Actor Robert Hogan, known for his roles on “The Wire” and “M*A*S*H” has died at the age of 87. According to The New York Times, his death was caused by “complications from pneumonia.” His family has confirmed that he died in his Maine home on May 27, 2021.
Hogan was born on Sept. 28, 1933, in Jamaica, Queens, New York. He was one of three siblings. During the Korean War, he served in the United States Army. After he was discharged he studied engineering at New York University. However, after taking an aptitude test, he decided to choose a more humanistic career path.
This decision led him to enroll at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 1961, Hogan made his theatrical debut in off-Broadway. That same year he decided to move to Los Angeles, California. He was frequently cast as a no-nonsense authority figure, police officer, or military middle echelon.
In 1964, he landed his first notable role in the popular soap opera “Peyton Place.” In this show, he played Reverand Tom Winter. In the 1974 “The Rockford Files,” Hogan played the skeptical Police Sergeant Ted Coopersmith. This role led to several appearances in the spin-off series “Richie Brockelman, Private Eye.”
Hogan portrayed several characters in the TV shows “The F.B.I,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Murder, She Wrote,” and in 1990 “Law & Order.”
He won the Outer Critics Circle Award for his performance in the off-Broadway play “Never the Sinner.” In this play, he portrayed the shrewd defense attorney Clarence Darrow. This production was based on the Leopold and Loeb murder trial of 1924.
He married his first wife, Sharon Lynn Harper on Jan. 15, 1957. They had three children together before divorcing on Dec. 6, 1982. On Dec. 3, 1983, he married Mary Barbera Dec. 3, 1983. They were married for about 36 years when he died.
Hogan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2013. He continued making guest appearances on TV shows for another five years.
The family has asked people to donate to DORT and the Alzheimer’s Association instead of buying flowers. These charitable organizations have helped give Hogan fulfilling final years.
Many of that actor’s fans and friends took to social media to pay their respects. One person tweeted “RIP, G. Bullets Kline.” Pej Vahdat posted, “I had the pleasure to share the stage with this beautiful man. ‘Bob I have an audition for the role but I don’t think I’m right for it.’ ‘Make then think twice Pej.’ Rest In Peace Robert Hogan you were one of the best.”
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
IMDb: Robert Hogan
Metro: The Wire and M*A*S*H actor Robert Hogan dies aged 87; by Rishma Dosani
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Paul VanDerWerf’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
