John Benedict Hillerman (December 20, 1932 November 9, 2017) was an
American actor best known for his starring role as Jonathan Quayle
Higgins III on the television series Magnum, P.I. that aired from
19801988. For his role as Higgins, Hillerman earned five Golden Globe
nominations, winning in 1981, and four Emmy nominations, winning in
1987. He retired from acting in 1999.Hillerman was born in Denison,
Texas, the son of Christopher Benedict Hillerman, a gas station owner,
and Lenora Joan (ne Medlinger). He was the middle child with two
sisters. His father was the grandson of immigrants from Germany and
France, and his mother the daughter of immigrants from Austria and
Germany. Hillerman developed an interest in opera at the age of ten,
and traveled to Dallas to watch Metropolitan Opera productions. He
attended St. Xavier's Academy, and after graduation, he attended the
University of Texas at Austin for three years, majoring in
journalism.Hillerman served four years in the United States Air Force
(1953-1957), working in maintenance in a B-36 wing of the Strategic
Air Command, and achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. He became
interested in acting after working with a theatrical group in Fort
Worth during his service: "I was bored with barracks life. I got into
[acting] to meet people in town. A light went on." After his 1957
discharge, he moved to New York City to study at the American Theatre
Wing, and performed in professional theater for the next twelve years,
in productions such as Henry IV, Part 2 and The Great God Brown.
Despite over 100 stage roles, Hillerman was unable to make a living as
a stage actor, and he moved to Hollywood in 1969.