Robert Hackman obit

Hechtman, dead at 87, brought theater to the foothills

He was not on the list.

Robert Hackman was born on November 25, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for The Incredible Hulk (1977), The Six Million Dollar Man (1974) and The Invisible Man (1975). He died on March 8, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Bob Hechtman, 87, the man who brought his professional acting experience to Yuba-Sutter and created the Ponderosa Theater in the Yuba County foothills in the early 1990s, died Tuesday in Chicago, surrounded by family.

No services are planned.

He and his wife, Bettie, had moved to Chicago, his hometown, from Brownsville in January to be near family.

He leaves three children, Susan, Danny and Kenny, and their families.

With a longtime successful career in films and television during the 1960s, '70s and '80s as Bob Hackman — starting with theater, continuing on television with commercials and regular roles in series and onto movies — Hechtman and his wife moved to Brownsville from Southern California in 1993.

"He called a few people here" in Brownsville "and said 'My name is Bob Hechtman, I'm going to start a theater company and want you to help,'" said longtime friend Joyce Middlebrook of Brownsville in an email.

That was the start of the Ponderosa Theater in Brownsville.

He had a "gift for taking local residents, some of whom had never acted, and turning them into excellent performers," Middlebrook said.

Over the years, in addition to working with the Ponderosa Theater and such productions as "Hello, Dolly!" and "Sunshine Boys," he directed plays in Marysville and Yuba City including "Bah Humbug! A New Year's Cabaret," "A Little Cole to Warm the Heart" with the songs of Cole Porter, and, in 2013, "Life Upon the Wicked Stage," sharing stories of his years as a professional actor.

Hechtman's big break came in a touring production of "The Rainmaker" with Burt Reynolds and a young Robert Urich. Later, through his friendship with Reynolds, he got a role in the film "Hooper."

Along the way, there were roles in touring stage productions with actors including Van Johnson, Cyd Charisse, Richard Chamberlain and Ed Ames.

Bob retired and lived with his long-time wife Betty in Brownsville, CA. He founded and ran the Ponderosa Theater Company in Brownsville and was a local "celebrity" in near-by Yuba City/Marysville. Besides the credits listed he did many commercials and stage productions.

Actor

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

7.2

TV Series

Policeman #1

1989

1 episode

 

ABC Afterschool Specials (1972)

ABC Afterschool Specials

7.1

TV Series

Sam

1987

1 episode

 

Michael Landon in Highway to Heaven (1984)

Highway to Heaven

6.8

TV Series

Man #1

Cabby

1985–1987

2 episodes

 

Emanon (1987)

Emanon

2.8

Barnie

1987

 

Hal Linden and Harry Morgan in Blacke's Magic (1986)

Blacke's Magic

7.2

TV Series

Sal

1986

1 episode

 

Donna Mills, Joan Van Ark, Michele Lee, Constance McCashin, John Pleshette, and Ted Shackelford in Knots Landing (1979)

Knots Landing

6.9

TV Series

Plumber

1985

1 episode

 

Denzel Washington, Ed Begley Jr., David Morse, Howie Mandel, Cynthia Sikes, Ellen Bry, William Daniels, and Ed Flanders in St. Elsewhere (1982)

St. Elsewhere

8.0

TV Series

Plumber

1984

1 episode

 

Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, and Jerry Lewis in Slapstick of Another Kind (1982)

Slapstick of Another Kind

2.5

Study Hall Supervisor

1982

 

Tony Curtis, Robert Urich, Phyllis Davis, and Judy Landers in Vega$ (1978)

Vega$

6.9

TV Series

Jerry

1981

1 episode

 

Jack Klugman in Quincy, M.E. (1976)

Quincy, M.E.

