James Hampton obit

James Hampton Dies: Writer, Director, ‘F Troop’ Bugler & ‘Longest Yard’s Caretaker Was 84

 

He was not on the list.

James Hampton, a veteran character actor best known as bumbling bugler Hannibal Shirley Dobbs on ’60s sitcom F Troop, died Wednesday at his home in Fort Worth, Texas, from Parkinson’s disease complications. He was 84 and his death was confirmed by TV biographer Randy West.

A character actor whose amiable appearance made him the quintessential sidekick, Hampton had a long career in film and television before retiring to his native Texas.

Beyond F Troop, he is best remembered for many key film roles, including appearances as Caretaker, the manager of the prison football team in the 1974 Burt Reynolds film The Longest Yard.

He also had supporting roles in the 1979 thriller The China Syndrome, the 1981 superhero comedy Condorman, the 1985 comedy, and Teen Wolf,. playing Harold Howard, father to Michael J. Fox’s title character. Hampton reprised the part in the 1987 follow-up with Jason Bateman, Teen Wolf Too, and the animated series spinoff. He was also in 1996’s Sling Blade as Jerry Woolridge.

Later in his career, Hampton wrote and directed several sitcoms, including the early 1990s series Evening Shade, which featured Burt Reynolds.

Hampton studied acting in New York, Los Angeles, and Texas and appeared Off Broadway in several productions. It was in one of those plays that he met Reynolds.

He appeared in the Oscar-nominated short film The Cliffdwellers, but began his TV career in 1962 as “Jeb” on TV’s long-running Gunsmoke. That led to F Troop in 1965 where he memorably played P.F.C. Dobbs, the incompetent bugler and personal assistant to lead character Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry). Dobbs could only competently play Yankee Doodle and Dixie on his bugle, bolloxing the standard Army fare.

Although the TV series lasted only from 1965-1967, it became a fan favorite in frequent reruns through the years.

Other TV roles included a recurring spot on The Doris Day Show as Leroy B. Simpson and appearances on Gomer Pyle USMC, and The Rockford Files.

He received a HALO award for his part in the film Hawmps! and a Golden Globe nomination for “Caretaker” in The Longest Yard.

In 1980, he starred alongside Gary Collins in the low-budget movie Hangar 18.  

Survivors include his wife, Mary Deese, sons Jim and Frank and daughter Andrea, and three grandchildren

No details were immediately available on memorial plans. The family requests donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation in lieu of flowers.

 

Filmography

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1970      Soldier Blue        Private Menzies               

1972      Justin Morgan Had a Horse          Aaron   

1973      The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing              Jimmy   Uncredited

1974      The Longest Yard              Caretaker           

1975      W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings Junior   

Mackintosh and T.J.         Cotton

Hustle   Bus Driver          

1976      Hawmps!             Howard Clemmons         

1978      The Cat from Outer Space            Captain Anderson           

1979      The China Syndrome      Bill Gibson          

1980      Hangar 18           Lew Price             Alternative tile: Invasion Force

1981      Condorman        Harry Oslo          

1985      Teen Wolf           Harold Howard

1987      Teen Wolf Too   Uncle Harold Howard    

1988      Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach        Mayor of Miami               

1990      Pump Up the Volume     Arthur Watts     

1991      The Giant of Thunder Mountain                 Jesse    

1996      Sling Blade          Jerry Woolridge               

2000      Danny and Max                 Sheriff  

Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel Pediatrician       

2008      Fire from Below                Griffith

2011      Jacob     Mayor Jack Flynn             

The Last Ride      Judge Matheny

2014      Flutter Leon     

Big Stone Gap    Reverend Manning         

2015      Divine Access     Mr. Bernstein   

2016      The Association                 Gene Seward     Direct-to-video

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1963–1965          Gunsmoke          Jeb Willis / Eliab Haggen                3 episodes, credited as Jim Hampton

1964      Death Valley Days            William Randolph Hearst              1 episode

1965      Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.     Branch Eversole                1 episode, credited as Jim Hampton

Rawhide               Charlie Peck, The Blackmailer      Episode: "Mrs. Harmon"

1965–1967          F Troop                 Private Hannibal Shirley Dobbs   65 episodes

1967      Cimarron Strip   Sam       1 episode

1968–1969          The Doris Day Show        Leroy B. Simpson              14 episodes

1970      Bracken's World               J.F. Nash               1 episode

1972      The Wonderful World of Disney                 Aaron    2 episodes

The F.B.I.             Claybourne         1 episode

1973      Hawkins               Earl Coleman      1 episode

1974      The Manhunter                Lon Tyrell             1 episode

1975      Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan       Harry Dudley      Television movie

Mannix                 Billy Lee                1 episode

The Rockford Files            Aaron Ironwood               1 episode

1977      The Red Hand Gang         Tosca (Kidnapper)            5 episodes

The Amazing Howard Hughes      Wilbur Peterson               Television movie

The Tonight Show            Himself                 May 4, 1977 episode

1978      Mary     Skit Characters 3 episodes

1979      Centennial          Defense Attorney Prescott           Miniseries

1980      B.A.D. Cats          Link        Unknown episodes

The Dukes of Hazzard     Sheriff Buster Moon        Episode: "Return of the Ridge Raiders"

1981      Stand By Your Man          Billy Sherrill        Television movie

1981–1982          Maggie Len Weston        8 episodes

1982      World War III     Richard Hickman              Miniseries

1983      The Greatest American Hero       Sheriff   1 episode

Boone   Mr. Slater            Episode: "The Graduation"

Tales of the Gold Monkey             Alan Shoemate Episode: "Cooked Goose"

1984      The Burning Bed               Police Witness   Television movie

Matt Houston    Mr. Stevens        2 episodes

1984–1985          Who's the Boss?               Herb / Officer    2 episodes

1984–1986          Murder, She Wrote         Veterinarian / Jerry Blevins          2 episodes

1985      Otherworld         Fred Roach          1 episode

Simon & Simon Odell Mitchell    1 episode

1986–1989          Punky Brewster                Alvin / Jimmy John           2 episodes

1986–1987          Teen Wolf           Harold Howard (Voice) 21 episodes

1987      Houston Knights               Scully     3 episodes

1988      Superboy             Coach    Episode: The Fixer

1989      Mama's Family Keith Wheeler   Episode: "The Mama of Invention"

Days of Our Lives              Saul Taylor          49 episodes

1989–1990          Full House           Mr. Malatesta    3 episodes

1990      Perfect Strangers             Mac McIntyre    Episode: "Nightmare Vacation"

Newhart              Father Ken          1 episode

Get a Life             Fletcher                1 episode

1991      The Hogan Family            Raymond             1 episode

1992–1993          Evening Shade - Director, 7 episodes

1993      Hearts Afire  - Director, 1 episode

1994      Melrose Place    Harry Alan           Episode: "It's a Bad World After All"

1995      Hope and Gloria                Bob        1 episode

1997      Fired Up               Ben Franklin       1 episode

1997–1998          Grace Under Fire - Director, 4 episodes

Smart Guy           - Director, 3 episodes

Sister, Sister       -  Director, 5 episodes

1998–1999          Linc's -  Director, 3 episodes

2000      Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane - Director, 3 episodes