Taylor |
| The New WKRP in Cincinnati | 1991-1993 | TV Series | Dr. Johnny Fever Johnny Fever |
| Hot Chocolate | 1992 | TV Movie | Mr. Cassidy |
| The Ray Bradbury Theater | 1992 | TV Series | Bayes |
| Quiet Killer | 1992 | TV Movie | Calvin Phillips |
| Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Wojas Smart Story | 1991 | TV Movie | Paul Maggioto |
| Rubin and Ed | 1991 | | Ed Tuttle |
| Call Me Anna | 1990 | TV Movie | John Ross |
| Head of the Class | 1986-1990 | TV Series | Charlie Moore |
| The Diamond Trap | 1988 | TV Movie | Det. Rollings |
| Amazon Women on the Moon | 1987 | | Rupert King (segment "Titan Man") |
| Six Against the Rock | 1987 | TV Movie | Joseph 'Dutch' Cretzer |
| Heat | 1986 | | Pinchus Zion |
| Inside Out | 1986 | | Jack |
| Faerie Tale Theatre | 1986 | TV Series | King |
| Flight of the Navigator | 1986 | | Dr. Louis Faraday |
| My Chauffeur | 1986 | | McBride |
| Clue | 1985 | | The Chief (uncredited) |
| George Burns Comedy Week | 1985 | TV Series | |
| Murder, She Wrote | 1985 | TV Series | Sheldon Greenberg |
| Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment | 1985 | | Pete Lassard |
| The Princess Who Had Never Laughed | 1984 | TV Movie | King |
| Silence of the Heart | 1984 | TV Movie | Carl Lewis |
| One Day at a Time | 1982-1984 | TV Series | Sam Royer |
| Best Kept Secrets | 1984 | TV Movie | Jim Osborne |
| Mister Roberts | 1984 | TV Movie | Doc |
| This Is Spinal Tap | 1984 | | Terry Ladd |
| Focus on Fishko | 1983 | Short | Sy |
| Love, Sidney | 1983 | TV Series | |
| Doctor Detroit | 1983 | | Smooth Walker |
| Likely Stories, Vol. 4 | 1983 | TV Movie | Seymour Z. Fishko |
| Nine to Five | 1982 | TV Series | |
| One Shoe Makes It Murder | 1982 | TV Movie | Joe Hervey |
| WKRP in Cincinnati | 1978-1982 | TV Series | Dr. Johnny Fever |
| Victims | 1982 | TV Movie | Charles Galloway |
| Honky Tonk Freeway | 1981 | | Snapper |
| Private Lessons | 1981 | | Lester |
| Women Who Rate a 10 | 1981 | TV Movie | Host |
| Skyward | 1980 | TV Movie | Koup Trenton |
| Gridlock | 1980 | TV Movie | Senor Smooth (voice) |
| Americathon | 1979 | | Kip Margolis |
| You Can't Take It with You | 1979 | TV Movie | Wilbur C. Henderson |
| Outside Chance | 1978 | TV Movie | David |
| More Than Friends | 1978 | TV Movie | Avery Salminella |
| Coming Attractions | 1978 | | Ernie Piles, War Correspondent |
| The Comedy Company | 1978 | TV Movie | Roger Dustleman |
| Soap | 1978 | TV Series | Mr. Franklin |
| Husbands, Wives & Lovers | 1978 | TV Series | Dave |
| The Rockford Files | 1978 | TV Series | Al Steever |
| The Ghost of Flight 401 | 1978 | TV Movie | Bert Stockwell |
| The Bob Newhart Show | 1974-1978 | TV Series | Craig Plager / Augie |
| Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo | 1977 | TV Movie | Fred |
| Quincy M.E. | 1977 | TV Series | D.A. Jerry Douglas |
| Blansky's Beauties | 1977 | TV Series | Dr. Berg |
| The Other Side of Midnight | 1977 | | O'Brien |
| Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman | 1976-1977 | TV Series | Dr. Robert Williams |
| The Amazing Howard Hughes | 1977 | TV Movie | Jenks |
| Westside Medical | 1977 | TV Series | Buz Canfield |
| Tail Gunner Joe | 1977 | TV Movie | Lt. Cantwell |
| Delvecchio | 1977 | TV Series | Goldie |
| Laverne & Shirley | 1976 | TV Series | Dr. Grayson |
| Baretta | 1976 | TV Series | Walker |
| Switch | 1976 | TV Series | M.W. |
| The Big Bus | 1976 | | Jack |
| Silent Movie | 1976 | | Executive |
| Jackson County Jail | 1976 | | David |
| Family | 1976 | TV Series | Store Manager |
| Tunnel Vision | 1976 | | Senator McMannus |
| Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur | 1976 | TV Movie | AP Man |
| The TVTV Show | 1976 | TV Movie | Ralph Buckler |
| The Sunshine Boys | 1975/I | | Mr. Walsh, Commerical Director |
| Harry O | 1975 | TV Series | Senator Lawler |
| Whiffs | 1975 | | Dr. Gopian |
| Prisoners | 1975 | | |
