David Ogden Stiers

David Allen Ogden Stiers (/ˈst.ərz/ STY-ərz;[1] October 31, 1942 – March 3, 2018) was an American actor and conductor. He has appeared in numerous productions on Broadway, and originated the role of Feldman in The Magic Show, in which he appeared for four years between 1974 and 1978.

David Ogden Stiers
Stiers as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III, M*A*S*H, 1977
Born
David Allen Ogden Stiers

(1942-10-31)October 31, 1942
DiedMarch 3, 2018(2018-03-03) (aged 75)
NationalityAmerican
Education
Occupation
  • Actor
  • voice actor
  • conductor
Years active1966–2017
EmployerNewport Symphony
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Political partyDemocratic
AwardsTV Land Impact Award (2009)

In 1977, he was cast as Major Charles Emerson Winchester, III, M.D., on the television series M*A*S*H, a role he would portray until the series' conclusion in 1983 and which earned him two Emmy Award nominations. He appeared prominently in the 1980s in the role of District Attorney Michael Reston in several Perry Mason television films, and voiced a number of Disney characters during the 1990s and 2000s, most notably Cogsworth in 1991's Beauty and the Beast, Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins in 1995's Pocahontas, Kamaji in 2001's Spirited Away and Dr. Jumba Jookiba in 2002's Lilo & Stitch, its sequel films, and Lilo & Stitch: The Series. He appeared in television again on the supernatural drama series The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy, a role he portrayed from 2002 to 2007.

Stiers continued to contribute voice work for films and television productions in his later years, narrating M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water (2006) and having a recurring role on the animated series Regular Show. Stiers spent his later years as a conductor of the Newport Symphony Orchestra.

Early life

Stiers was born at St. Francis Hospital in Peoria, Illinois, on Halloween 1942,[2] the son of Margaret Elizabeth (née Ogden) and Kenneth Truman Stiers,[3] and grew up in Peoria Heights and Chillicothe.[2] He attended Urbana High School as a freshman and sophomore where one of his classmates was Roger Ebert.[4] Stiers' family moved to Eugene, Oregon, where he graduated from North Eugene High School and briefly attended the University of Oregon, before enrolling at the Juilliard School in New York City, from where he graduated in 1972.[5]

Stiers subsequently moved to San Francisco, where he performed with the California Shakespeare Theater, San Francisco Actors Workshop, and the improv group The Committee, whose members included Rob Reiner, Howard Hesseman, and Peter Bonerz. In California he worked for the Santa Clara Shakespeare Festival for seven years.[6] Stiers relocated to New York City in the 1960s to study at the Juilliard School (Drama Division Group 1: 1968–1972).[7] During his studies, Stiers was mentored by actor John Houseman, whose City Center Acting Company he later joined.[8]

Career

Early acting credits

Stiers first appeared in the Broadway production The Magic Show in 1974 in the minor role of Feldman. This was followed by several other Broadway productions, including The Three Sisters and The Beggar's Opera.[6] Subsequent early credits included roles on the television series The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Kojak, and Rhoda. Stiers also appeared in the pilot of Charlie's Angels as the team's chief backup.[9]

M*A*S*H (1977–1983)

Cast photo from M*A*S*H for 1977. Front row from left: Loretta Swit, Harry Morgan, Alan Alda, Mike Farrell. Back row from left-William Christopher, Gary Burghoff, David Ogden Stiers, and Jamie Farr.

In 1977, Stiers joined the cast of the CBS sitcom M*A*S*H. As Major Charles Emerson Winchester III, Stiers filled the void created by the departure of actor Larry Linville's Frank Burns character.[10] In contrast to the buffoonish Burns, Winchester was a well-spoken and talented surgeon who presented a different type of foil to Alan Alda's Hawkeye Pierce and Mike Farrell's B.J. Hunnicutt.[10] Burns usually served as the butt of practical jokes instigated by Pierce or Hunnicutt, was frequently inundated by insults for which he had no comebacks, and was often harshly criticized for his surgical skills. Winchester, however, presented a challenge to his colleagues' displays of irreverence because his surgical skills could match or even outshine their own and, when it came to pranks and insults, he could give as good as he got; his aristocratic manner and aversion to puerile behavior served as the target for his fellow surgeons' barbs and jokes. At times, however, Winchester could align himself with Pierce and Hunnicutt and, a few tantrums aside, he held considerable admiration for his commanding officer, Harry Morgan's Colonel Sherman T. Potter. For his portrayal of the pompous but nonetheless multifaceted Boston aristocrat, Stiers received two Emmy Award nominations.[11]

