Jack Dodson (May 16, 1931 - Sept 16 1994) was an American character actor who appeared as Ricky Day, the events manager at The Lazy Hacienda dude ranch, where Mindy takes Mork on a vacation recalled in Season 2's Mork's Vacation.
Biography[]
Jack Dodson was born John Smeaton Dodson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He married art director Mary Dodson (28 August 1959 - 16 September 1994) ( his death) and together they had two children, Christina and Amy.
Dodson and Jason Robards were extremely close friends. Their friendship began when they were cast in a Broadway production. They became bar mates after their curtain (call) dropped each night, when they would join together in their favorite after-theater local Broadway bar. When Jason Robards was cast in a play, he would arrange for Jack to be cast, as well, so that he would have a good drinking buddy and bar mate! Jack Dodson's amiable humorous spirit and show-biz anecdotes always entertained.
He died September 16, 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA (heart failure)
Career[]
Jack Dodson got his firs screen credit in the sitcom 'Car 54, Where Are You?" (1963) but it was his Broadway career in the Jason Robard's starring 'Hughie' (1964) that launched his TV career in earnest. His casting in this was seen by Andy Griffith which led to his been casting in what was arguably his best known role, "Howard Sprague", the somewhat geeky county clerk on The Andy Griffith Show (1966-68). Moving to LA In the run up to his start in the show, he made appearances in Peyton Place (1965), Hazel (1965), The Fugitive (1966), The Virginian (1966) and Munster, Go Home (1966). After that he took the straight-laced, Howard, "straight man" to the "comic idiot" character "Goober" through the end of the run of The Andy Griffith Show into its spin-off, Mayberry R.F.D. (1968 - 71)
Jack remained busy with television and film appearances, Maude, Barney Miller (four episodes), Welcome Back Kotter, Archie Bunker's Place, Newhart, Mr. Belvedere, Matlock, Mama's Family, Hawaii Five-0 and St. Elsewhere, on which he had a recurring role. 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). He also returned to Broadway, again opposite Jason Robards, in the revival of "You Can't Take It With You" in 1985.
Jack was the only Andy Griffith show regular to also appear on Ron Howard's latter-day program, Happy Days, where he had the recurring role of Mickey Malph, the father of Ralph Malph (and husband of Minnie Malph).
Filmography & Television[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Car 54, Where Are You? | Workman (uncredited) | 1 Episode |
| 1965 | Hazel | Grouchy open house looker (uncredited) | 1 Episode |
| 1965 | Peyton Place | Al Pearson | 1 Episode |
| 1965 | The Wackiest Ship in the Army | Commander Judd | 1 Episode |
| 1966 | Munster, Go Home! | Second Ship Steward | Uncredited |
| 1966 | The Fugitive | Lieutenant | 1 Episode |
| 1966 | The Virginian | Henry Brodie | 1 Episode |
| 1966-68 | The Andy Griffith Show | Howard Sprague | 43 Episodes |
| 1967 | The Road West | Jack Hanson | 1 Episode |
| 1968-71 | Mayberry R.F.D. | Howard Sprague | 71 Episodes |
| 1969 | Angel in My Pocket | Norman Gresham | Movie |
| 1971 | Room 222 | Mr. Casey | 1 Episode |
| 1972 | Emergency! | George | 1 Episode |
| 1972 | The Doris Day Show | Henry Thurston | 1 Episode |