| The Blue Knight | 1975 | TV Series | Resident |
| Sanford and Son | 1975 | TV Series | Professor Stoneham |
| Hustling | 1975 | TV Movie | Detective |
| Shampoo | 1975 | | Red Dog |
| Mannix | 1975 | TV Series | Ray Bennett |
| Rhoda | 1974 | TV Series | Kirk Stevens |
| Another April | 1974 | TV Movie | Dennis Webber |
| Firehouse | 1974 | TV Series | Hanley |
| The Blue Knight | 1973 | TV Movie | |
| Kid Blue | 1973 | | Confectionary Man (as Howard Hessman) |
| Jory | 1973 | | Santa Rosa Bartender (uncredited) |
| Steelyard Blues | 1973 | | Frank Veldini |
| Cisco Pike | 1972 | | Recording Engineer (as Don Sturdy) |
| The Christian Licorice Store | 1971 | | Last Party Guest |
| Billy Jack | 1971 | | Drama Teacher (as Don Sturdy) |
| The Feminist and the Fuzz | 1971 | TV Movie | Hippie |
| Some Kind of a Nut | 1969 | | Bartender (uncredited) |
| Dragnet 1967 | 1968 | TV Series | Jesse Chaplin |
| Petulia | 1968 | | Hippie (uncredited) |
| The Andy Griffith Show | 1968 | TV Series | Harry / Counterboy |
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|
| TV Land's Top Ten | 2005-2006 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| The 3rd Annual TV Land Awards | 2005 | TV Special | Himself |
| CBS at 75 | 2003 | TV Special documentary | Himself |
| Biography | 2003 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Power Vision - Pop Galerie | 2000 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Television: The First Fifty Years | 1999 | Video documentary | Himself / Interviewee |
| The Life and Times of the Red Dog Saloon | 1996 | Documentary | Narrator |
| 1993 Environmental Media Awards | 1993 | TV Special | Himself |
| Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary | 1989 | TV Special | Himself - Audience Member (uncredited) |
| The 14th Annual People's Choice Awards | 1988 | TV Special documentary | Himself - Co-Presenter: Favourite Talk Show Host |
| 19th Annual NAACP Image Awards | 1987 | TV Special | Himself - Presenter |
| Super Night of Rock 'n' Roll | 1984 | TV Movie | Himself - Host |
| Looking for Jango Edwards | 1984 | TV Movie | Himself |
| Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever | 1983 | TV Movie documentary | Johnny Caravella (Doctor Johnny Fever) |
| Saturday Night Live | 1979-1983 | TV Series | Himself - Host / Various / Himself |
| Tom Cottle: Up Close | 1983 | TV Series | Himself |
| The 33rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards | 1981 | TV Special | Himself - Nominee: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series & Co-Presenter: Outstanding Hairstyling |
| The 7th Annual People's Choice Awards | 1981 | TV Special | Himself - Presenter: Favourite Television Dramatic Program |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | 1980 | TV Series | Himself |
| The Fantastic Funnies | 1980 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
| John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and Body | 1980 | TV Movie | Himself / The Rock Doctor |
| 30 Years of TV Comedy's Greatest Hits: To Laughter with Love | 1980 | TV Movie | Himself - Presenter |
| Battle of the Network Stars VII | 1979 | TV Special | Himself - CBS Team |
| The Mike Douglas Show | 1979 | TV Series | Himself - Actor |
| All-Star Family Feud Special | 1979 | TV Series | Himself - Celebrity Contestant |
| Family Feud | 1979 | TV Series | Himself / Himself - Contestant |
| A Session with the Committee | 1969 | Documentary as Don Sturdy | |
| How To Become An Outlaw 1 | 2015 | Documentary completed | Lawyer |
| Thank You, Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon | 2016 | Documentary | Himself |
| The 8th Annual TV Land Awards | 2010 | TV Special | Himself - Glee Club |
| Out of Order: Character Judges | 2007 | Video documentary short | Himself |
| Entertainment Tonight | 2007 | TV Series | Himself |
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