Other television work

After M*A*S*H completed its run in 1983, Stiers made guest appearances on the television shows North and South; Star Trek: The Next Generation; Murder, She Wrote; Matlock; Touched by an Angel; Wings; ALF; and Frasier, along with a regular role in the first season of Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place as Mr. Bauer. In 1984 he portrayed United States Olympic Committee founder William Milligan Sloane in the NBC miniseries The First Olympics: Athens 1896 for which he received another Emmy nomination.[12] Beginning in 1985 Stiers made his first of eight appearances in Perry Mason made-for-TV movies as District Attorney Michael Reston. He appeared in two unsuccessful television projects, Love & Money and Justice League of America (as the Martian Manhunter). In 2002 Stiers started a recurring role as the Reverend Purdy on the successful USA Network series The Dead Zone with Anthony Michael Hall. In 2006 he was cast as the recurring character Oberoth in Stargate Atlantis.

Voice work

Stiers provided voice work for dozens of film and television projects. His first work was on one of George Lucas's earliest films, the critically acclaimed THX 1138, in which he was incorrectly billed as "David Ogden Steers". Stiers voiced PBS documentary films such as Ric Burns's project New York: A Documentary Film, 2010 Peabody Award winner The Lord is Not on Trial Here Today, and several episodes of the documentary television series American Experience,[13] including Ansel Adams (2002), also directed by Ric Burns. He voiced Mr. Piccolo in the animated English-dubbed version of Studio Ghibli's 1992 film Porco Rosso, as well as Kamaji in the English dub of the studio's 2001 film Spirited Away. He collaborated with Disney on eight animated features, including 1991's Beauty and the Beast (as Cogsworth, also providing the opening narration), 1995's Pocahontas (as Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins), 1996's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (as the Archdeacon), 2001's Atlantis: The Lost Empire (as Mr. Harcourt), and 2002's Lilo & Stitch (as Jumba Jookiba). He reprised a number of his Disney roles for various sequels, most notably with Jumba in Lilo & Stitch's three sequel films (2003's Stitch! The Movie, 2005's Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, and 2006's Leroy & Stitch) and Lilo & Stitch: The Series.

He lent his voice to the direct-to-video Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003) as the Penguin. Stiers did voice work for Solovar in a two-part episode, "The Brave and The Bold," of Justice League and voiced Solovar again in a Justice League Unlimited episode "Dead Reckoning." He voiced Mr. Jolly from Teacher's Pet. He voiced the king and prime minister in the 2004 short film The Cat That Looked at a King. In Hoodwinked (2005), the animated movie partly based on Little Red Riding Hood, Stiers voiced the role of Nicky Flippers, the frog detective who is dispatched to Granny's house. He voiced Pop's father, Mr. Maellard, in the animated TV series Regular Show, which debuted in 2010. Stiers had voices in several video games, including Icewind Dale, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, as Jeff Zandi in Uru: Ages Beyond Myst, and as Esher in Myst V: End of Ages.

Stiers was the reader for numerous audiobook versions of novels, including Tom Wolfe's A Man in Full (1998), and Colleen McCullough's The First Man in Rome.

Music

Though he had no formal musical training, Stiers was the associate conductor of the Newport (Oregon) Symphony Orchestra and the Ernest Bloch Music Festival. He also played a major role in establishing the Newport Symphony.[14] He also guest-conducted over 70 orchestras around the world, including the Oregon Mozart Players, the Vancouver Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, the Oregon Chamber Players, and the Yaquina (Oregon) Chamber Orchestra, as well as orchestras in San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Toronto.[15][16][17]

Stiers traced his love of music back to a performance by George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra on the basketball court at the University of Oregon in the 1950s. During his days at Juilliard, he would skip his acting classes to sit in on master classes led by such notables as John Williams, Pierre Boulez and Sir Georg Solti.[18]

