John Benjamin Myhers (December 18, 1921 – May 27, 1992) was an American stage and screen actor. His film roles included playing Mr. Bratt in the film adaptation of the

Broadway musical Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' may refer to: * ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' (book), a 1952 book written by Shepherd Mead and the inspiration for the musical of the same name. * ''How to Succeed in Bu ...

'' (1967), Robert Livingston in the 1972 film adaptation of the

1776 Events January–February * January 1 – American Revolutionary War – Burning of Norfolk: The town of Norfolk, Virginia is destroyed, by the combined actions of the British Royal Navy and occupying Patriot forces. * Januar ...

'', and as the leader of the Roman Senate in

Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...

' '' History of the World, Part I'' (1981).

Early life and education

Myhers was born in

Strum, Wisconsin Strum is a village in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, along the Buffalo River. The population was 1,114 at the 2010 census. History Strum was named by Congressman William T. Price for his friend, Louis Strum of Eau Claire. At first the villag ...

, the son of Ole Myhers (1896–1941) and Mabel (née Borreson) Myhers (1902–1964), who later married Hal DeRoach. Myhers began singing at the age of 12 and won several leading roles in the St. Paul Civic Opera during his student years at McPhail School of Music in St. Paul. He served in the United States armed forces in Italy during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

and stayed in Rome for 11 years after the war. He studied at the American Academy and earned a doctoral degree in literature from the University of Rome.

Career

Theatre

He performed leading roles in Broadway shows such as ''Kiss Me Kate'', ''The Golden Fleecing'' and ''The Good Soup'', and most notably played the role of

Captain Von Trapp Georg Ludwig Ritter von Trapp (4 April 1880 – 30 May 1947) was an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Navy who later became the patriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Trapp was the most successful Austro-Hungarian submarine commander of World W ...

in the First National Touring Company of ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...

'' in the early 1960s and later. He played opposite

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

in a

Stratford, Connecticut Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is situated on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River. Stratford is in the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was settled ...

production of ''Antony and Cleopatra''. He also appeared opposite actors such as

Jack Lemmon John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered equally proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, Lemmon was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in dramedy pictures, leadi ...

and

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film ''The Ten ...

in theatrical plays across the country.

Film

His most notable film role was playing Bert O. Bratt in the film adaptation of ''

''. He played Robert Livingston in ''

'' (he also played the role in the

version), and also appeared in

' '' History of the World, Part I'' as the leader of the Roman Senate. Other film credits include '' Quo Vadis'', '' Willard'', ''

Weddings and Babies ''Weddings and Babies'' is a 1960 film directed, produced, and written by independent filmmaker Morris Engel. It stars Viveca Lindfors, John Myhers, Chiarina Barile, and Leonard Elliott. The last of Engel's feature films, it was shot in 1957 and ...

'', and several Disney movies (including ''

Treasure of Matecumbe ''Treasure of Matecumbe'' is a 1976 American adventure western film directed by Vincent McEveety and produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was based on the novel ''A Journey to Matecumbe'' by Robert Lewis Taylor. The filming locations were in D ...

'', ''

The Shaggy D.A. ''The Shaggy D.A.'' is a 1976 American comedy film and a sequel to '' The Shaggy Dog'' (1959) produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Don Tait. As with the first film in the series, it takes some ...

'' and ''

Now You See Him, Now You Don't ''Now You See Him, Now You Don't'' is a 1972 American science fiction comedy film starring Kurt Russell as a chemistry student who accidentally discovers the secret to invisibility. It is the sequel to the 1969 film '' The Computer Wore Tennis S ...

'').

Television

Myhers also had a robust career on television, appearing on shows like ''

Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s, with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, an ...

'', ''

Hogan's Heroes ''Hogan's Heroes'' is an American television sitcom set in a Nazi German prisoner-of-war (POW) camp during World War II. It ran for 168 episodes (six seasons) from September 17, 1965, to April 4, 1971, on the CBS network, the longest broadcast ...

'', ''

The Mothers-in-Law ''The Mothers-in-Law'' is an American situation comedy featuring Eve Arden and Kaye Ballard as two women who were friends and next-door neighbors until their children's elopement made them in-laws. The show aired on NBC television from Septemb ...

'', ''

I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series, created by Sidney Sheldon that starred Barbara Eden as a sultry, 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman, as an astronaut with whom she falls in love and eventually mar ...

