Jerry Houser makes his living these days as a voice-over artist, but in the early 1970's it looked like he was well on his way to becoming a well-known actor. As the best friend Oscy in the successful Summer of '42 and it's follow up Class of '44, Jerry Houser's face became instantly recognizable, if not his name.
Movies in the 1970's were not made for teenagers. Even though the humor in those films came from the things teenage boys said and did, the movies back then, even the coming-of-age ones, were made for adults. They were smart and not full of gross-out gags like today's films.
Had Jerry Houser been born ten years later, I believe that he might have become more well known and he would have fit nicely into movies like Porky's or American Pie. However, those types of comedies weren't being made in the early 1970's making Houser an actor ahead of his time. And even though he had a nice supporting role in the Paul Newman hockey film, Slap Shot, I'm not convinced that Hollywood knew what to do with his talents at the time.
Due to the popularity of Summer of '42, I would always spot him when he would guest star on the numerous television shows of his generation. And found it quite funny when his character ended up married to Marcia Brady in the Brady Girls Get Married television special.
I always enjoyed the work of Jerry Houser and was pleasantly surprised whenever he would pop up on television or in a bit part in a film. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he will do it again some day.
Had Jerry Houser been born ten years later, I believe that he might have become more well known and he would have fit nicely into movies like Porky's or American Pie. However, those types of comedies weren't being made in the early 1970's making Houser an actor ahead of his time. And even though he had a nice supporting role in the Paul Newman hockey film, Slap Shot, I'm not convinced that Hollywood knew what to do with his talents at the time.
Due to the popularity of Summer of '42, I would always spot him when he would guest star on the numerous television shows of his generation. And found it quite funny when his character ended up married to Marcia Brady in the Brady Girls Get Married television special.
I always enjoyed the work of Jerry Houser and was pleasantly surprised whenever he would pop up on television or in a bit part in a film. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he will do it again some day.
Check him out in the greatest sports movie of all time Slap Shot. He co-starred with Paul Newman as Dave "killer" Carlson in the 1977 movie about a minor league hockey team that is about to fold.
ReplyDeleteI like this site. I never understood how not so talented actors make it and the ones who do not make it are the ones who are talented and should be the ones in the limelight. Same goes in the music industry. I wonder how some singers get played on the radio. And really excellent singers make one album and then disappear. The film and music industry is messed up. The ones who decide who make it - what talent do they have to spot true talent? Obviously these two industries do not have good talent scouts. How the heck do these people get the jobs to make someone famous?
ReplyDeleteDo you remember A. Martinez? In my opinion he should have been bigger. Anyone know what happened to him?
ReplyDeleteHe is now on the NetFlix show Longmire, which originally aired on A&E.
DeleteI swear I just heard Jerry Houser doing the v.o.for CBS Friday holiday cartoon specials. Can anyone confirm?
ReplyDeleteI agree about the CBS voice over...this is how I ended up on this sure trying to figure out if it was his voice....I swear it is!
ReplyDeleteinteresting fact: jerry houser was a good friend of christian musicians keith and melody green, randy stonehill and todd fishkind, back in the late 70's.
ReplyDeleteI always had a huge crush on Jerry Houser. I'm 10 yrs younger, but his smile and character got me. I think it's a shame, as some have said, that the untalented people just fall into major roles, but someone like Jerry ... who should be on TV or the big screen... has to resort to voice overs. I want to SEE him. I saw him on an episode of C.H.i>P.S. the other day, one I've seen many times, and I kept thinking he reminded me of someone else I like. It took a few minutes, but it dawned on me that he looks a LOT like singer Jimmy Buffett... esp the smile!! With Jimmy doing videos and some acting roles, such as Hawaii 5-0, SOMEONE should consider teaming Jerry and Jimmy up!
ReplyDeleteChips, you said it, right up his alley and no further than that caliber film.
DeleteIn October 1975, Jerry 'toured' UK with Larry Norman and Randy Stonehill, making 'goofy' impromptu appearances onstage. I have photos of Larry and Jerry, taken at a small social gathering the night after their Belfast gig. Beautiful memories.
ReplyDeleteJerry Houser plays Gary Reed in the 1981 Christian film 'Years of the Beast', a story about people trying to survive the Tribulation period after the Rapture.
ReplyDeleteHe has also done several voice-overs for characters in the Christian Radio program 'Adventures in Odyssey'. (His best character for that program was a minor thug nicknamed 'Jellyfish'.
I had lunch with Jerry, on a blanket in a pasture. I was an extra and I had no idea who he was but I noticed some young girls going ga-ga every time they looked at him so I approached him and asked who he was. He was very kind and as it was lunch time (brown bag) he got a blanket from a motorhome and invited me to join him. We had a very enjoyable conversation for about a half hour or more. We were doing the scene inside a barn. He has a great sense of humor. Port Townsend, Washington
DeleteAccording to aiowiki/wiki/jerryhouser, Jerry Houser has voiced 13 different characters in Adventures in Odyssey and has been featured in 26 different episodes.
ReplyDeleteThis guy's got a very recognizable face and voice.
I agree that those who aren't that talented become mega famous, while the real talents get pushed aside.In acting and music.Why is that?He was very talented and i always wondered what happened to him.
ReplyDeleteI knew Jerry when I worked at his bank in Studio City, CA in the late '70s. He's also a talented pianist. Ran into him and enjoyed his playing at a trendy rib joint on Ventura Blvd.
ReplyDeleteAlways a sweet and sincere guy. Friends and funny.
I just don't see it, he has always been a mediocre actor with a mediocre face unappealing to either men or women. He simply did have the skills or creativity to be a mediocre actor let alone a descent one, still doesn't and most likely will never make a movie worth watching.
ReplyDeleteYea... okay.. Anton Ego ...eat the stew fool!!. Incidentally I heard him on an old G.I. Joe's radio commercial some time ago. His voice is one of those automatic ones. Don't listen to Humphrey Stewart Fairbanks Jr. here... stay incog.
DeleteHe was in my favorite episode of Phyllis. He played a young man who first dates Beth, then falls for her mother (Cloris Leachman). So funny and sexy.
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