Death

Stiers died at his home in Newport, Oregon, on March 3, 2018, at the age of 75, from complications related to bladder cancer.[19] His will made provisions for bequests to several area arts organizations including the Newport Symphony, Newport Public Library, the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, as well as other groups.[20]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1971THX 1138Announcer (voice)Credited as David Ogden Steers
Drive, He SaidPro Owner
1977Oh, God!Mr. McCarthy, District Produce Manager
1978The Cheap DetectiveCaptain
MagicTodson
1979Breaking Up Is Hard to DoHoward FreedTV movie
1981Harry's WarErnie
1985The Bad SeedEmory BreedloveTV movie
The Man with One Red ShoeThe Conductor
Better Off Dead...Al Meyer
CreatorDr. Sid Kullenbeck
1986Mrs. Delafield Wants to MarryHorton DelafieldTV movie
1987The Alamo: Thirteen Days to GloryColonel BlackTV movie
J. Edgar HooverFranklin D. RooseveltTV movie
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost LoveD.A. Michael RestonTV movie
Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered MadamTV movie
Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious NunTV movie
Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous ScoundrelTV movie
Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting StarTV movie
Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister SpiritTV movie
1988Another WomanYoung Marion's Father
The Accidental TouristPorter Leary
Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging AceD.A. Michael RestonTV movie
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the LakeTV movie
1989Day OneFranklin D. RooseveltTV movie
The Final DaysAlexander HaigTV movie
1991Doc HollywoodMayor Nick Nicholson
Beauty and the BeastCogsworth / Narrator (voice)
Wife, Mother, MurdererJohn HomanTV movie
Shadows and FogHacker
1992The Last of His TribeDr. Saxton Pope
Porco RossoGrandpa Piccolo (voice)(English version)
1993Taking LibertyBenjamin Franklin
1994Iron WillJ.W. Harper
Past TenseDr. Bert JamesTV movie
1995Bad CompanyJudge Beach
NapoleonKoala / Owl (voices)
PocahontasGovernor Ratcliffe / Wiggins (voice)
Mighty AphroditeLaius
Steal Big Steal LittleJudge Winton Myers
1996The Hunchback of Notre DameArchdeacon (voice)
Everyone Says I Love YouHolden's Father
To Face Her PastKen BradfieldTV movie
1997Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted ChristmasCogsworth (voice)Direct-to-video
Justice League of AmericaJ'onn J'onzz / Martian ManhunterTV movie
Meet Wally SparksGovernor Floyd Preston
Jungle 2 JungleAlexei Jovanovic
1998Belle's Magical WorldCogsworth (voice)Direct-to-video
Krippendorf's TribeHenry Spivey
Pocahontas II: Journey to a New WorldGovernor Ratcliffe / Duke of Buckingham (voices)Direct-to-video
1999My Neighbors the YamadasNarrator (voice)(English version)
The Stand-InProfessor Smith
2001TomcatsDr. Crawford
Atlantis: The Lost EmpireFenton Q. Harcourt (voice)
Spirited AwayKamaji (voice)(English version)
The Curse of the Jade ScorpionVoltan
The MajesticDoc Stanton
Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of MouseCogsworth (voice)Direct-to-video
Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free ManStanford ThorntonTV movie
2002Lilo & StitchDr. Jumba Jookiba (voice)
2003Batman: Mystery of the BatwomanPenguin (voice)Direct-to-video
Stitch! The Movie Dr. Jumba Jookiba (voice)Direct-to-video
2004Cable BeachDoc McWhirterTelevision film
The Cat That Looked at a KingThe King / The Prime Minister (voices)Short
Springtime with RooNarrator (voice)Direct-to-video
Teacher's PetMr. Jolly (voice)
2005Hoodwinked!Nicky Flippers (voice)
Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a GlitchDr. Jumba Jookiba (voice)Direct-to-video
The Origin of Stitch (voice)Short, Uncredited
Pooh's Heffalump Halloween MovieNarrator (voice)
2006Lady in the WaterNarrator (voice)Uncredited
Leroy & StitchDr. Jumba Jookiba (voice)Direct-to-video
2008Together Again for the First TimeMax FrobisherTV movie
2009Not Dead YetWilliam Weinshawler
2011Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. EvilNicky Flippers (voice)
2017Neil Stryker and the Tyrant of TimeThe Admiral
The Joneses UnpluggedRalph WilsonTV movie, (final film role)

