Earl John Hindman

 Earl John Hindman (October 3, 1942 – December 29, 2003)

Hindman was best known for his role as the kindly unseen neighbor Wilson W. Wilson Jr. on the television sitcom Home Improvement (1991–99). Long before this role, however, he played villains in two 1974 thrillers, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and The Parallax View. He also appeared in the films Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? (1971), Greased Lightning (1977), The Brink's Job (1978) and Taps (1981), and played the part of J.T. in the Lawrence Kasdan film Silverado (1985). Hindman's most famous and enduring pre-Home Improvement role was as Bob Reid in Ryan's Hope. He played the role in 459 episodes during the years 1975–89. Hindman's wife (Molly McGreevey) was also on the soap 1977–81 as Polly Longworth, best friend to media tycoon Rae Woodard. His voice was heard on the Disneyland Railroad from 2002 until 2016 and on the Walt Disney World Railroad from 2002 until late 2010. A longtime smoker, Hindman was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2003. He died of the disease on December 29 of that year, aged 61, in Stamford, Connecticut.