Stephen Stucker
Encyclopedia
Stephen Stucker was an American actor, known for portrayals of larger-than-life flamboyant characters, notably the insane control-room worker Johnny Henshaw-Jacobs in the Airplane!
movies and the cross-dressing
, rubber-penis
-waving stenographer in the courtroom sequence in 1977's The Kentucky Fried Movie
.
Stucker was born in Des Moines, Iowa
, on July 2, 1947. His family moved to Shaker Heights
, Ohio
, where he graduated high school in 1965 and distinguished himself as a pianist and a class clown blessed with dry wit. Stucker made his screen debut in Gregory Corarito's 1975 exploitation Carnal Madness
as Bruce Wilson, a gay fashion designer who escapes an insane asylum with two fellow inmates before molesting and drooling their way through the pupils at a girls' reform school. Although the synopsis seems tasteless even by modern standards, Corarito's film was an artifact of its time and the over-the-top comedy performances by Stucker and his co-stars Michael Pataki and Bob Minor prevented the proceedings from lapsing too far into tasteless sexploitation.
Stucker, a distinctive presence with his bald pate and maniacal grin, went on to the 1977 earthquake-in-Los Angeles comedy Cracking Up
, alongside future Spinal Tap
stars Fred Willard
, Michael McKean
and Harry Shearer
, before appearing as the shamelessly mugging Gordon Simley in the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker conceived / John Landis-directed sketch film The Kentucky Fried Movie the same year. Stucker proved a hit both with Landis and the emerging spoof comedy team of Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker as he appeared in both Airplane!
and Airplane II: The Sequel
as well as Landis's Trading Places
in 1983. Stucker also acted in a series of guest appearances in Mork and Mindy
.
Stucker was one of the first actors to announce he was suffering from HIV
. He died from AIDS
-related complications on April 13, 1986 at the age of 38. He was buried in Chapel of the Pines Crematory
.
In the audio commentary for the Airplane! DVD, the directors remember that when Stucker was a member of the theater group "Kentucky Fried Theater" he had a tendency to steal the show in every skit even if he was just an extra.
Airplane!
Airplane! is a 1980 American satirical comedy film directed and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker and released by Paramount Pictures...
movies and the cross-dressing
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
, rubber-penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
-waving stenographer in the courtroom sequence in 1977's The Kentucky Fried Movie
The Kentucky Fried Movie
The Kentucky Fried Movie is an American comedy film, released in 1977 and directed by John Landis. The film's writers were the team of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker. This same team would go on to write and direct Airplane!, Top Secret! and the Police Squad! television series and its...
.
Stucker was born in Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, on July 2, 1947. His family moved to Shaker Heights
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Shaker Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population was 28,448. It is an inner-ring streetcar suburb of Cleveland that abuts the city on its eastern side.-Topography:Shaker Heights is located at...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, where he graduated high school in 1965 and distinguished himself as a pianist and a class clown blessed with dry wit. Stucker made his screen debut in Gregory Corarito's 1975 exploitation Carnal Madness
Carnal Madness
Carnal Madness is a 1975 exploitation film directed by Gregory Corarito and starring the unlikely trio of Stephen Stucker, Bob Minor and Michael Pataki as three escaped mental patients wreaking havoc in a female detention center.-Plot:Stucker, Minor and Pataki are...
as Bruce Wilson, a gay fashion designer who escapes an insane asylum with two fellow inmates before molesting and drooling their way through the pupils at a girls' reform school. Although the synopsis seems tasteless even by modern standards, Corarito's film was an artifact of its time and the over-the-top comedy performances by Stucker and his co-stars Michael Pataki and Bob Minor prevented the proceedings from lapsing too far into tasteless sexploitation.
Stucker, a distinctive presence with his bald pate and maniacal grin, went on to the 1977 earthquake-in-Los Angeles comedy Cracking Up
Cracking Up
For the movie, see Cracking Up .Cracking Up is an American television sitcom created by School of Rock writer Mike White, who also served as the series' head writer. It aired on the Fox Network on Monday nights from March to May 2004. The title of the program and the name of the psychiatrist, Dr...
, alongside future Spinal Tap
Spinal Tap (band)
Spinal Tap is a parody heavy metal band that first appeared on a failed 1979 ABC TV sketch comedy pilot called "The T.V. Show", starring Rob Reiner...
stars Fred Willard
Fred Willard
Fred Willard is an American actor, comedian, and voice over actor, best known for his improvisational comedy skills. He is known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration as well as...
, Michael McKean
Michael McKean
Michael John McKean is an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Squiggy's friend, Leonard 'Lenny' Kosnowski, on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St...
and Harry Shearer
Harry Shearer
Harry Julius Shearer is an American actor, comedian, writer, voice artist, musician, author, radio host and director. He is known for his long-running role on The Simpsons, his work on Saturday Night Live, the comedy band Spinal Tap and his radio program Le Show...
, before appearing as the shamelessly mugging Gordon Simley in the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker conceived / John Landis-directed sketch film The Kentucky Fried Movie the same year. Stucker proved a hit both with Landis and the emerging spoof comedy team of Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker as he appeared in both Airplane!
Airplane!
Airplane! is a 1980 American satirical comedy film directed and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker and released by Paramount Pictures...
and Airplane II: The Sequel
Airplane II: The Sequel
Airplane II: The Sequel is an American comedy sequel to the 1980 film Airplane!. First released on December 10, 1982, the film was written and directed by Ken Finkleman and stars Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges, Chad Everett, William Shatner, Rip Torn, and Sonny Bono.-Plot:In the near...
as well as Landis's Trading Places
Trading Places
Trading Places is a 1983 American comedy film, of the satire genre, directed by John Landis, starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. It tells the story of an upper class commodities broker and a homeless street hustler whose lives cross paths when they are unknowingly made part of an elaborate bet...
in 1983. Stucker also acted in a series of guest appearances in Mork and Mindy
Mork and Mindy
Mork & Mindy is an American science fiction sitcom broadcast from 1978 until 1982 on ABC. The series starred Robin Williams as Mork, an alien who comes to Earth from the planet Ork in a small, one-man egg-shaped spaceship. Pam Dawber co-starred as Mindy McConnell, his human friend and roommate...
.
Stucker was one of the first actors to announce he was suffering from HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
. He died from AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
-related complications on April 13, 1986 at the age of 38. He was buried in Chapel of the Pines Crematory
Chapel of the Pines Crematory
Chapel of the Pines Crematory is a crematory and columbarium located at 1605 South Catalina Street Los Angeles, California, in the historic West Adams District a short distance southwest of Downtown...
.
In the audio commentary for the Airplane! DVD, the directors remember that when Stucker was a member of the theater group "Kentucky Fried Theater" he had a tendency to steal the show in every skit even if he was just an extra.