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1975KojakBryan LeBlanc / Mr. RobertsEpisode: "Money Back Guarantee"
1976Charlie's AngelsScott WoodvilleEpisode: "Charlie's Angels" (Pilot)
1976DocStanley Moss7 episodes
1976–1977The Mary Tyler Moore ShowMel Price3 episodes
1976PhyllisMr. RaymondEpisode: "The Wrong Box"
1976–1977RhodaDr. Curt Dreiser / George2 episodes
1977This Is the LifeHarryEpisode: "Undertow"
The Tony Randall ShowCleaverEpisode: "Case: The People Speak"
1977–1983M*A*S*HMajor Charles Emerson Winchester III131 episodes
1978The Paper ChaseWoodrow TullisEpisode: "An Act of Desperation"
1981CBS Afternoon PlayhousePeter StennerEpisode: "Me and Mr. Stenner"
1983American PlayhouseDocEpisode: "The Innocents Abroad"
1984The First Olympics: Athens 1896William Milligan SloaneMiniseries
1985North and SouthCongressman Sam GreeneMiniseries; 6 episodes
1986–1996Murder, She WroteHoward Deems / Sergei Nemiroff / Aubrey Thornton3 episodes
1986North and South, Book IICongressman Sam GreeneMiniseries; 6 episodes
1987–1988MatlockThomas Baldwin / Arthur Hampton3 episodes
1988ALFFlakey Pete2 episodes
1989The Ray Bradbury TheaterLeonard MeadEpisode: "The Pedestrian"
1990CBS Schoolbreak SpecialJack HendersonEpisode: "American Eyes"
Married PeopleDr. CashinEpisode: "Term Paper"
WingsEdward TinsdaleEpisode: "A Little Nightmare Music"
1991Star Trek: The Next GenerationTimicinEpisode: "Half a Life"
1993Jack's PlaceFlower ManEpisode: "Forever and Ever"
1994The Boys Are BackGeorge SpivackEpisode: "A Tree Dies in Portland"
1995–2011American ExperienceNarrator (voice)32 episodes
1996CybillValEpisode: "Educating Zoey"
1996Poltergeist: The LegacyRandolph HitchcockEpisode: "The Twelfth Cave"
1997Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanTheodore QuinnEpisode: "Farewell Appearance"
1998101 Dalmatians: The SeriesVLAD (voice)Episode: "Out to Launch/Prophet and Loss"
Ally McBealJudge Andrew PetersEpisode: "They Eat Horses, Don't They?"
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza PlaceMr. Bauer13 episodes
1999The Angry BeaversByron Beaver (voice)Episode: "Kreature Komforts/Oh, Brother?"
The PracticeJudge HollingsEpisode: "Infected"
The Outer LimitsReverend Dr. Thomas TilfordEpisode: "The Shroud"
1999–2000Love & MoneyNicholas Conklin13 episodes
2000The Wild ThornberrysKarroo (voice)Episode: "Luck Be an Aye-Aye"
BullGardner Blackstone4 episodes
The Trouble With NormalMr. HarringtonEpisode: "Say Cheese"
2000–2002Teacher's PetMr. Jolly / Narrator / Congressman (voices)13 episodes
2001–2002Disney's House of MouseCogsworth (voice)3 episodes
2002Arli$EliEpisode: "It's All in the Game"
Justice LeagueSolovar / Car Owner (voice)3 episodes
2002–2007The Dead ZoneReverend Eugene 'Gene' Purdy40 episodes
2003FrasierDr. Leland BartonEpisode: "Fathers and Sons"
2003Touched by an AngelJones2 episodes
2003–2006Lilo & Stitch: The Series Dr. Jumba Jookiba (voice)64 episodes
2004Static ShockDr. Odium (voice)Episode: "Hoop Squad"
2005American Dragon: Jake LongNarrator / Crew Man (voices)Episode: "The Talented Mr. Long"
2005NovaNarratorEpisode: "A Daring Flight"
2006–2007Stargate AtlantisOberoth3 episodes
2006Worst Week of My LifeJensonEpisode: "Pilot"
2007The Power of Choice: The Life and Ideas of Milton FriedmanNarratorDocumentary miniseries
2011LeverageWalt Whitman Wellesley IVEpisode: "The Lonely Hearts Job"
2011–2016Regular ShowMr. Maellard (voice)18 episodes
2015Rizzoli & IslesDr. IslesEpisode: "Nice to Meet You, Dr. Isles"

