Another Damned Obit: Barnard Hughes

While surfing the Dispatch site today, I learned the sad news that one of TV and movies favorite curmudgeons, Barnard Hughes, has died. He would have turned 91 years old this Sunday.

Hughes had a long list of acting credits, mostly guest appearances and cameos on TV, although he did star in two short-lived sitcoms: Doc and Mr. Merlin. In the latter he played the legendary Merlin the Magician of Camelot fame, now calling himself Max Merlin and running a garage in modern day (early 80's) San Francisco when he takes a curious teen who discovers his true identity as his apprentice. It was a silly premise, but the show had some good, and funny, moments if I recall correctly. For me, though, Hughes' most memorable role was as Doctor Proctor in Norman Lear's satirical masterpiece Cold Turkey, which is one of my all time favorite films.