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Tony Hendra
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Miami Vice Character
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Born
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July 10, 1941, Willisden, England
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Died
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March 4, 2021, Yonkers, New York (age 79, ALS)
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Active
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1964-2021
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Spouse(s)/Children
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Judith Christmas (1964-1985, divorced), two children
Carla Hendra (1986-2021, his death), three children |
Tony Hendra (July 10, 1941 - March 4, 2021) was a British author and satirist, who appeared as record executive Gordon Wiggins in the episode "Like a Hurricane" and "Rock and a Hard Place" of the series Miami Vice.
Career[]
Hendra began his career doing stand-up comedy and satire, teaming with fellow comedian Nick Ullett to form Hendra and Ullett, appearing on the variety shows The Merv Griffin Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. He also performed with John Cleese and Graham Chapman of Monty Python fame while attending Cambridge. In 1970 Hendra joined the writing staff at National Lampoon from its' beginning, later becoming their first editor, remaining there (later promoted to editor-in-chief) until 1978, when he became freelance, creating the satirical papers Not the New York Times, Off the Wall Street Journal, and Not the Bible. In 1984 Hendra co-created, co-wrote, and co-produced the British satirical show Spitting Image (whose puppets were used in the music video to Genesis' 1987 single "Land of Confusion"), later joining the acting ranks with roles in the movies This is Spinal Tap (with Harry Shearer), Jumpin' Jack Flash (with Jeroen Krabbe and Vyto Ruginis), Life with Mikey (with Cyndi Lauper, Nathan Lane, and Annabelle Gurwitch), and the TV shows The Cosby Mysteries and Law and Order: Criminal Intent (with Vincent D'Onofrio).
Personal Life/Death[]
Hendra married Judith Christmas from 1964 until their 1985 divorce, they had two daughters (the oldest, Jessica (born 1965) would write a book in 2004, How to Cook Your Daughter: A Memoir in which she claimed her father molested her as a child, and Katherine), then married Carla Hendra from 1986 until his death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) on March 4, 2021 in Yonkers, New York; they had three children, Lucy, Sebastian and Nicholas, and had four grandchildren.