Author: rb809rb

John Wheeler, the well-known character actor who appeared in five Broadway musicals, guest-starred as Tellarites politician Ambassador Gav on Star Trek and performed in an unforgettable McDonald’s commercial, has died. He was 95.

Wheeler died Feb. 6 at his home in Claremont, California, his daughter, Johanna Wheeler, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Wheeler also recurred on CBS’ The Dukes of Hazzard in 1982 as Mr. Rhuebottom, owner of a general store in Hazzard County, and he played William Frawley alongside Frances Fisher as Lucille Ball, Maurice Benard as Desi Arnaz and Robin Pearson Rose as Vivian Vance on the 1991 CBS telefilm Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter.

Unrecognizable under heavy latex makeup, Wheeler made his onscreen debut when he portrayed Gav and tussled with Mark Lenard’s Sarek, a Vulcan, on the second-season Star Trek installment “Journey to Babel,” which premiered in November 1967 and ranks 42nd on THR’s list of the show’s best episodes.

In the show-stopping 1971 choreographed musical commercial “Grab a Bucket and Mop,” Wheeler appears in a white shirt and tie as a McDonald’s manager, and he shows off his strong tenor voice alongside John Amos, Robert Ridgely and others.

Johnnie Lee Wheeler Jr. was born on June 20, 1930, in Corsicana, Texas. His father worked for the railroad, and his mother, Ann, was a homemaker. He attended TCU and the University of the Pacific, graduating in 1952 with a degree in Music, and served for a couple years in the U.S. Army.

Wheeler sang with the New York City Opera in New York, and that got him to the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, where he performed in the Comden-Green musical Wonderful Town. He later was a member of two folk groups led by conductor Robert DeCormier: the Grammy-winning Belafonte Singers, who backed up Harry Belafonte and sang on their own albums, and the DeCormier Singers.

He first made it to Broadway in 1961 in the musical comedy The Happiest Girl in the World, starring Janice Rule and based on tales of Greek mythology, and he followed with turns in four other musicals: 1962’s Kean, 1964’s Café Crown and I Had a Ball and 1966’s Sweet Charity, playing Herman, the dance hall proprietor.

He landed an uncredited part in Elvis Presley’s Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) and portrayed a dancer in Bob Fosse’s 1969 movie adaptation of Sweet Charity that starred Shirley MacLaine (Stubby Kaye played Herman in the movie).

Wheeler’s big-screen résumé included Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969), Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971), Mame (1974), Newman’s Law (1974), Big Bad Mama (1974), Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978), The North Avenue Irregulars (1979), The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) and Apollo 13 (1995).

He also showed up on four episodes of The Odd Couple and Green Acres and three of The Brady Bunch, with other appearances coming on Then Came Bronson, Mannix, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Here’s Lucy, Happy Days, The Waltons, The Rockford Files, Rhoda, Dallas, Night Court, The Golden Girls and ER, among other shows.

And he was a great Santa Claus, playing him on a 1997 episode of Step by Step and in telefilms that aired in 1996, 2004 and 2005.

In addition to his daughter, survivors include his sons, Christopher and Timothy, and his grandson, Brandon. He was married to Helen Wheeler from 1959 until her death in 2013.

Those who find the notion of a quiet, peaceful afterlife just a bit too humdrum look no further, as a particularly ridiculous PR stunt has the world’s largest streaming service and the world’s edgiest canned water company teaming up for a high-tech urn to play music at your ashes after it’s come time to reach the great beyond.

Spotify and Liquid Death announced what they’re calling the Eternal Playlist Urn on Tuesday, and as the name suggests, the vase intended for the cremated remains of you or your loved one comes embossed with the two companies’ logos and is outfitted with a Bluetooth speaker built into the underside of the cap to play some tunes.  

The companies teamed up for the urn, which is listed at $495 before taxes, to “redefine the afterlife experience.” They describe it as having a “minimal and respectful” design appropriate for the “home, columbarium or anywhere in between.” Spotify has created a playlist generator to help curate users’ eternal soundtrack, and those who purchase the urn can sync the playlist directly to it.

A musical urn is the sort of stunty absurdity Liquid Death has become known for, having previously sold limited edition enemas with Travis Barker (a nod to the Blink-182 album Enema of the State), $450 cans of tea that Ozzy Osbourne drank to contain trace amounts of his DNA and skateboards painted with paint infused with a small amount of Tony Hawk’s blood.

With just four broad questions — one of which asks which ghost noise best fits you and another asks what your getting-ready-to-haunt music is — the feature certainly isn’t giving a thorough, personalized playlist for the five people on the planet who may actually want to use this thing to score the rest of their eternity. And at press time, the actual playlist generator doesn’t appear to be working, giving errors before it can properly give music suggestions, so it’s unclear what type of music will actually play.

