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{{Infobox actor
| bgcolour      =
| image         = 
| name          = Earl Hindman
| image         = 
| imagesize     = 
| birthname     = Earl John Hindman
| birthdate     = {{birth date|1942|10|20}}
| location      = [[Bisbee, Arizona]], [[United States|USA]]
| deathdate     = {{death date and age|2003|12|29|1942|10|20}}
| deathplace    = [[Stamford, Connecticut]], [[USA]]
| occupation    = Actor
| spouse        = [[Molly McGreevey]] (1976-2003) 
}}{{criticism}}

'''Earl John Hindman''' ([[October 20]], [[1942]] &ndash; [[December 29]], [[2003]]) was an [[United States|American]] actor best known for his portrayal of the character [[Wilson (Home Improvement)|Wilson W. Wilson Jr.]] on the hit [[television]] [[situation comedy|sitcom]] ''[[Home Improvement]]'' (1991–1999).

==Personal life==
Hindman was born in [[Bisbee, Arizona|Bisbee]], [[Arizona]], to Burl and Eula Hindman. The family included a sister, Anna Dean (Shields), and a brother, Ray.

Earl studied acting at the [[University of Arizona]] at [[Tucson]]. On [[May 21]], [[1976]], he married [[Molly McGreevey]], with whom he later acted on ''[[Ryan's Hope]]''. 

McGreevey later became an [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopalian]] [[priest]].

===Death===
On [[December 29]], [[2003]], Hindman died of [[lung cancer]] in [[Stamford, Connecticut]].

==Career==
===In ''[[Home Improvement]]''===
As the beloved grandfatherly neighbor, Wilson always seemed to solve the Taylor family's problems. It was never really known what Wilson looked like, because there always was some clever way of hiding part of his face from view (although on occasion his whole face was nearly visible). A number of [[in-joke]]s have been made about this; in one episode, he comments on Tim's [[beard]], saying, "I can't understand why a man would want to hide his face" and in another, Wilson makes reference to distant relatives he has never met, saying that some of them "have never even seen [his] face".  

Some reports indicate that while Wilson's face being obscured behind the [[fence]] was an early [[gimmick]] (Wilson was partly inspired by a neighbor that Tim Allen had when he was  little and was too short to see over his neighbor's fence and therefore unable to see his neighbor's face), Hindman was responsible for continuing it in any scenario, ensuring that Wilson's entire face was never seen all at once. A fan favorite was a [[Halloween]] episode, in which Wilson dressed up as [[The Phantom of the Opera]], with a mask hiding the ''upper'' portion of his face and revealing the lower part, the reverse of a usual episode. His face is briefly revealed at the end of the final episode when the entire cast comes out to take their bows for the show's final curtain call.  However, Wilson's full face can be seen in a few episodes, such as at a party or sitting down cutting apples.

===Other roles===
Hindman played [[Detective]] Bob Reid for many years on the daytime [[soap opera]] ''[[Ryan's Hope]]''. In the movie ''[[The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974 film)|The Taking of Pelham One Two Three]]'', he had a role as Mr. Brown, one of the hijackers.  He was also in ''[[Silverado (film)|Silverado]]'' (1985).  He played Satch in ''[[Three Men and a Baby]]'' (1987).  Hindman also performed voiceovers for [[Home Depot]] [[television commercial]]s.

Hindman played a role in the movie ''[[Silverado (film)|Silverado]]'' where the lower part of his face was obscured by a gag, foreshadowing [[Wilson (Home Improvement)|Wilson W. Wilson, Jr.]] by several years.

Hindman also made an appearance on the classic television series ''[[Tales from the Darkside]]''.

==External links==
*{{imdb name|id=0385561|name=Earl Hindman}}
*{{tvtome person|id=17473|name=Earl Hindman}}
{{wiki2009}}

{{Home Improvement}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hindman, Earl}}

[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:American soap opera actors]]
[[Category:American television actors]]
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer]]
[[Category:Cochise County, Arizona]]

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