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996ToonstruckKing Hugh
2000Icewind DaleNarrator
2002Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626Dr. Jumba Jookiba
2002Lilo & Stitch: Trouble in ParadiseDr. Jumba Jookiba
2002Lilo & Stitch: Hawaiian AdventureDr. Jumba Jookiba
2003Uru: Ages Beyond MystJeff Zandi
2004Uru: To D'niDr. Richard Watson
2005Myst V: End of AgesEsher
Kingdom Hearts IICogsworth
2007Kingdom Hearts II: Final MixCogsworth
2010Kingdom Hearts Birth by SleepDr. Jumba Jookiba
Doc
2016Baldur's Gate: Siege of DragonspearBelhifet

Stage credits

Date(s) Title Role Notes Ref.
December 19, 1973 – January 11, 1974Three SistersKulyginBroadway[21]
December 22, 1973 – December 31, 1973The Beggar's OperaPeachumBroadway[21]
December 26, 1973 – January 5, 1974Measure for MeasureThe DukeBroadway[21]
December 28, 1973ScapinGeronteBroadway[21]
January 2, 1974 – January 6, 1974Next Time I'll Sing to YouHermitBroadway; understudy[21]
March 10, 1974 – May 11, 1974Ulysses in NighttownBuck Mulligan / 2nd Watch / Bishop of Erin / Dr. MulliganBroadway[21]
May 28, 1974 – December 31, 1978The Magic ShowFeldmanBroadway[21]
April 18, 1994 – July 29, 2007Beauty and the BeastPrologue NarratorBroadway[21]
November 22, 2009 – January 3, 2010Irving Berlin's White ChristmasGeneral Henry WaverlyBroadway[21]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryFilm/TV showResult
1981Emmy AwardOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Variety or Music SeriesM*A*S*HNominated
1982Nominated
1984Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a SpecialThe First Olympics: Athens 1896Nominated
2001Annie AwardOutstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Television ProductionTeacher's PetNominated
2009TV Land AwardBest CastM*A*S*HWon

References

  1. As pronounced by himself in "Classical Rewind 2" (2015).
  2. "Yes, they said that... Quotes from Famous Peorians". The Peorian. Vol. 2 no. 4. April–May 2014. p. 11. Archived from the original on 2019-07-12.
  3. Bergan, Ronald (March 11, 2018). "David Ogden Stiers obituary". theguardian.com. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  4. "David Ogden Stiers Unofficial website – David Ogden Stiers Fan Tribute site".
  5. "5 Questions for... David Ogden Stiers". USA Network. Archived from the original on November 3, 2005.
  6. Gates, Anita (March 4, 2018). "David Ogden Stiers, Major Winchester on 'M*A*S*H', Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  7. "Alumni News: February 2011". Juilliard School. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. David Ogden Stiers (Group 1)
  8. "Kevin Kline Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  9. "Hollywood Dot Com Biography". Archived from the original on March 20, 2008.
  10. Chavez, Nicole; Cuevas, Mayra (March 4, 2018). "'M*A*S*H' actor David Ogden Stiers dies at 75". CNN. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  11. Fox News Staff (March 4, 2018). "David Ogden Stiers, fussy 'M*A*S*H' doc and beloved clock from Disney's 'Beast,' dies at 75". Fox News. New York City. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  12. Dagan, Carmel (March 3, 2018). "David Ogden Stiers, Major Winchester on 'MASH,' Dies at 75". Variety. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  13. "Ansel Adams: A Documentary Film". PBS.
  14. Smith, Harrison (March 4, 2018). "David Ogden Stiers, 'M.A.S.H.' actor who became voice of Disney movies, dies at 75". The Washington Post.
  15. "Mozart would be 250; calls for a party". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. January 19, 2006. p. C1.
  16. Oppegaard, Brett (October 4, 2001). "A Major Opening; David Ogden Stiers – Maj. Winchester On 'M*A*S*H' – Conducts The Vancouver Symphony's First Concert Of The Season, 'Peter And The Wolf'". The Columbian. Vancouver, WA. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 18, 2013.
  17. Hooper, Barrett (March 6, 2002). "David Ogden Stiers' second great love". National Post. Toronto. p. 4.
  18. Smith, Linnell (April 9, 1992). "David Ogden Stiers In front of an Orchestra instead of a camera". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  19. Campuzano, Eder (March 3, 2018). "David Ogden Stiers, 'M*A*S*H*' star and Newport resident, dies at 75". The Oregonian. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  20. Tobias, Lori (May 16, 2018). "The gift(s) of David Ogden Stiers". Oregon Arts Watch. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  21. "David Ogden Stiers – Broadway Credits". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
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