| 1972 | The Getaway | Harold Clinton | Movie |
| 1972 | The Jimmy Stewart Show | Holly | 1 Episode |
| 1973 | Hawaii Five-O | Will Rowan | 1 Episode |
| 1973 | Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid | Howland | Movie |
| 1974 | Thunderbolt and Lightfoot | Vault Manager | Movie |
| 1975 | Adams of Eagle Lake | Doc Russell | 2 Episodes |
| 1975 | Barney Miller | Mr. Franklin | 1 Episode |
| 1975 | The Manhunter | Judge Corman | 1 Episode |
| 1976 | Maude | Floyd Hathaway | 1 Episode |
| 1976 | The Nancy Walker Show | Ed Greenburger | 1 Episode |
| 1976 | The Practice | Dr. Gardner | 1 Episode |
| 1976-77 | All's Fair | Senator Wayne Joplin | 24 Episodes |
| 1976-80 | Happy Days | Dr. Mickey Malph | 3 Episodes |
| 1977 | CPO Sharkey | Dr. Savage | 1 Episode |
| 1977 | Maude | Rev. Harper | 1 Episode |
| 1977 | Walkin' Walter | Wendell Henderson | |
| 1977 | Welcome Back, Kotter | Mr. Hansen | 1 Episode |
| 1978 | A.E.S. Hudson Street | Coody | 1 Episode |
| 1978 | Carter Country | Ludlow | 1 Episode |
| 1978 | In the Beginning | Msgr. Francis X. Barlow | 14 Episodes |
| 1978 | Police Story | Osburn Parker | 1 Episode |
| 1978 | Snavely | Mr. Bishop | TV Movie |
| 1979 | 13 Queens Boulevard | Mr. Sloan | 1 Episode |
| 1979-80 | Sesame Street | Man in Letter U Cartoon | Voice |
| 1979-83 | One Day at a Time | Mr. Reed / Bernie | 2 Episodes |
| 1980 | Archie Bunker's Place | Tom | 1 Episode |
| 1980 | Barney Miller | Henry St. Martin / Mr. Vogel | 3 Episodes |
| 1980 | Benson | Major | 1 Episode |
| 1980 | Lou Grant | Walter Parrott | 1 Episode |
| 1980 | Mork & Mindy | Ricky | 1 Episode |
| 1980 | Phyl & Mikhy | Edgar 'Truck' Morley | 11 Episodes |
| 1981 | Broadway on Showtime | Charlie Hughes | 1 Episode |
| 1981 | Quincy M.E. | Mr. Barswell | 1 Episode |
| 1982 | Benson | Mac McFadden | 1 Episode |
| 1982 | Million Dollar Infield | Chuck | TV movie |
| 1982 | Newhart | Mr. Shaver | 1 Episode |
| 1983 | Something Wicked This Way Comes | Dr. Douglas | Movie |
| 1984 | American Playhouse | F. Edward Hebert / Charlie Hughes | 2 Episodes |
| 1984 | Gimme a Break! | Principal Smythe | 1 Episode |
| 1984 | Great Performances | Paul Sycamore | 1 Episode |
| 1984-88 | St. Elsewhere | Judge Farnham | 12 Episodes |
| 1985 | Cagney & Lacey | Bill Carstairs | 1 Episode |
| 1986 | Benson | Senator Chapman | 1 Episode |
| 1986 | Mama's Family | Gus | 1 Episode |
| 1986 | Return to Mayberry | Howard Sprague | TV Movie |
| 1986-89 | Mr. Belvedere | Carl Putnam | 4 Episodes |
| 1987 | L.A. Law | Bradford Fredericks | |
| 1987 | Night Court | Uncredited | |
| 1987 | The New Leave It to Beaver | Dr. Harold Warren | |
| 1988 | Duet | Walter Johnson | 1 Episode |
| 1989 | Just the Ten of Us | Burt | 2 Episodes |
| 1989 | Matlock | William Austin | 1 Episode |
| 1990 | Growing Pains | Judge Herman | 1 Episode |
| 1990 | It's Garry Shandling's Show | Howard Sprague | 1 Episode |
| 1991 | A Climate for Killing | Sam Moorehouse | |
| 1992-93 | Homefront | Mr. Melon | 12 Episodes |
| 1997 | Homefront | Mr. Melon | 1 Episode (after his death) |
Mork & Mindy[]
Jack appeared as Ricky Day, the highly enthusiastic activity director at the perfectly nice Lazy Hacienda dude ranch, in New Mexico, where Mork just happens to be having the most miserable of times. His enthusiasm and bonhomie mostly falling on deaf Orkan ears and sunburnt backs.