Jack Dodson

John Smeaton "Jack" Dodson[1] (May 16, 1931 – September 16, 1994) was an American television actor best remembered for the milquetoast character Howard Sprague on The Andy Griffith Show and its spin-off Mayberry R.F.D. From 1959 until his death in 1994, Dodson was married to television art director Mary Dodson.[2]

Jack Dodson
Dodson as Howard Sprague on The Andy Griffith Show
Born
John Smeaton Dodson

(1931-05-16)May 16, 1931
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedSeptember 16, 1994(1994-09-16) (aged 63)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1960–1994
Spouse(s)Mary Dodson (1959–1994; his death)

Career

In 1966, Andy Griffith hired Dodson for the Howard Sprague role, having previously seen him in Broadway's Hughie. Dodson also portrayed insurance agent Ed Jenkins in the "Lost and Found" episode of The Andy Griffith Show. Dodson also appeared in episodes of My Friend Flicka, Hazel, The Virginian, Maude, Barney Miller (four episodes), Welcome Back Kotter, Archie Bunker's Place, Newhart, Mr. Belvedere, Matlock, Mama's Family, and St. Elsewhere, on which he had a recurring role.

Dodson appeared as an airplane passenger caught up in a murder plot in a 1973 episode of Hawaii Five-0. In 1967, Dodson appeared in the episode "A Mighty Hunter Before the Lord" of NBC's The Road West, which aired opposite The Andy Griffith Show. He played Norman Gresham in the 1969 film Angel in My Pocket, and also appeared in two Sam Peckinpah films, The Getaway (1972) and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973). He also had a small role in the 1974 film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, which starred Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges. His other film appearances included roles in Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) and A Climate for Killing (1991).

In the late 1970s, he had a recurring role as Mickey Malph, Ralph Malph's optometrist father on Happy Days.

In 1975 he was in the Barney Miller episode "Horse Thief". In 1979–80, Season 6, he appeared in the episode "Guns". He appeared again on Barney Miller in the two-part episode "Homicide" in Season 7.

In January 1979, Dodson played Bernie, a hard of hearing acquaintance of Mark (David Spielberg), in a comic scene set in a restaurant in One Day at a Time.

In 1983, Dodson returned to Broadway in the revival of You Can't Take It with You. The actor reprised Howard Sprague in the 1986 NBC-TV movie Return to Mayberry, as well as in a 1990 episode of It's Garry Shandling's Show, "The Day Howard Moved In".

In 1986, Dodson appeared as Gus, a bus depot attendant, in the Steal One Pearl Two episode of Mama's Family.

Personal life

He died in Los Angeles, California, from heart failure, aged 63.

Dodson's widow, art director Mary Dodson, younger sister of actor Fritz Weaver, died in February 2016.[2]

Filmography & Television
Year Title Role Notes
1963Car 54, Where Are You?Workman (uncredited)1 Episode
1965HazelGrouchy open house looker (uncredited)1 Episode
1965Peyton PlaceAl Pearson1 Episode
1965The Wackiest Ship in the ArmyCommander Judd1 Episode
1966Munster, Go Home!Second Ship StewardUncredited
1966The FugitiveLieutenant1 Episode
1966The VirginianHenry Brodie1 Episode
1966-68The Andy Griffith ShowHoward Sprague43 Episodes
1967The Road WestJack Hanson1 Episode
1968-71Mayberry R.F.D.Howard Sprague71 Episodes
1969Angel in My PocketNorman GreshamMovie
1971Room 222Mr. Casey1 Episode
1972Emergency!George1 Episode
1972The Doris Day ShowHenry Thurston1 Episode
1972The GetawayHarold ClintonMovie
1972The Jimmy Stewart ShowHolly1 Episode
1973Hawaii Five-OWill Rowan1 Episode
1973Pat Garrett & Billy the KidHowlandMovie
1974Thunderbolt and LightfootVault ManagerMovie
1975Adams of Eagle LakeDoc Russell2 Episodes
1975Barney MillerMr. Franklin1 Episode
1975The ManhunterJudge Corman1 Episode
1976MaudeFloyd Hathaway1 Episode
1976The Nancy Walker ShowEd Greenburger1 Episode
1976The PracticeDr. Gardner1 Episode
1976-77All's FairSenator Wayne Joplin29 Episodes
1976-80Happy DaysDr. Mickey Malph3 Episodes
1977CPO SharkeyDr. Savage1 Episode
1977MaudeRev. Harper1 Episode
1977Walkin' WalterWendell Henderson
1977Welcome Back, KotterMr. Hansen1 Episode
1978A.E.S. Hudson StreetCoody1 Episode
1978Carter CountryLudlow1 Episode
1978In the BeginningMsgr. Francis X. Barlow14 Episodes
1978Police StoryOsburn Parker1 Episode
1978SnavelyMr. BishopTV Movie
197913 Queens BoulevardMr. Sloan1 Episode
1979-80Sesame StreetMan in Letter U CartoonVoice
1979-83One Day at a TimeMr. Reed / Bernie2 Episodes
1980Archie Bunker's PlaceTom1 Episode
1980Barney MillerHenry St. Martin / Mr. Vogel3 Episodes
1980BensonMajor1 Episode
1980Lou GrantWalter Parrott1 Episode
1980Mork & MindyRicky1 Episode
1980Phyl & MikhyEdgar 'Truck' Morley11 Episodes
1981Broadway on ShowtimeCharlie Hughes1 Episode
1981Quincy M.E.Mr. Barswell1 Episode
1982BensonMac McFadden1 Episode
1982Million Dollar InfieldChuckTV movie
1982NewhartMr. Shaver1 Episode
1983Something Wicked This Way ComesDr. DouglasMovie
1984American PlayhouseF. Edward Hebert / Charlie Hughes2 Episodes
1984Gimme a Break!Principal Smythe1 Episode
1984Great PerformancesPaul Sycamore1 Episode
1984-88St. ElsewhereJudge Farnham12 Episodes
1985Cagney & LaceyBill Carstairs1 Episode
1986BensonSenator Chapman1 Episode
1986Mama's FamilyGus1 Episode
1986Return to MayberryHoward SpragueTV Movie
1986-89Mr. BelvedereCarl Putnam4 Episodes
1987L.A. LawBradford Fredericks
1987Night CourtUncredited
1987The New Leave It to BeaverDr. Harold Warren
1988DuetWalter Johnson1 Episode
1989Just the Ten of UsBurt2 Episodes
1989MatlockWilliam Austin1 Episode
1990Growing PainsJudge Herman1 Episode
1990It's Garry Shandling's ShowHoward Sprague1 Episode
1991A Climate for KillingSam Moorehouse
1992-93HomefrontMr. Melon12 Episodes
1997HomefrontMr. Melon1 Episode (after his death)

References
  1. "Jack Dodson". IMDb. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  2. Barnes, Mike (February 21, 2016). "Mary Weaver Dodson, Art Director on 'Murder, She Wrote,' Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
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