Frank Bonner

Frank Bonner (born Frank Woodrow Boers Jr., February 28, 1942) is an American actor and television director best known for playing sales manager Herb Tarlek on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.

For the baseball player, see Frank Bonner (baseball).

Frank Bonner
Born
Frank Woodrow Boers, Jr.

(1942-02-28) February 28, 1942
Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
OccupationActor, director
Years active1970–2014
Spouse(s)
  • 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)​

Life and career

Bonner was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, the son of Mamie Grace (née Dobbins), a singer, and Frank Woodrow Boers, a saxophone player.[1] Bonner started his acting career in the experimental 1967 independent film The Equinox ... A Journey into the Unknown, which was re-shot and re-edited as the 1970 cult classic Equinox (credited as Frank Boers, Jr.).

In 1978, Bonner was injured in a parachute accident. Bonner was being towed by a 4 wheel drive vehicle when the ascendancy parachute he was hanging in collapsed in a freak wind at the El Mirage Dry Lake Recreational Area in 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Bonner fell 20 feet and suffered internal and back injuries.[2] This accident led to his appearance with crutches on TV, most noticeably in the WKRP in Cincinnati, season 2 episode - A Family Affair as well as an All-Star Special episode of Family Feud.

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).

Bonner appeared as a guest star in one episode 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. Bonner also appeared in one of the early episodes of the television show Newhart.

Bonner also directed several episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati as well as other TV sitcoms, including Who's the Boss?, Head of the Class (starring 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.

Actor filmography
YearTitleRoleNotes
1970EquinoxJim HudsonFeature film
1970The Young LawyersWaltEpisode: "Where's Aaron"
1970NancyHankEpisode: "Boys' Night Out"
1971MannixHypnotized ManEpisode: "Catspaw"
1972NicholsGruberEpisode: "About Jesse James"
1972The HoaxClete DempseyFeature film
1973Little CigarsGene (Hotel Bellman)Feature film
1973The F.B.I.JohnsonEpisode: "The Confession"
1973Hawkins1st YankeeEpisode: "Blood Feud"
1973Emergency!WaltEpisode: "Body Language"
1974Love, American StyleJerrySegment: "Love and the Extra Job"
1974CannonAllecinoEpisode: "Kelly' Song"
1974Fer-de-LanceComptonTV movie
1975Las Vegas LadyClaudeFeature film
1975CannonBillEpisode: "The Victim"
1976Police WomanDonny's FatherEpisode: "The Pawn Shop"
1977Man from AtlantisBartenderEpisode: "C.W. Hyde"
1978–1982WKRP in CincinnatiHerb TarlekMain cast (88 episodes)
1979Sex and the Single ParentPeterTV movie
1981The Love BoatDr. Jonathan HuntEpisode: "Country Blues/Daddy's Little Girl/Jackpot"
1981Fantasy IslandJack SimonEpisode: "Romance Times Three/Night of the Tormented Soul"
1982The Facts of Life Goes to ParisGarth KileyTV movie
1982Gimme a Break!Officer BaxterEpisode: "The Chief's Gay Evening"
1983The Love BoatBen PhillipsEpisode: "The Captain's Replacement/Sly as a Fox/Here Comes the Bride-Maybe"
1984NewhartMr. PackEpisode: "Kirk Pops the Question"
1984LegmenLeo GibsonEpisode: "I Shall Be Re-Released"
1984The Duck FactoryMel KemperEpisode: "The Annies"
1984No Man's LandDeputy Thad ProutyTV movie
1984Simon & SimonBrad DanielsEpisode: "Deep Cover"
1985Matt HoustonFredEpisode: "Death Watch"
1985Gimme a Break!WarrenEpisode: "Police Mamas"
1985George Burns Comedy WeekStuEpisode: "Home for Dinner"
1985Scarecrow and Mrs. KingHenry 'Buck' McConnellEpisodes: "Tail of the Dancing Weasel" and "Utopia Now"
1985Crazy Like a FoxChickEpisode: "Requiem for a Fox"
1985Night CourtHowieEpisode: "Mac and Quon Le: No Reservations"
1986The LongshotRealtorFeature film
1986Punky BrewsterCheapo ChesterEpisode: "Cherie Lifesaver"
1986Blacke's MagicHal RenquistEpisode: "Death Goes to the Movies"
1986Murder, She WroteEarl FargoEpisode: "Murder in the Electric Cathedral"
1986SidekicksDetective R.T. MooneyRecurring role (5 episodes)
1986Night CourtPreston CowdreyEpisode: "Prince of a Guy"
1988You Can't Hurry LoveChuck HayesFeature film
1988–1990Just the Ten of UsFather Robert HargisMain cast (22 episodes)
1991Going UnderSoviet GeneralFeature film
1991–1993The New WKRP in CincinnatiHerb TarlekMain cast (45 episodes)
1993Evening ShadeWaltEpisode: "She What?!"
1994–1997Saved by the Bell: The New ClassMr. HarringtonRecurring role (5 episodes)
1995The MommiesDirectorEpisode: "Selling Out"
1995The ColonyFrank WilliamsonTV movie
1997USA HighMr. Giggles (Dentist)Episode: "The Odd Couple"
1998MotelGressilFeature film
2000City GuysJakeEpisode: "Meet Mr. History"
2003A Light in the ForestKimmelFeature film
2004Shut Up and Kiss MeHarvey BallisterFeature film
2004A Norwegian LunchTeacherShort film
2008Remembering PhilMotel ClerkFeature film
2014Under the Hollywood SignLarryFeature film

Director filmography
YearTitleNotes
1980–1982WKRP in CincinnatiTV series (6 episodes)
1982Family TiesTV series (1 episode)
1986–1990Head of the ClassTV series (2 episodes)
1988Frank's PlaceTV series (1 episode)
1988The Van Dyke ShowTV series (1 episode)
1988–1990Just the Ten of UsTV series (8 episodes)
1989Who's the Boss?TV series (1 episode)
1989–1990The Famous Teddy ZTV series (2 episodes)
1990Evening ShadeTV series (1 episode)
1990You Take the KidsTV series (1 episode)
1991–1993Harry and the HendersonsTV series (11 episodes)
1991–1993The New WKRP in CincinnatiTV series (7 episodes)
1995FudgeTV series (1 episode)
1995The MommiesTV series (4 episodes)
1995Campus CopsTV series (1 episode)
1997Saved by the Bell: The New ClassTV series (4 episodes)
1997–1998USA HighTV series (6 episodes)
1997–2001City GuysTV series (105 episodes)
2003Living StraightTV movie
2010Desire and DeceitTV series (1 episode)

References
  1. "Frank Bonner Biography (1942-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  2. "Parachute Accident Hospitalizes Frank Bonner of 'WKRP'". Google.com/Newspapers. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
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