Larry Hovis

Infobox actor
name = Larry Hovis


imagesize =
caption =
birthname =
birthdate = birth date|1936|2|20|fd=y
birthplace = Wapato, Washington
USA
deathdate = death date and age|2003|9|9|1936|2|20|fd=y
deathplace = Austin, Texas, USA
spouse =
emmyawards =

Larry Hovis (February 20, 1936 – September 9, 2003) was an American singer and actor best known for playing a fictional prisoner of war on the 1960s television sitcom "Hogan's Heroes".

Early life and career

Hovis was born in Wapato, Washington and moved to Houston, Texas as a small child. As a youth, he was a singer, appearing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. Hovis attended the University of Houston. During the mid 1950s, Hovis sang in nightclubs. He attempted songwriting and signed with Capitol Records and released one album.

He also began appearing in local theater productions. After some success, he moved to New York City in 1959 and appeared in Broadway revues such as "From A to Z" that showcased his singing and comedy talents.

The move to television

Hovis moved to California in 1963 where he performed stand-up comedy and tried to break into television. In 1964, he was discovered by Andy Griffith's manager and was hired to appear on the hit TV series "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." where he played "Pvt. Larry Gotschalk".

In 1965, Hovis received a promotion of sorts, when he was cast as "Sgt. Andrew Carter" in the television show "Hogan's Heroes". Hovis' character was part of a group of five Western Allied POWs; each character had a specialized task or talent (Sgt. Carter was the expert; in a typical episode of the series, it was Sgt. Carter who would be called upon to make an explosive device). In the series Carter was a Sioux; Larry Hovis was of the Yakima Nation. In one episode of the comedy Alice Hovis played a native American police detective who arrests a fake native American conman.

While Hovis was a regular on "Hogan's Heroes", he also did other work in the entertainment industry, including writing the screenplay for the 1966 film spy-spoof "Out of Sight". He also appeared in and wrote comedy bits for "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In".

After "Hogan's Heroes"

After "Hogan's Heroes" was cancelled in 1971, Hovis appeared in several TV shows. He also produced and appeared in the mid-1970s game show "Liar's Club". He also served as announcer and regular panelist on "Yahtzee", a game show adaptation of the dice game.

In the early 1980s he toured in the musical "Best Little Whorehouse In Texas" as Melvin P. Thorpe.

Beginning in the 1990s, Hovis taught drama at Texas State University-San Marcos in San Marcos, Texas.

Larry Hovis died in Austin, Texas of esophageal cancer in 2003.

ee also

* Hogan's Heroes
* Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

External links

* [http://www.larryhovis.net Larry Hovis] website
*Find A Grave|id=7854351