The urn’s speaker itself is wireless and Bluetooth-enabled, so it’ll have to stay charged for it to in fact work for the rest of time. (The urn includes a USB-C charging cable).

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission.

Let’s get one thing straight: Escaping the hustle and bustle of Rodeo Drive this spring need not involve a plane ticket. In fact, you can hop in your car (or order fancy SUV service) and end up at Hilton’s Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort in merely one-and-a-half hours — effectively getting treated to world-class hospitality; the comforts of recently renovated, airy suites; and no shortage of ways to occupy your time, whether you’re embarking on the much-needed getaway with your beau, the whole family or solo.

The Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort‘s marquee feature is that it sits right on Santa Barbara‘s East Beach, which means two things: If you’re brave enough, you can take a dip in the calm, south-facing waters of the Pacific, and if you’re more land- versus sea-inclined, there’s also the Funk Zone district a 20-minute walk away. For the uninitiated, this vibrant arts hub is a mix of breweries, tasting rooms, galleries, vintage stores and murals. Exploring the neighborhood is an apt way to spend a few hours or even half a day out and about, though we urge you to get right back to your resort for lunchtime.

This Hilton outpost, after all, serves up the kind of coastal Californian cuisine that can win over even the pickiest of gourmands: no matter if you end up eating at The Set (considered one of Santa Barbara’s best fire pit–equipped sunset-watching spots), try out a new-to-you grape variety at the Wine Tasting Room or tuck into hearty breakfast classics at The Roundhouse.

Just as sumptuous as its food offerings are the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort‘s various accommodation options meant to fit every budget. The refreshed pool walkout rooms are ideal for those craving an indoor-outdoor type of vacation, given the fact that guests get direct access to the hotel’s pool from their room, not to mention a private patio with a fire pit (are you starting to sense a theme here?) for getting cozy once the stars — think celestial, not Hollywood — come out. You can also pick from rooms with or without balconies, various bed sizes and arrangements, ocean-facing orientations that lend themselves well to some early morning meditation and other bells and whistles. Those who find their zen while staring at peaks as opposed to bodies of water will be happy to know that the property also boasts clear views of the Santa Ynez Mountains, making it the best of both worlds… and not in a cliche way this time.

After Hilton’s renovation, the Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort also got blessed with a chic, upgraded pool deck, so don’t forget to grab your best bathing suit when preparing for the trip. Lined with state-of-the-art cabanas and day beds, the pool area is the perfect place for quenching your thirst with a mai tai and tropical fruit platter (after which you’d be remiss not to cool off in the crystalline waters, of course).

When we say the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort is bound to be fun for the whole family, we mean it. While Mom and Dad savor massages at the Float Luxury Spa — which can be enhanced with add-on services like dry brushing and CBD treatments — the kids can sharpen their skills on the lawn, which is well-stocked with games like giant chess, or else join you at the adjacent Santa Barbara Zoo. The latter destination’s resident flamingo is cheekily named Hilty in honor of the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort itself, and she just might become a highlight.

Other activities of note, either curated by the resort or its partners, include beachside yoga, paddleboarding and pickleball (Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort has six courts on which you can play this trendy paddle sport). A $40 resort fee per day gets you perks like two-hour bike rentals, free onsite fitness classes, two-hour beach chair rentals and beyond. If you’re someone who can’t leave home without bringing Fido along for the adventure, the hotel is gloriously pet-friendly, too — even going so far as to pamper pooches with treats at check-in, gourmet menus and more tennis balls than your best friend will know what to do (erm, chew) with.

Still on the fence about solidifying your spring break plans by booking the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort? Perhaps the hospitality company’s myriad of limited-time promotions will help seal the deal. Our favorite: “Stay More, Save More,” which gives you 20% off on reservations of three nights or more. Meanwhile, the “Experience the Stay” package grants a special on-property credit (to be applied towards a beachfront facial, a celebratory dinner and everything in between) plus bonuses like early check-in. Last but not least, if you are, indeed, planning on taking the kiddos to Santa Barbara’s award-winning zoo, you’re going to go bananas over Hilton’s “Wild About Santa Barbara” offer. According to the brand, it promises “four zoo tickets, daily breakfast for two adults with two kids eating free, zoo-themed swag and beachfront accommodations.”

Learn more about all the ways you can save here, and get a Santa Barbara escape on the cal by securing your dream coastal stay at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort — a kind of home (not so far) away from home.