In 1964 with Dean drafted into the army, Hank began a twenty year career as a character actor in films and television. His first movie was a small role with his RCA Victor label-mate Elvis Presley in MGM's "Girl Happy." After appearing as a supporting player in Paramount's "Village of the Giants" with Beau Bridges and Ronnie Howard (once voted one of the 50 worst films of all time!), he got his first good role in Universal's "Young Warriors."

In "Young Warriors," Hank played the youngest soldier in the platoon, Loren Fairchild.

© Universal Studios

In "Young Warriors," Hank tells a sqeamish Steve Carlson how his funeral-director father embalmed bodies, as Steve tries to eat dinner.

© Universal Studios

Hank with a young Kurt Russell in Disney's "The Barefoot Executive," taking his first flying lesson over Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 with Jeff Donnell in 20th Century Fox's oscar-winning "Tora-Tora-Tora", as "Sir Lancelot," the wimpy auto-racer in Disney's "Herbie Rides Again," and with future soap-star Deidre Hall as "Adam and Eve."

© Walt Disney Productions and © 20th Century Fox Productions

Besides the nearly 500 national TV and radio commercials Hank did over the years, he was featured on many of the situation comedies of the 60s and 70s such as "Petticoat Junction," "Nanny & The Professor," "No Time For Sergeants," "The Jeffersons," "Family Affair," and "The Love Boat," as well as dramas like "Mod Squad" and "Mr. Novak." He had recurring roles on "My Three Sons" with Fred MacMurray and William Frawley and on "The Patty Duke Show" as one of her high-school classmates. Hank also made several appearances as guest star on the popular "Love American Style."

On CBS's comedy "Arnie" starring Herschel Bernardi, Hank got a chance to play a young lawyer winning a case against real-life courtroom legend, Melvin Belli.

Hank was just another "accident" on NBC's show "Emergency," with Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe.

It was a thrill for Hank to share scenes with super-star Henry Fonda on ABC's "The Smith Family." Fonda introduced himself to Hank by saying, "I'm a 'Hank' too: just call me that, and we'll get along fine!"

Producer Gary Marshall cast Hank as Robin Williams' defense attorney in the one-hour "Mork & Mindy" special. Robin's manic energy and ability to break up the entire cast and crew made shooting memorable, to say the least.

Just before he retired from on-camera acting to devote his life to genealogy, one of Hank's last tv shows was on the NBC Special, "Ringo." Hank played former Beatle Ringo Starr's twin brother "Ognir Rrats" in this comedy version of Mark Twain's "Prince & The Pauper." After four hours of make-up every day, Hank's resemblance to Ringo was so striking that they often would exchange places, with Hank going to the studio commissary for lunch to fool everyone as "Ringo." It gave Hank a chance to see what it was like to be a Beatle (and WOW, was that fun!!!). Vincent Price, John Ritter, and another Beatle, George Harrison, were also on this program. Here's a production still showing Ringo and Hank fighting over their love-interest Carrie Fisher (of "Star Wars" fame).

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