'', ''

Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a part of ABC's Friday primetime lineup ...

'', ''

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

'', ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr., based on his 1961 book '' Spencer's Mountain'' and the 1963 fil ...

'' and ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tatto ...

''. He was also the voice of

Hector Heathcote Hector Heathcote is a Terrytoons animated cartoon character. Created by Eli Bauer Elias "Eli" Bauer (17 November 1928 - 7 January 1998) was an animation layout and story man and comics artist, having his cartoons appear in such magazines as Sat ...

on ''The Hector Heathcote Show'' in 1961, and in a series of animated shorts that ran from 1959 to 1971. His last acting appearance was in 1985 on ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...

'' in the episode " Ye Gods".

Personal life and death

Myhers was married to Joan Benedict from 1962 to his death in 1992. Myhers died of pneumonia on May 27, 1992 in Los Angeles, California, at

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over ...

. He is also survived by his daughter Claudia Myhers Tschudin. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park-Hollywood Hills.

Partial filmography

*''La vendetta del corsaro'' (1951) *'' Quo Vadis'' (1951) as Guard (uncredited) *''O.K. Nero!'' (1951) *''The Small Miracle'' (1951) *''

'' (1958) as Al *''Saturday Night in Apple Valley'' (1965) *''

'' (1967) as Bert O. Bratt *'' The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz'' (1968) as Boss *''

The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell ''The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell'' is a 1968 American comedy film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, and Jeffrey Hunter. It was the final film for Tashlin, who died in 1972. Plot Master Sergeant Dan O'Farrell i ...

'' (1968) as Lt. Cmdr. Roger Snavely *''

2000 Years Later ''2000 Years Later'' is a 1969 American comedy film written and directed by Bert Tenzer and starring Terry-Thomas, Edward Everett Horton, Pat Harrington, Jr., Lisa Seagram, John Abbott and John Myhers. It was released by Warner Bros.-Seven Art ...

'' (1969) as Air Force General *'' Willard'' (1971) as Carlson *''

'' (1972) as Golfer *''

'' (1972) as Robert Livingston (NY) *''

Snowball Express ''Snowball Express'' is a 1972 American screwball comedy film produced by Ron Miller and Tom Leetch and directed by Norman Tokar. The film is about a man who leaves his middle class job to run a hotel left to him by his great uncle. Plot Johnn ...

'' (1972) as Mr. Manescue *'' Awake and Sing!'' (1972 PBS - TV) as Schlosser *'' Walking Tall'' (1973) as Lester Dickens *''

Herbie Rides Again ''Herbie Rides Again'' is a 1974 American comedy film and the second installment of ''The Love Bug'' film series made by Walt Disney Productions starring an anthropomorphic (and quite autonomous) 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie. The ...

'' (1974) as Announcer at San Francisco's Office of the President *'' The Strongest Man in the World'' (1975) as Mr. Roscoe *'' Linda Lovelace for President'' (1975) as Billy Leroy Boy *''Train Ride to Hollywood'' (1975) as Sheik *''

Street People Street people are people who live a public life on the streets of a city. Street people are frequently homeless, sometimes mentally ill, and often have a transient lifestyle. The delineation of street people is primarily determined by residenti ...

'' (1976) as Francis (uncredited) *''

'' (1976) as Captain Boomer *''

'' (1976) as Adm. Brenner *'' The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington'' (1977) as Donald Axelrod *''

The Billion Dollar Hobo ''The Billion Dollar Hobo'' is a 1977 American comedy film starring Tim Conway and Will Geer (in his last role). Plot Conway is Vernon Praiseworthy, only heir to his uncle's fortune, who faced poverty and misfortune during the Great Depression ...

'' (1977) as Cox *''

The Prize Fighter ''The Prize Fighter'' is an American comedy film starring Tim Conway and Don Knotts. Directed by Michael Preece, it was written by Tim Conway and John Myhers, based on a story by Conway. It was released by New World Pictures in November 1979. P ...

'' (1979) as Doyle *'' History of the World, Part I'' (1981) as Leader of Senate (The Roman Empire)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Myhers, John 1921 births 1992 deaths People from Eau Claire, Wisconsin Male actors from California Male actors from Wisconsin American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) 20th-century American male actors Deaths from pneumonia in California