Frank Bonner (born Frank Woodrow Boers Jr.; February 28, 1942 – June 16, 2021) was an American actor and television director widely known for his role as sales manager Herb Tarlek on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.

Frank Bonner
Publicity photo of Bonner
Born
Frank Woodrow Boers Jr.

(1942-02-28)February 28, 1942
DiedJune 16, 2021(2021-06-16) (aged 79)
Occupation(s)Actor, director
Years active1970–2014
Known for
Spouses
  • Sharon Gray
    (m. 1966; div. 1971)
  • Mary A. Rings
    (m. 1972; div. 1975)
  • (m. 1977; div. 1980)
  • Catherin M. Sherwood
    (m. 1981, divorced)
  • Gayle Hardage
    (m. 2006)

Early life

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Bonner was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Grace Marie "Mamie" (née Dobbins) Boers Delahoussay,[1] a singer, and Frank Woodrow Boers, a saxophonist.[2] He grew up in Malvern, Arkansas.[1]

Career

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Bonner began acting in the experimental 1967 independent film The Equinox ... A Journey into the Unknown, which was reshot and re-edited as the 1970 cult classic Equinox (in which he is credited as Frank Boers Jr.).[2]

He later had several small roles in movies and on television, including Mannix, Emergency!, and Love, American Style. In 1978 he joined the cast of WKRP in Cincinnati, finding his signature role as Herb Tarlek, the crass and ineffectual station advertising sales agent, noted for his garish plaid suits and white shoes.[3]

Bonner appeared as a guest star in two episodes of the sitcom Night Court in the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, Bonner played the role of Father Hargis, headmaster of the fictional St. Augustine's Academy, on the TV show Just the Ten of Us, which was a spin-off of Growing Pains. He also appeared in one of the early episodes of the television show Newhart. He reprised the role of Herb Tarlek in the 1991 spinoff The New WKRP in Cincinnati and in a 2004 rock video for Canadian indie rock band Rheostatics (for the song "The Tarleks", from their album 2067).[citation needed]

After directing six episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati, he directed for other television shows in the 1980s and 1990s,[1] including Who's the Boss?, Head of the Class (starring his WKRP alumni Howard Hesseman), Evening Shade, Newhart, and every episode of the NBC Saturday morning sitcom City Guys. Bonner also appeared in five episodes of Saved by the Bell: The New Class, and directed four episodes.[citation needed]

Personal life

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Bonner was married to Sharon Gray from 1966–1971; actress Mary Alice Rings from 1972–1975; playwright Lillian Garrett-Groag from 1977–1980; Catherine M. Sherwood from 1981 until their divorce (date indeterminate); and Gayle Hardage, his former high school sweetheart in Malvern, Arkansas, from 2006 until his death.[4]

Frank Bonner had five children (four biological), seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild at his death. He had a daughter, Desiree Boers-Kort, with his first wife, Sharon Gray. He had three sons (Michael, Matthew, and Justin); Michael predeceased his father. Bonner also had a step-daughter, DeAndra Freed.[1][5]

In 1979, Bonner was injured in a parasailing accident at the El Mirage Lake Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area, northeast of Los Angeles. He was approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) in the air, suspended under an ascendancy parachute pulled by a tow vehicle — when a sudden, unexpected gust of wind collapsed the chute, causing him to fall to the lake bed and suffer internal injuries and injuries to his back.[6] Subsequently, he appeared on crutches in episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati (the season 2 episode "A Family Affair") and an All-Star Special episode of Family Feud.[7]

Death

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Bonner died on June 16, 2021, aged 79, in Laguna Niguel, California, of complications from Lewy body dementia.[8][2][1]

