Earl Hindman

American actor (1942–2003)

Not to be confused with Earle Hyman.

Earl Hindman

Born|

Earl John Hindman

(1942-10-20)October 20, 1942

Bisbee, Arizona, U.S.

Died| December 29, 2003(2003-12-29) (aged 61)

Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.

Occupation| Actor
Years active| 1968–2003
Television| Home Improvement
Spouse|

Molly McGreevy

(m. 1976)​

Earl John Hindman[citation needed] (/ˈhaɪndmən/; October 20, 1942  – December 29, 2003)[1] was an American actor, best known for his roles as Bob Reid on the television soap opera Ryan's Hope from 1975-1984 and 1988-89, and as Wilson W. Wilson on the sitcom Home Improvement from 1991-1999.

## Early years

[edit]

Hindman was born in Bisbee, Arizona, the son of Eula and Burl Latney Hindman, who worked in the oil pipeline business.[2][3] He studied acting at the University of Arizona.[4]

## Career

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Hindman's earliest roles were in low-budget exploitation movies in the 1960s, though he moved on to appear in productions from major Hollywood film studios in the 1970s, playing villains in two 1974 thrillers, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and The Parallax View. He also appeared in the films Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? (1971), Greased Lightning (1977), The Brink's Job (1978), Taps (1981), and Murder in Coweta County (1983). Hindman also played the part of J.T. in the Lawrence Kasdan film Silverado (1985), and the part of Satch in the Leonard Nimoy film Three Men and a Baby (1987).

One of Hindman's well-known early roles was as Bob Reid on the soap opera Ryan's Hope. He played the role from 1975-1984 and later returned for its final episodes in 1988-89. Hindman's wife (Molly McGreevy) was also on the soap from 1977–81 as Polly Longworth, best friend to media tycoon Rae Woodard.

In one of his most famous roles, Hindman played the role of the kindly unseen neighbor Wilson W. Wilson on the television sitcom Home Improvement from 1991-1999; more accurately, Wilson was partially seen, because of a running gag that only the top of his face was visible as he talked to his neighbor from the other side of a tall fence.[5]

His final roles included the movie Final (2001), and appearances in Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

## Personal life and death

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On May 21, 1976, Hindman married Molly McGreevy, with whom he later acted in Ryan's Hope. McGreevy later became an Episcopal priest.[6]

Hindman died of lung cancer on December 29, 2003, at the age of 61, in Stamford, Connecticut.[4]

## Filmography

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### Film

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Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1967 | Teenage Mother |  |
1968 | The Kiss of Her Flesh | Don | Credited as "Leo Heinz"
1969 | The Ultimate Degenerate | Bruno | Credited as "Leo Heinz"
1971 | Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? | Whitey |
1974 | The Parallax View | Deputy Red |
Shoot It Black, Shoot It Blue | Garrity |
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | George Steever aka Mr. Brown |
1977 | Greased Lightning | Beau Welles |
1978 | The Brink's Job | FBI agent #3 |
1981 | Taps | Lieutenant Hanson |
1985 | Silverado | J.T. |
1987 | Three Men and a Baby | Satch |
1988 | Talk Radio | Chet / Black John / Jerry | Voice
1991 | The Ballad of the Sad Café | Henry Macy |
Fires Within | Sergeant |
2001 | Final | Official |

### Television

[edit]

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (April 2025)

|

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1975-1984, 1988-1989 | Ryan's Hope | Bob Reid | TV series
1983 | Murder in Coweta County | J.H. Potts | TV movie
1985 | Spenser For Hire | Sgt. Clayton | Episode: "Resurrection"
1986 | The Equalizer | Findlay | Episode: "Breakpoint"
1986-1987 | The Equalizer | Lieutenant Elmer |

3 episodes

"Prelude" (S2.E1)
"The Cup" (S2.E10)
"Coal Black Soul" (S2.E19)

1987 | Spenser For Hire | Max Ordella | Episode: "Mary Hamilton"
1989 | War and Remembrance | Lt. Commander Wade McClusky | TV miniseries
1990 | Rising Son | Victor | TV movie
1991-1999 | Home Improvement | Wilson W. Wilson Jr. | 203 episodes
2000 | Law & Order | Mr. Riley | Episode: "Black, White and Blue"
2002 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Sheriff | Episode: "The Third Horseman"

## References

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1. ^ "Earl Hindman". Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television (Collection). Vol. 41\. Gale. 2002. ISSN 0749-064X. Retrieved November 5, 2022. `{{cite book}}`: `|journal=` ignored (help)
2. ^ Saxon, Wolfgang (December 30, 2003). "Earl Hindman, 61, the Neighbor Unseen on 'Home Improvement'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 4, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
3. ^ Shields, Dean (January 15, 2004). "A brother's journey interrupted". Payson Roundup. Payson, Arizona. Archived from the original on October 4, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
4. ^ a b Collins, Dan (December 30, 2013). "'Home Improvement' Actor Dies". CBS News. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
5. ^ Ng, Philiana (March 5, 2018). "Tim Allen Says He's 'Very Interested' in a 'Home Improvement' Reboot (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
6. ^ Birkner, Gabrielle (January 2, 2004). "Wilson of TV's "Home Improvement,' Earl Hindman dies at 61 of cancer". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2019.

## External links

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* Earl Hindman at IMDb

Portal:

* Biography

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Spain

*[m.]: married