Larry Hovis

Larry Hovis, born on February 20, 1936, in Wapato, Washington, grew up in Houston, Texas. His career began in music, performing with his sister Joan before joining a vocal group known as "The Mascots," which gained exposure on Arthur Godfrey's "Talent Scouts" in 1948. While pursuing a philosophy degree at the University of Houston, Hovis signed with Capitol Records and produced the album "My Heart Belongs to Only You."

In the late 1950s, he moved to New York City, where he made his mark on Broadway in productions like "The Billy Barnes Revue" (1959) and "From A to Z" (1960). In 1963, Hovis and his family moved to California, where he began performing stand-up comedy in local venues. His television debut came in 1964 on "Gomer Pyle: USMC," where he appeared in ten episodes, as well as in two episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960).

Hovis gained widespread recognition for his role as demolition expert "Sgt. Carter" in "Hogan's Heroes," which he joined after initially landing a minor role in the pilot. Beyond acting, he contributed to television as a writer for "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" (1967) and penned the screenplay for the film "Out of Sight" (1966). After "Hogan's Heroes" ended, he continued to appear in various series, including "The Doris Day Show" (1968) and "Alice" (1976). He also produced game shows like "Liar's Club" (1976-1978). In 1993, Hovis returned to film with a role in "Shadow Force" (1992).