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William Hootkins

William Hootkins
Born William Michael Hootkins
(1948-07-05)July 5, 1948
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Died October 23, 2005(2005-10-23) (aged 57)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Burial place Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery, North Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Occupation Film, television, voice actor
Spouse(s) Polly Hootkins
(1973–2005; divorced)
Carolyn Robb
(Jul–Oct 2005; his death)

William Michael "Hoot" Hootkins (July 5, 1948 – October 23, 2005) was an American character actor, best known for supporting roles in Hollywood blockbusters such as Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Batman.

Hootkins was born in Dallas, Texas. He attended St. Mark's School of Texas from grade 1 through 12. At age 15, Hootkins found himself caught up in the FBI's investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy when he was interviewed about Ruth Paine, his Russian teacher, who had been "harboring" Marina Oswald, the Russian wife of the presumed assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. In school he also developed his taste for theatre, joining the same drama group as Tommy Lee Jones, who was a year ahead of him in high school. Hootkins would later say that, since Jones was better looking and got all the best parts, "I supported from then on in."

Hootkins attended Princeton University, studying astrophysics before transferring to oriental studies, where he became fluent in Mandarin Chinese. This stood him in good stead when he played the part of an interpreter in an episode of The West Wing entitled "Impact Winter". He was a mainstay of the Theatre Intime, making a particular impact with his performance in Orson Welles' Moby Dick—Rehearsed. On the recommendation of his friend John Lithgow, he moved to London in the early 1970s and trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). He made his home in London until 2002, when he moved to Los Angeles.


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