Filmography

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As actor

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Year Title Role Notes
1970 Equinox Jim Hudson Feature film
1970 The Young Lawyers Walt Episode: "Where's Aaron"
1970 Nancy Hank Episode: "Boys' Night Out"
1971 Mannix Hypnotized Man Episode: "Catspaw"
1972 Nichols Gruber Episode: "About Jesse James"
1972 The Hoax Clete Dempsey Feature film
1973 Little Cigars Gene (Hotel Bellman) Feature film
1973 The F.B.I. Johnson Episode: "The Confession"
1973 Hawkins 1st Yankee Episode: "Blood Feud"
1973 Emergency! Walt Episode: "Body Language"
1974 Love, American Style Jerry Segment: "Love and the Extra Job"
1974 Cannon Allecino Episode: "Kelly' Song"
1974 Fer-de-Lance Compton TV movie
1975 Las Vegas Lady Claude Feature film
1975 Cannon Bill Episode: "The Victim"
1976 Police Woman Donny's Father Episode: "The Pawn Shop"
1977 Man from Atlantis Bartender Episode: "C.W. Hyde"
1978–1982 WKRP in Cincinnati Herb Tarlek Main cast (88 episodes)
1979 Sex and the Single Parent Peter TV movie
1981 The Love Boat Dr. Jonathan Hunt Episode: "Country Blues/Daddy's Little Girl/Jackpot"
1981 Fantasy Island Jack Simon Episode: "Romance Times Three/Night of the Tormented Soul"
1982 The Facts of Life Goes to Paris Garth Kiley TV movie
1982 Gimme a Break! Officer Baxter Episode: "The Chief's Gay Evening"
1983 The Love Boat Ben Phillips Episode: "The Captain's Replacement/Sly as a Fox/Here Comes the Bride-Maybe"
1984 Newhart Mr. Pack Episode: "Kirk Pops the Question"
1984 Legmen Leo Gibson Episode: "I Shall Be Re-Released"
1984 The Duck Factory Mel Kemper Episode: "The Annies"
1984 No Man's Land Deputy Thad Prouty TV movie
1984 Simon & Simon Brad Daniels Episode: "Deep Cover"
1985 Matt Houston Fred Episode: "Death Watch"
1985 Gimme a Break! Warren Episode: "Police Mamas"
1985 George Burns Comedy Week Stu Episode: "Home for Dinner"
1985 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Henry 'Buck' McConnell Episodes: "Tail of the Dancing Weasel" and "Utopia Now"
1985 Crazy Like a Fox Chick Episode: "Requiem for a Fox"
1985-6 Night Court Howie / Preston Cowdrey Episodes: "Mac and Quon Le: No Reservations" and "Prince of a Guy"
1986 The Longshot Realtor Feature film
1986 Punky Brewster Cheapo Chester Episode: "Cherie Lifesaver"
1986 Blacke's Magic Hal Renquist Episode: "Death Goes to the Movies"
1986 Murder, She Wrote Earl Fargo Episode: "Murder in the Electric Cathedral"
1986 Sidekicks Detective R.T. Mooney Recurring role (5 episodes)
1986 Night Court Preston Cowdrey Episode: "Prince of a Guy"
1988 You Can't Hurry Love Chuck Hayes Feature film
1988–1990 Just the Ten of Us Father Robert Hargis Main cast (22 episodes)
1991 Going Under Soviet General Feature film
1991–1993 The New WKRP in Cincinnati Herb Tarlek Main cast (45 episodes)
1993 Evening Shade Walt Thompson Episode: "She What?!"
1994–1997 Saved by the Bell: The New Class Mr. Harrington Recurring role (5 episodes)
1995 The Mommies Director Episode: "Selling Out"
1995 The Colony Frank Williamson TV movie
1997 USA High Mr. Giggles (Dentist) Episode: "The Odd Couple"
1998 Motel Gressil Feature film
2000 City Guys Jake Episode: "Meet Mr. History"
2003 A Light in the Forest Kimmel Feature film
2004 Shut Up and Kiss Me Harvey Ballister Feature film
2004 A Norwegian Lunch Teacher Short film
2008 Remembering Phil Motel Clerk Feature film
2014 Under the Hollywood Sign Larry Feature film

As director

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Year Title Notes
1980–1982 WKRP in Cincinnati TV series (6 episodes)
1982 Family Ties TV series (1 episode)
1986–1990 Head of the Class TV series (2 episodes)
1988 Frank's Place TV series (1 episode)
1988 The Van Dyke Show TV series (1 episode)
1988–1990 Just the Ten of Us TV series (8 episodes)
1989 Who's the Boss? TV series (1 episode)
1989–1990 The Famous Teddy Z TV series (2 episodes)
1990 Evening Shade TV series (1 episode)
1990 You Take the Kids TV series (1 episode)
1991–1993 Harry and the Hendersons TV series (11 episodes)
1991–1993 The New WKRP in Cincinnati TV series (7 episodes)
1995 Fudge TV series (1 episode)
1995 The Mommies TV series (4 episodes)
1995 Campus Cops TV series (1 episode)
1997 Saved by the Bell: The New Class TV series (4 episodes)
1997–1998 USA High TV series (6 episodes)
1997–2001 City Guys TV series (105 episodes)
2003 Living Straight TV movie
2010 Desire and Deceit TV series (1 episode)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Nath, Sayantani (June 17, 2021). "Frank Bonner, Brash Salesman on 'WKRP in Cincinnati,' Dies at 79". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Ferme, Antonio (June 17, 2021). "Frank Bonner, 'WKRP in Cincinnati' and 'Saved by the Bell' Actor, Dies at 79". Variety. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  3. ^ Crowther, Linnea (June 17, 2021). "Frank Bonner (1942–2021), "WKRP in Cincinnati" star". Legacy.com. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  4. ^ Nath, Sayantani (June 18, 2021). "Who were Frank Bonner's wives? Inside actor's 5 marriages as he dies at 79". MEA World Wide. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  5. ^ Olphin, Olivia (June 18, 2021). "Who are Frank Bonner's children? Meet the late WKRP actor's family and ex-wives". The Focus. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  6. ^ "Parachute Accident Hospitalizes Frank Bonner of 'WKRP'". Lakeland Ledger. Associated Press. October 16, 1979. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Lund, Anthony (June 17, 2021). "Frank Bonner Dies, WKRP in Cincinnati and Saved by the Bell Star Was 79". Movieweb. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  8. ^ Reid, Tony; Nakamura, Maglio (June 17, 2021). "Frank Bonner, 'WKRP in Cincinnati' Star, Dies at 79". TheWrap. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
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