Larry Hovis

Larry Hovis b 20 February 1936 - d 9 September 2003

Larry Hovis passed away September 9, 2003 at 8:45 AM after a battle with esophagus cancer. He was 67.

Larry Hovis was born Feburary 20, 1936 in Wapato, Washington. He moved to Houston, TX when he was 3. He attended Reagan High School, but graduated from Spring Branch Senior High School in 1956.

He started out as a vocalist, singing with his sister Joan, then joined a quartet called the Mascots. They appeared on the television show Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. While Larry was earning his degree in philosophy at the University of Houston, he was signed to Capitol Records were he recorded the album, My Heart Belongs to Only You.

In the late 1950's Larry moved to New York and appeared in the Broadway shows The Billy Barnes Revue (1959) and From A to Z (1960). In 1963 Larry relocated his family to California where he performed stand up routines in local clubs. His first notable appearance on a major TV show was in 1964 on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. in which he appeared in ten episodes. He also appeared in two episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.

Larry eventuality landed a minor role on the pilot episode of Hogan's Heroes. When two other actors backed out of the series, Larry was given the permament role of demolition man, Sgt. Carter. While a regular on the popular TV series, Hovis continued to write scripts for television specials and also wrote and performed on the breakthrough comedy show, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. In 1966, he scripted the film Out of Sight. After the unexpected cancellation of Hogan's Heroes, Larry performed on such TV programs as The Doris Day Show, Adam-12, Chico and the Man, Holmes and Yoyo, Alice, and others. He also performed live in Best Little Whorehouse In Texas as Melvin B. Thorpe and starred in You're A Good Man Charlie Brown.

Behind the scenes Larry produced several game shows, including Liar's Club, in which he was a panelist from 1976 to 1978. In 1993, he appeared in the theatrical film Shadow Force.

Larry's last film was 2002's "Lonestar State of Mind" when he played a doctor alongside Josh Jackson and James King.

Larry Hovis had been teaching drama at Southwest Texas State University (renamed Texas State University) in San Marcos, Texas since the 1990's.

Larry is survived by his mother, brothers, sisters, four children, and granddchildren. His wife Ann passed away in 1995 from pancreatic cancer.

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