Skip Hinnant Dies at 86 After Prolonged Career

Skip Hinnant, a versatile actor who brought characters to life on stage and screen, has passed away at 86. His family announced that he died in Denver on Sunday, leaving behind a legacy of work that spanned decades.

Before joining the cast of The Electric Company, Hinnant had already made a name for himself as an up-and-coming actor. He started his career with a recurring role as Ted on ABC's The Patty Duke Show from 1963 to 65, playing the boyfriend of Patty's identical twin sister Cathy.

A couple of years after leaving The Patty Duke Show, Hinnant took on a new challenge when he joined the original off-Broadway cast of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. His older brother Bill Hinnant was also part of the production, playing the iconic character Snoopy.

Hinnant's experience in the off-Broadway musical helped prepare him for his role as one of the original cast members on The Electric Company when it debuted on PBS in 1971. He joined a talented ensemble that included Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Bill Cosby, and Judy Graubart, among others.

As part of the show's diverse range of characters, Hinnant portrayed Fargo North, a detective who specialized in unscrambling word messages for clients. In addition to this role, he played other notable parts, including the boy in soap opera-styled skits called "Love of Chair" and Frankenstein.

While working on The Electric Company, Hinnant also made a name for himself as the voice behind Fritz the Cat, a title character in a pair of animated films based on Robert Crumb's comic strip. These movies were known for their edgy content, including profanity, violence, sex, and nudity, which earned them an X rating.

Skip Hinnant's acting career spanned multiple decades, with a notable return to the Fritz the Cat franchise in 1974 for The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat. This animated film made history by becoming the first to receive an R rating.

Born on September 12, 1940, Joseph Howard Hinnant was raised alongside his siblings on Chincoteague Island in Virginia. His sister Jean affectionately nicknamed him Skip, a moniker that stuck throughout his life. The youngest of three children, he followed his brother's footsteps to Yale University.

Hinnant's talents were showcased at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner for President Kennedy in 1963 as part of the Julius Monk satirical musical revue Struts and Frets. He performed alongside a cast of talented individuals in this high-profile event.

He then took on the role of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, a production based on Charles M. Schulz's beloved Peanuts characters. Hinnant, along with his brother, opened at Theater 80 St. Marks in Greenwich Village to great acclaim, starring alongside Gary Burghoff and Bob Balaban.

Hinnant continued to make waves in the entertainment industry, appearing in the original Broadway production of Neil Simon's Plaza Suite in 1968-69 under the direction of Mike Nichols. This marked another significant milestone in his illustrious career.

After leaving the Fritz the Cat franchise, Hinnant returned to children's entertainment with a starring role as the Easter Bunny in The Easter Bunny is Comin' to Town in 1977.

Skip Hinnant's illustrious career spanned multiple decades, during which he held a significant position on the national board of SAG from 1980 to 2003.

Hinnant leaves behind a loving family, including his children Chris, Jamie, Julie, and Sara, as well as their spouses Karen, Jennifer, Charles, and Kevin. He also has nine grandchildren and is survived by his longtime partner Ruth Nerken, whom he met in 1985, as well as his ex-wife Miriam Hinnant, whom he married in 1962.

A celebration of life is being organized privately in Chincoteague, with donations in his memory welcome to the Entertainment Community Fund or the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. His family fondly remembers him for his sharp wit and ability to effortlessly weave humor into everyday conversations, always appreciating quality performances and perfect harmony.