In Remembrance: Earl Hindman

     Earl Hindman, best known for portraying the helpful neighbor unseen, Wilson, who always gave advice from behind a picket fence on the television show Home Improvement, died Monday December 29, 2003 in Stamford, Conn. He was 61.

     Hindman was born on October 20, 1942 in Bisbee, AZ, and began acting in high school. He studied acting at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Hindman moved from Arizona and earned his keep doing New York theatre, appearing in "Dark of the Moon" off Broadway in 1970 and in "The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel" in 1971.

     His film career began in 1971 with a small role in the 70’s noir movie Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?. He was cast in the Warren Beatty film The Parallax View (1974) and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) starring Walter Matthau. He had smaller film roles in Greased Lightning (1977), 1981’s war drama Taps and Kasdan’s action/western Silverado (1985).

     Hindman had an active television career, playing Detective Lt. Bob Reid for 16 years on the daytime soap Ryan's Hope starting in 1975. He had small recurring roles on the 1980’s series’ The Equalizer and Spencer: For Hire. As Wilson, the neighbor of Tim Allen’s character on the 1990’s long‑running ABC sitcom, Hindman offered advice with only his eyes and forehead visible to characters and audiences.

     Most recently he finished shooting a short feature, Beautiful Summer, in June.

-John Gibbon