7.3

TV Series

Louie

Dr. Schulman

Man

1979–1981

3 episodes

 

Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby in The Incredible Hulk (1977)

The Incredible Hulk

7.0

TV Series

Walt

Nightwatchman

1978–1980

2 episodes

 

Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox in CHiPs (1977)

CHiPs

6.5

TV Series

Furrier (as Bob Hackman)

1980

2 episodes

 

Martin Balsam, Carroll O'Connor, Danielle Brisebois, and Jean Stapleton in Archie Bunker's Place (1979)

Archie Bunker's Place

6.4

TV Series

Dirty Old Man

1980

1 episode

 

Falling in Love Again (1980)

Falling in Love Again

5.0

Mr. Lewis (1940's)

1980

 

Ricardo Montalban and Hervé Villechaize in Fantasy Island (1977)

Fantasy Island

6.6

TV Series

Pool Player #1

1980

1 episode

 

Johnny the Dog in Here's Boomer (1980)

Here's Boomer

6.5

TV Series

Sheriff Yates

1980

1 episode

 

Michael Keaton and Jim Belushi in Working Stiffs (1979)

Working Stiffs

6.6

TV Series

Officer Petersen

1979

1 episode

 

Edward Asner in Lou Grant (1977)

Lou Grant

7.3

TV Series

Danny Zaweski (as Bob Hackman)

1979

1 episode

 

My Boys Are Good Boys (1979)

My Boys Are Good Boys

4.5

Inspector

1979

 

Magic (1978)

Magic

6.8

Father (as Bob Hackman)

1978

 

Burt Reynolds in Hooper (1978)

Hooper

6.4

Rick

1978

 

Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

The Six Million Dollar Man

7.1

TV Series

Foreman

1978

1 episode

 

Tabitha (1976)

Tabitha

5.7

TV Series

Floor Manager (as Bob Hackman)

1978

1 episode

 

Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith in Charlie's Angels (1976)

Charlie's Angels

6.6

TV Series

Tipsy Diner

Bartender

1976–1977

2 episodes

 

Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, and Lauren Tewes in The Love Boat (1977)

The Love Boat

6.3

TV Series

Freddy Stevens - Booking Agent (as Bob Hackman)

1977

1 episode

 

Damnation Alley (1977)

Damnation Alley

5.3

Colonel (as Bob Hackman)

1977

 

Robert Blake in Baretta (1975)

Baretta

6.7

TV Series

Sam (as Bob Hackman)

1977

1 episode

 

Starsky and Hutch (1975)

Starsky and Hutch

7.0

TV Series

Inspection Officer (as Bob Hackman)

1977

1 episode

 

The Loneliest Runner (1976)

The Loneliest Runner

7.2

TV Movie

Mr. Rizzi

1976

 

John Schuck in Holmes and Yoyo (1976)

Holmes and Yoyo

5.8

TV Series

Doorman

1976

1 episode

 

Serpico (1976)

Serpico

6.8

TV Series

Truck Driver (as Bob Hackman)

1976

1 episode

 

Gemini Man (1976)

Gemini Man

6.2

TV Series

Clerk

1976

1 episode

 

S.W.A.T. (1975)

S.W.A.T.

6.7

TV Series

Bert

Webster

Dispatcher

1975–1976

3 episodes

 

Jack Warden in Jigsaw John (1976)

Jigsaw John

7.0

TV Series

Driver

1976

1 episode

 

Emergency! (1972)

Emergency!

7.9

TV Series

Engineer

1976

1 episode

 

Kate Jackson, Georg Stanford Brown, Sam Melville, and Michael Ontkean in The Rookies (1972)

The Rookies

6.8

TV Series

Bartender

Marks

1975

2 episodes

 

David Janssen in Harry O (1973)

Harry O

7.5

TV Series

Bailiff (as Bob Hackman)

1975

1 episode

 

Barbary Coast (1975)

Barbary Coast

6.7

TV Series

Webster (as Bob Hackman)

1975

1 episode

 

David McCallum in The Invisible Man (1975)

The Invisible Man

6.6

TV Series

Project Worker (as Bob Hackman)

1975

1 episode

 

Winner Take All (1975)

Winner Take All

6.7

TV Movie

1975

 

James Daly in Medical Center (1969)

Medical Center

7.1

TV Series

Reporter

1975

2 episodes